I can remember I had played a toy harmonica as a child.
I'm sure that both my parents and myself just regarded it as a "fun" noise maker.
Well I thought it was fun.
My parents - maybe not so much.
I remember that some time later when I was about 13 and had one of my first paying jobs I saw a Hohner Marine Band harmonica on sale at a music store in the local mall.
By this time I was more interested in music and had noticed harmonica sounds in some songs on the radio and in some of the vinyl records or CDs that I had come to the store to look at in the first place.
I thought it would be fun to try to see if I could learn to play harmonica and make some of those sounds so I bought my first real harmonica.
One day at my high school after lunch I was with some friends and I took out my harmonica.
One of my friends asked if he could try it.
I handed it to him and he started to wail away on one of the songs that had got me interested in playing in the first place.
Not only did it sound as good as the recording but to me it was better because it was right there in front of me live! That was it for me.
I was hooked.
Every time I heard a song with a harmonica part in it I would try to figure it out.
I found harmonica music everywhere.
There was rock harmonica, then blues harmonica, then country and folk music with old Bob Dylan Harmonica songs.
All it had taken was to see my friend play one simple tune.
I guess I thought; "If some other 13 year old like me could do it so could I - right?" As I started to play better I was able to show off a little and see others enjoy it.
That made it funner for me.
Also some of my best fun was showing others how to play and watching them get excited to learn to play harmonica.
I really enjoy to see that excitement of harmonica for beginners as much as I have enjoyed watching my favorite stars play.
The smiles and look on the face of a beginner harmonica player when they start to make some good music for themselves remind me of the how fun and exciting it was for me when I was starting out.
I love seeing them have a good time as they learn familiar songs and how to play free style jams along with me then on their own or with other instruments.
Since a harmonica is small it is easy to carry in your pocket.
Harmonica can be added to a lot of different styles of music.
I have found playing it is a fun hobby and skill that has given me lots of good times and great memories.
After being on both sides of the fence I can say from experience it is a lot more fun when you AND the people around you can enjoy your fun music maker.
I'm sure that both my parents and myself just regarded it as a "fun" noise maker.
Well I thought it was fun.
My parents - maybe not so much.
I remember that some time later when I was about 13 and had one of my first paying jobs I saw a Hohner Marine Band harmonica on sale at a music store in the local mall.
By this time I was more interested in music and had noticed harmonica sounds in some songs on the radio and in some of the vinyl records or CDs that I had come to the store to look at in the first place.
I thought it would be fun to try to see if I could learn to play harmonica and make some of those sounds so I bought my first real harmonica.
One day at my high school after lunch I was with some friends and I took out my harmonica.
One of my friends asked if he could try it.
I handed it to him and he started to wail away on one of the songs that had got me interested in playing in the first place.
Not only did it sound as good as the recording but to me it was better because it was right there in front of me live! That was it for me.
I was hooked.
Every time I heard a song with a harmonica part in it I would try to figure it out.
I found harmonica music everywhere.
There was rock harmonica, then blues harmonica, then country and folk music with old Bob Dylan Harmonica songs.
All it had taken was to see my friend play one simple tune.
I guess I thought; "If some other 13 year old like me could do it so could I - right?" As I started to play better I was able to show off a little and see others enjoy it.
That made it funner for me.
Also some of my best fun was showing others how to play and watching them get excited to learn to play harmonica.
I really enjoy to see that excitement of harmonica for beginners as much as I have enjoyed watching my favorite stars play.
The smiles and look on the face of a beginner harmonica player when they start to make some good music for themselves remind me of the how fun and exciting it was for me when I was starting out.
I love seeing them have a good time as they learn familiar songs and how to play free style jams along with me then on their own or with other instruments.
Since a harmonica is small it is easy to carry in your pocket.
Harmonica can be added to a lot of different styles of music.
I have found playing it is a fun hobby and skill that has given me lots of good times and great memories.
After being on both sides of the fence I can say from experience it is a lot more fun when you AND the people around you can enjoy your fun music maker.