What Are John Popper's 14 Harmonicas? | Harmonica Lessons
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- čas přidán 24. 07. 2024
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Hi, I'm John Popper, lead singer of the band Blues Traveler. I also play harmonica, and am arguably one of the best in the world. But thank God, there really never can be an actual best, but I'm damn good. I'm gonna teach you a few things about the harmonica.
Every diatonic or blues harmonica or folk harmonica, and the term diatonic means in the key of, that's all it means. Each harmonica, right here, has the tune that it's in. G harmonica. And this is an A-flat harmonica. As labeled here on the sides so that any tech can know which one will be gone.
So when I want to play in a B blues, I use an E harmonica. A lot of blues harmonica players play that way and they call it cross harp. If I want to play a G blues, I use a C harmonica. That's a G there that I just played right there.
So, you have all 12 keys. In western music there are 12 tones. A, A-flat, B, C, D, D-flat, E, E-flat, F, H. I have two little ones here that are special. This is the lowest harmonica they make and this is the highest harmonica that they make. You know, I have this G here that is the lowest on the scale while this is an octave higher. Same key, but an octave higher. It just lets you do really shrill things like hang up telephones and freak out dogs. And that's what that's for. And then this one here, this isn't the highest key, D1 which plays in A blues, but they made an extra low D1. And this is kind of a nice, low sex sound sort of like Lauren Bacall's voice, it's good for low blues or whatever.
So basically, I travel with 12 harmonicas and an additional 2 for a whopping 14. And that's basically what you got.
But here's the problem. These harmonicas go out of tune when you beat them up the way I do. And when they're out of tune, they're pretty much screwed. I mean, some people, Howard Levy, that great harmonica player I mentioned, you know, actually, he'd treat the reeds. The result is he'll have harmonicas that will last him for years. But they got spit all over them. Frankly, I, staining the metal with spit all over them and I break the reeds. I just get a new harmonica because they're pretty much screwed and I don't got time to heat treat things and you know, and what are they, like 30 bucks? I just throw them away. And then I started throwing them away to the crowd and then the crowd started expecting me to throw them and then I'm throwing perfectly good harmonicas into the crowd because they expect me to throw them. And that's why I got so freaking pre-eminent. - Jak na to + styl
Even his 2 second riffs are golden. This dude is pure legend.
I got to meet john at one of his concert and he gave me one of his harmonicas one of the coolest moments ever. Have nothing to say but pure awesome for the dedication he puts into his music. Im picking up the harmonica because of it.
"Hi I'm John Popper, lead singer of the band Blues Traveler, and I also play harmonica. I'm arguably one of the best in the world, but thank God there can never actually be a "best"..... but I'm DAMN good."
Love it.
P.S. If there were an arguement for best blues player in the world, I (along with many others), would argue in your favor.
He's our generations little Walter and if you don't know who that is look him up
Duh.
Something to be said for the man that follows in your footsteps.
Probably the best ‘fast yet fluent’ harmonica player, but there’s some epic slow harmonica players who are arguably better at the slower stuff. However I prefer John’s style as his edge of seat, electric energy, aggressive attacking sound back to subtle is epic, unmatched, and when he hits those screamer notes at a time in a song that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end, followed by I nice chill down your spine as he takes us on a note filled journey into outta fukn space!!!
That to me is the measure of a good musician and harmonica player, and John has made that happen to me more times than any other harp player.
I’M SO GLAD HE’S ALIVE!!!
ONE OF MY FAVORITE MUSICIANS!!!!
but also he has that voice. holy jesus that voice
The Eddie Van Halen of the harmonica! I would give my left foot to hang out with him for an afternoon!
Lo Db my favorite key. Seydel Session Steel. Great harp! I've been a Hohner man for a ling time but these harps kick ass!
Currently playing johns Harmonica from a show in Florida 😅😂
Nice. Thank you Howcast!
Beautiful Rolex! Great music!
