There are a few instruments that do not always fit into a song or style, and even when they do, you have to be careful not to overdo it. Instruments like accordions, bagpipes, and lastly, the harmonica. But then again there are some songs and bands that you love hearing go overboard. One of my favorite bands that uses a harmonica is Blues Traveler. The harmonica player (who is also the lead singer) plays the harmonica like it was a lead guitar. His harmonica solos blow most guitarists out of the water. However, Blues Traveler is not the only band to use harmonicas well. Billy Joel had harmonica featured in his song “Piano Man” and Led Zeppelin has used harmonica in the song “When the Levee Breaks.” Harmonica is an instrument that has cemented its place in folk, blues, and rock music for eternity. Even Aerosmith uses harmonicas occasionally. I actually found a cool video of Steven Tyler playing that you can watch here.
So not every band can afford having one person only playing harmonica. Or perhaps you are a solo act involving piano or guitar backed up by harmonica. In instances like this, you need something to hold your harmonica. To help you find the best one for you, we are going to look into some options that will step up your performances. On top of that, we will also look into harmonica microphones. You can always get away with normal vocal mics, but the mics I will be listing are specifically designed to be held with the harmonica easily, instead of having an awkward handle sticking out.
Table of Contents:
Best Harmonica Holders
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Price (before shipping)- $13.99
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So there is not much to harmonica holders. This one is built to hold the majority of 10 hole harmonicas. It has a rubber strap to prevent irritation on the neck while you wear it. The clamp is spring loaded to easily put in place or remove. This is the classic style of holder that you will see with a lot of blues players.
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Price (before shipping)- $64.99
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So the best neck mounted holders I found, were both from the same company, Hohner. Which I guess makes sense since there isn’t much of a market for harmonica holders. This is the one I would prefer personally despite the higher price. It has a more comfortable neck rest as well as locking clamps to hold the harmonica in place. Same as the previous, this holder is built to hold most 10 hole harmonicas, and is a one size fits all.
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Price (before shipping)- $24.06
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This harmonica holder is an even greater option for players who are also singers. This stand is magnetic and can hold the best position in front of the microphone without shifting. With this you do not have to worry about shifting the harmonica up to your mouth or craning your neck down to reach it. You simply have to walk up and play as if you were singing into the mic. Granted, I doubt it will be holding its position if you slam your head into it during an emotional performance. However, I think it will still hold fast with slight abuse. This stand also has 3 adjustment points to help you get the optimal position.
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Best Harmonica Mics
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Price (before shipping)- $119.00
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When it comes to miking harmonicas live, if the musician has no other instruments taking up their hands, this is a great option. It has a rounded back to help grip easily while still holding the harmonica. Built in as well is a volume control so you can mute while singing or it is not in use, and you can use it to boost during a lead portion for the harmonica. The one drawback is that it has a quarter inch connection built in which prevents it from plugging straight in as a normal mic without some sort of converter. But also a perk to that, is that you can plug into effect pedals to get new and unique sounds.
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Price (before shipping)- $149.00
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The Fireball is another great harmonica microphone due to its rounded back for holding easily in your cupped hands. The one up this has on the Shure 520DX is that it does not have only a quarter inch out. The Fireball has a regular XLR out just like most microphones. The one downside this does have though is that it does not have any volume or level control for the send to the board. Overall though, I would still suggest this microphone due to its easy to grip casing.
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