Chromatic harmonica lesson: Should I play C in hole 4 or hole 5?

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Filip Jers is an internationally known harmonica player from Stockholm, Sweden and one of the most sought-out harmonica players in Europe. At the age of 36 he has performed in almost 30 countries all over the world.
In 2011 Jers graduated with a Master Degree in Fine Arts of Music from The Royal College of Music in Stockholm. He has also studied privately with Toots Thielemans, Howard Levy and Robert Bonfiglio.
Jers has been given numerous awards through the years. In 2005 he won two gold medals at the World Harmonica Festival in Trossingen, Germany. In 2014 his jazz quartet Filip Jers Quartet was selected as "Best Group" at the European Jazz Competition in Rotterdam, Netherlands and in 2015 the quartet received a Swedish grammy for the album ”Plays Swedish Folk”. In 2016 Jers was awarded the title ”Jazz musician of the Year” by Swedish Radio.
Jers works regulary with Filip Jers Quartet, with his duo with guitarist Emil Ernebro and as a guest soloist in different projects. He has been a featured solist with many cutting edge jazz big bands in Sweden as well as performing with two of Scandinavias finest string orchestras; Musica Vitae and Camerata Nordica. Jers has been featured on more than 50 CD's as a recording artist, playing harmonica.
Besides playing concerts Jers has extensive experience as a harmonica teacher. Besides teching privately and giving workshops in different countries all over the world he is also engaged as harmonica teacher at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm, the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen, Denmark and Sibelius Academy in Helsingfors, Finland.
Jers is an "International Suzuki Harmonica Artist", he is endorsing and playing harmonicas made by Suzuki Harmonicas from Japan.
He also runs Fojablue Records, an independent record label that has released Spiro (FRCD01, 2011), Filip Jers Quartet (FRCD02, 2013) and Duet with Emil Ernebro (FRCD03, 2019). In 2022 he released the album ”Filip Jers Quartet - Plays Classical” and in 2023 ”Filip Jers with Carl Bagge trio - ”In the Spirit of Toots”.
Besides music, Filip likes coffee, yoga and running in the nature.

[@KonstantinReinfeld]

Voting for 5 blow or 4 draw 😃

[@Critiquetech]

Very good explanation. And if you get used to it, you can easily migrate to C6 or bebop tuning. Many great players use C6. After you get use to it, it makes life easier for a lot of things. I'm transitioning and damm , it's a little bit hard at the beginning. But it's a good exercise to rewire the brain.

[@dennisferrell3662]

I find my choices vary depending upon the song and the particular chord progression being used. When I'm doing scales and exercises I tend to use 5 blow, just as a matter of discipline, especially in keys where Bb is a core note (e.g. keys of Bb and above). Coming off that Bb (3draw/slide in) and moving to 5 blow is just as easy as 4 blow, depending upon what note comes next of course. However, I usually muck around with a tune for a while and then make a decision which C (and which F) to use for that tune, changing it only when I really see an advantage in certain sections of the song. Good video, Filip. Thanks.

[@FilipJersMusic]

Good thoughts! Yes it all depends on the music and phrasing really.

[@Human_Herbivore]

Next week, does Filip use hole 8 or 9? 😁

[@FilipJersMusic]

Haha yes!

[@dingnextstop]

Hi Filip, this may sound a really stupid question and I apologise for that, as a complete raw beginner on a 12 hole chromatic , not having any musical experience except my ears knowing when something sounds ok or rubbish, I’m finding having to learn and understand scales and note names harder than just “playing by ear…? I bought my Suzuki 2 years ago and it’s still in its box after losing confidence. Maybe I’ve taken on something too late in life I don’t know. I’ve always loved the sound of Harmonica which stemmed from listening to early movies or TV themes and soundtracks, I find it haunting and an emotional instrument. Can you offer any advice to help revive my interest? Thankyou

[@pianistjustforfun]

Thanks for the good info. Nicely presented also!

[@FilipJersMusic]

Thanks!

[@lennyharp]

I love your deep thinking on harmonica techniques. You have good reasons for your choices.

[@FilipJersMusic]

Glad you enjoy it! Thanks 🎵🎵🎵

[@waltseher7115]

Oh I found it

[@FilipJersMusic]

Perfect!

[@elgatofelix8917]

This is why I never cared much for solo tuning. The extra reed tuned to the same pitch as the one next to it always felt like such a waste of a reed. Do you know the history of this tuning and why this particular tuning scheme was developed? I'd be interested to learn it's origins. Thanks for sharing your method. I know many players will benefit from it!

[@FilipJersMusic]

It comes from the Richter Tuning on the diatonic. The middle octave (hole 4-7) on diatonic is the chromatic solo tuning but x3 or x4. I think they kept double Cs because in those days and with it's musical culture it was more usable to have a full C major chord than a C6 or C7 (you could play full C major chord with TB on bebop or C6 Tuning but requies TB skills). When the instrument was developed it was more common with basic chords than seventh chords. And it was a nice and easy way to make a full three octave instrument. And it is symmectrical tuned, compared to a diatonic.

[@geoffkeen5234]

Perfect explanation 🤌

[@FilipJersMusic]

Glad it helped!

[@CalvinLimSH-ld5le]

Thank for your advice which holes to blow 4 or 5 in chromatic harmonica.

[@FilipJersMusic]

Thanks! 🎶🎶🎶

[@18Yoav]

I've been asking this on several groups for a while I like your explanation

[@FilipJersMusic]

🎶🙏🎶

[@DLondy]

This video is one of my big question after switch to chromatic from diatonic. Thanks

[@FilipJersMusic]

Thanks! 🎶🎶🎶