Diatonic vs Chromatic

by Christopher Flynn — Tuesday, September 08, 2009

I haven't talked about this much but if you've searched around for harmonicas, odds are pretty good you've seen something called a chromatic harmonica. This is a harmonica with a small button on the side. I haven't, nor will I likely, talk about them too much outside of this post. Wikipedia defines it as "a type of harmonica that uses a button-activated sliding bar to redirect air from the hole in the mouthpiece to the selected reed-plate desired." If you play in an orchestra, you probably play one of these.

A simple way of describing what the difference between a Chromatic and a Diatonic harmonica is that a Diatonic harmonica is like a piano with only the white keys and a Chromatic is one with both the white and black keys. Given this description it makes you think that maybe it would be better to go get a Chromatic harmonica right? Well I don't think so and I'll explain why.

One of the features that I find attractive in the Harmonica is it's simplicity. I can pick it up and play something that sounds halfway decent without a lot of effort. True, it is possible to play badly on a harmonica but it's a lot easier to play than most instruments because of the way it was designed. Try to hit a single note and instead hit two or three? No problem, it still sounds good. The chromatic harmonica adds an extra level of complexity that I don't need, especially when starting out. I want to worry about playing one note or about bending, not pressing a button.

Of course I'm not trying to bash the chromatic or say it's unnecessary, please don't get me wrong, I'm just saying it's not for me. Ask yourself, do you really want the extra notes? Most of the music I like that has a harmonica in it was played with a diatonic harmonica. Of course I'm mostly interested in blues/rock with a little folk music thrown in so my tastes may differ from yours. If you like a style where the chromatic harmonica is more useful, then by all means look into getting one but you still might want to start with a diatonic.

The cost is another prohibitive factor. While most good diatonic harmonicas can run you about $30, a chromatic will probably be over $100. Sure, I can buy an expensive diatonic that's more than $100 but you can also spend over $1,000 on a chromatic. Though to be fair, most are in the $100-$300 range. For that price, you can buy a really nice set of diatonic harmonicas. A quick search on amazon shows the most expensive set of diatonic harmonicas is the Bob Dylan Signature Series 7-Piece Harmonica Set for $699.99. (Well aside from the Bob Dylan Hand-Signed Series) The next most expensive was the Hohner Golden Melody Harmonica 7 Pack with Case and Belt for $265. (and remember a key is not the same as a note, Chromatic harmonicas cannot play in every key)

As a beginner, I think there is a lot for me to learn before even thinking about a chromatic harmonica. I also think that I'll be happy with just a diatonic one for now as my venues will be primarily porches and firesides. I just thought I would mention them here so if you are a beginner like me, you wouldn't be confused about what it is and why you may (or may not) need one. If I were to get one, it would probably be the Hohner CX-12 Black, Key of C as I've heard good things about it.