THE BEST HARMONICA FOR IRISH MUSIC

- Easy Third – The Sound Behind My Music -

I’m proud to announce my partnership with SEYDEL, who are now producing harmonicas in the “Easy Third” tuning— the tuning that’s become central to my sound and style.

Each harmonica is built to my exact specifications and features a beautiful walnut comb, known for its durability and powerful, resonant tone. The instruments are tuned to Equal Temperament, which makes them perfect for playing melodies and tunes alongside other instruments — something that’s often difficult with standard harmonicas, which are typically tuned to Compromised or Just Intonation.

If you’re looking for even more volume and response, try half-valving these harmonicas — it gives them an incredible boost and makes them really sing.

- CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR EASY THIRD HARMONICA FROM SEYDEL -

If you decide to go with a chromatic harmonica, you have a couple of options. One approach is to start with a G chromatic, which makes it easy to access a variety of tunes and keys. Alternatively, you could opt for a D chromatic, allowing you to play more like a melodeon or C#/D player. However when you press the slider on a D chromatic, it raises the note to D#, so it's similar to the box but not exactly the same.

Another highly popular harmonica in Irish traditional music is the tremolo harmonica, which has been played in Ireland for many years. One reason for its popularity is that it has a strong, loud sound. Some well-known brands that are favored in Ireland include Tombo and Suzuki.

Octave harmonicas are also great for Irish music, though there are not many manufacturers producing them today. One of the few brands still making octave harmonicas is the German company Seydel. These instruments deliver a crisp and loud sound, similar to that of a melodeon.