Great video.
yaaay blues traveller, what an awesome band, :D , i saw the caption saying harmonica and then the thumbnail, and i waslike "could it he him" xD
Show mestre 👍
OMG JP is the best EVER!!! PERIOD! There. I said it!
Where I get a hard case like that?
I saw this guy on sesame and at first when I saw the movie I though why the heck does he have glassed then I found out that he is a blues artist and that explains why he’s dressed like that and he’s a good singer and I dream that we were at this place and he was preforming,I think it was broad meadows my old school he also seems like a great guy
We get it dude, you're good. Now let's solo together.
Great John
Actually you are the best John. Just watch his video with Ziggy Marley if you don't agree
Question for John Popper: what does he use for his songs: Hook and Canadian Rose and what key are they in when he uses them?
D harmonica, in the key of A, if that helps.
I would ask him what he thinks of the late Paul Butterfield, my other favorite harmonica player. Their styles are different.
How much do you think John Popper’s head weighs? I’m gonna say like 58 lbs.
01:36 - Actually, it was my cat that got freaked out when you played that high note, wtf...
I don’t think you can say there’s the best harmonica player in the world but I’m pretty damn good 😂 legend
It's worrying that he thinks that way. It means he'll never put any effort into improving. His tone is diabolical.
What harmonica should I get to start?
A cheap one
Buy a honner sp 20 or if you can't afford one try an fender midnight blues and I have a review and a video of me beatboxing using it as my rhythm and it was perfect!!
No low "F" harmonica?
tuning harmonicas is easy. just takes a little bit of practice
To good to jam with a commoner. The mountains win again.
Not only the Best Harmonica player, He's most likely a good kisser too 😁😜
John, I guess I don’t get why for B blues you play the harp up a fourth but for C blues your up a fifth? Would you be able to address this someday? Love you man-
he said C harmonica for G blues, not C blues. In both cases he’s up a 4th.
i’m not a harmonica player but my guess as to why a 4th up; the harp will play the 3rd and flatted 7th of the song’s key, which are the most important intervals that define the key.
i.e. G blues with C harp - the C harp can play a C scale, which contains B and F, the 3rd and flatted 7th of G.
Little Walter the G.O.A.T the end
Willy - Wasn't that by Sonny Boy Williamson?
@@pit2ryan3 Sonny had a song called The Goat, and was called The Goat because of his goatee. The G.O.A.T. in this instance means Greatest Of All Time.
Preeminent: surpassing all others; very distinguished in some way.
... pro...
Come on John don't sell yourself short you are the greatest her Monica player in the world. but Anyway. Please excuse this latest technology.
Any harmonica players here?
Look at my channel
Howard Levy doesn't heat treat the reeds. He doesn't do anything to his harps. Joe Filisko customizes them and Joe doesn't heat treat them either. Howard's harps last because he has good breath control.
i thought this was t2darlantan
H? There’s an H? I did not know that
I'm surprised he uses the ones with the plastic reeds instead of the traditional wooden ones with better tone. Plastic ones are easier to clean, but that's about only benefit I know.
Cause he just tosses them anyway. He doesn't care about keeping harmonica's long term if he is going to throw them in the crowd every night anyway.
The reeds are metal. It's the comb that's plastic. Nowadays, many of the higher quality harmonicas use non-wood combs. Some use resin composite combs, for example the Suzuki Manji.
Plastic combs don't shrink/expand.
There is no significant tone difference from one comb material to the next. Out of the box plastic combs are generally more airtight than Marine Band combs. The additional airtightness makes them play better.
CROSS HARP CHEAT SHEET:
B blues = E harmonica
G blues = C harmonica
A blues = D harmonica
As if blowing through a harmonica is difficult.
all that and he never says which brand of harmonica he uses 😭
Hohner special 20,I play them too
You are the best, but I challenge you to sound off against me.
Yay I was the 5th person to comment and the 3rd person to like =]
I'm just as good as Popper
No
Unless you're scared?
Phirst!!
I appreciate humility but don't find it here