The harmonica is “an Orchestra in Pocket,” says instructor Apoorva Bhatt. Here is the effort behind turning it into a course.
Writing the notation
Writing notation for a single song takes about 7 days, and the song may need to be heard 20 to 100+ times. Instrumental preludes and interludes are the hardest part, because they must be adapted from other instruments to the harmonica’s C scale. Notation for 100 songs would take roughly 700 days.
Shooting the videos
Videos were shot for the first 25 songs, each played at original and slow speed, with line-by-line explanation. Every line has a starting cue with a hole number, and the notation follows sargam style.
Editing
Editing took about 3 months. The high-definition video totals about 30 GB.
The cost comparison
In-person classes cost about Rs 1,800 to 5,000 per song, so 25 songs would come to Rs 50,000 to 80,000. This course offers comparable value at 1/6 to 1/20 of that cost, with notation, videos, personal training, video chat support and a free sample lesson.
Which Harmonica to BUY?
The standard choice for most Hindi film songs is a 12-hole, 3-octave, chromatic (with slider) harmonica in scale C.
- Will a diatonic harmonica do?
- Not really. A diatonic (no slider) harmonica cannot play every song correctly.
- Is a 16-hole better than a 12-hole?
- No. 12 holes cover about 95% of Hindi film songs; the extra four holes are lower-octave notes mostly used for chords. Beginners also find 12 holes easier to handle.
- Can I use a 24-hole “Tower” model?
- You can play songs on it, but it is usually a toy-grade instrument. A 12-hole chromatic in C is better for learning.
- Which brands?
- German or Japanese makers: Hohner (German, approx. Rs 10–13K), Suzuki SCX-48 (Japanese, approx. Rs 12–14K), Seydel (German, approx. Rs 12–14K). Course members get help choosing an instrument.
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