Best harmonica for Irish music
I often get asked about the best harmonica for Irish music, and the simple answer is: choose the one you like best! Personally, my favorite is the Hohner Rocket. It has a nicely rounded shape, feels gentle on the lips, and produces a great sound. Plus, it’s available in almost every key from Low-C to F.
The Hohner Rocket is a diatonic harmonica, often referred to as a blues harmonica. However, there are many other brands and models that work well in Irish music, such as chromatic, tremolo, and octave harmonicas.
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.