Videos by American Songwriter
As one who has had a lifelong passion for making music on a harmonica, I can wholeheartedly say that this versatile instrument serves as an ideal companion along the musical journey.
As an artist, I know that the harmonica generously opens up new vistas for creative exploration, right in the palm of your hands. This sweet and amazing instrument adds mesmerizing energy, depth and soul to music. Surely, each one of us can have a very personal, individualized relationship with the harmonica that evolves and expands over time based upon who you are as a creator of music.
As a composer, I marvel at how “instrumental” the harmonica is in coming up with hook lines and making melodies. It’s a natural resource for the songwriter that sparks creativity in unexpected ways. I’m thrilled to see other songwriters find that the harmonica is a great collaborator in the process of coming up with catchy hook lines and unforgettable melodies.
If you are new to the instrument, you will quickly discover that the harmonica will become your “new best friend!” Playing the harmonica is virtually as easy as breathing itself, while at the same, it offers endless possibilities for creative expression. It’s so simple yet so wondrously complex in its infinite variety.
If you are already familiar with the harmonica, then you may continue to delve in and experiment with the wide array of genres and styles that can be played by using altered tunings for Lee Oskar Harmonicas, available in many different keys. Check out all of the different genres that can be played based upon which harmonica tuning is used:
Standard Tuning—Lee Oskar Harmonicas Major Diatonic
- Folk
- Blues
- Rock
- Pop
Altered Tunings (available in different keys)
1. Lee Oskar Harmonicas “MelodyMaker”
- R & B
- Country
- Reggae
- Pop
- Jazz
- Latin
- Afro
- Ska Music
2. Lee Oskar Harmonicas Natural Minor
- Minor Blues
- Reggae
- Ska
- Latin
- Funk
- R & B
- Hip-Hop
3. Lee Oskar Harmonicas Harmonic Minor
- Gypsy
- Yiddish
- Asian
- East European
- Tango
- Reggae Music
It’s thrilling to experience where the harmonica can take you musically!
To help singer-songwriters and instrumentalists of all kinds, levels, genres and styles readily incorporate harmonica playing into their music, I have created an easy-to-follow set of tools and educational resources, known as the Lee Oskar Harmonica QuickGuide system. This system features Lee Oskar signature harmonicas in different tunings, supported by a step-by-step educational website, www.leeoskarquickguide.com, which offers video instruction and other support tools to help master harmonica playing.
Check it out and see how this system can open up new avenues for your songwriting. Happy harping!
