What's the bluesiest harmonica key? (Stunning secrets revealed!) 

The blusiest harp is always the one that Adam Gussow is playing : )

I consider myself a pretty depressed person but your videos make me so happy in a way I cant explain. truly are the bob ross of the harmonica and I pray im almost as good as you someday

I love the deep rich sound of the G harp

I love that he says the D harp is a favorite of country players. It reminds me of the line from The Blues Brothers: "A - good country key!" Since the D harp is actually playing in A, this rings true.

That dirty low bend on a G Harp makes me feel the heat on a sunny day, with no shoes on, sitting on the side of the road so yes, the blusyes for me.

I am a brand new harmonica player and jesus man when you said "That's you" I legit laughed out loud a little. That it almost exactly what i sound like. Though i play "amazing grace" not "old susana"

C harp for Alaska gold miner blues. G harp for down deep in Mississippi

My favorite is Bb. Adam really said it perfectly here, it’s just got the perfect range of pitch. Not shrill in the high end but also has a good low end as well.

I’m your age and a beginner, I realize it’s me not the harmonica…but I appreciate your playing all the keys for us. Thanks so much.

The G sounds real nice. The really slow blues is just what I like.

6:23 Getting a G tomorrow.

Adam....what took me years to figure out with no one to ask......and what I paid to learn....you are a great teacher and player. Thanks for all your posts !

Many years ago I called Adam at his college at the time.... Gracious and informative about my love for the harmonica - just like all his videos. So get a harmonica in any key and start playing.

Perfect validation of my own philosophy. Blues comes from the heart. Whatever sound comes out of your harp that conveys your "bluesy feelings" is the proper key for you to play for that riff. Regards.

Been playing blues harp for 39 years I love my special 20 in key of "B" good work horse! I allso really enjoy my Lee Oscar "A" when I slow it down and slide into my Sour Mash groove and just drag it around nice and slow a bit hooked up to my blue bullet. Thank you great stuff.

Just watched this and it’s really got me tapping my foot. Your knowledge vast and man can you play. Could listen to this all night. Thank you.

That G riff touched my soul

Just a great feel for IT Adam love listening to you play and talk .. so thank you !

Thank you Adam. Great teaching as always.

The timing of this is perfect! Thank you Mr.Gussow 🌟

Wow... nobody else even discusses this! Very insightful. Thanks!

G is the best for me...you are a easy going instructor, thank you.

You (Lord Gussow!) are my favourit artist and teacher! I like your style, your presentation, your music and the way you make things clear! Great and thank you so much.

This guy is so great , a real personal experience like having a friend Show you the ropes. Thank you !

COOL BEANS Adam :-) well discussed and demonstrated, keep em coming! always a joy to watch and listen.

When you said "That's the one, That's the one." That's how I feel about your channel. I've fallen head over heels with my first harmonica, I feel like I have found a best friend. I've spent my time combing RU-vid and finally I've found the right guiding force into the magical world of music. I'm looking forward to enjoying your video's, Thank you !

This has got to be one of my favourite videos you have done, as an intermediate player this was a lot of fun to watch. The Ab harp has a special place in my heart, why? I'm not really sure, it just resonates with my soul. I was given a set of hohner blues harps (Ab,Bb,B,Db,D,Eb,F#) by a friend who had worked for hohner and when I played the Ab it was an incredible feeling. I only had a Bb and a C harp previous. You are right though, the lower key harps are like driving a truck compared to a C.

Adam thanks for all your advice you are a true harmonica genius

To me the blues sound lies directly in between the middle of the keys and lowest part of the keys. G-a-b-C-d-e-F. Which means it's directly between G and C which is Bb. You've got it Adam.

I use the Low D harp when i make some country-blues, really nice sound for it. Totally in love with the key of G for low bluesy sound, really nice .

E flat is a very common guitar key because we guitarists like to tune it down half a step to make it easier to play certain stuff, most notably Hendrix, SRV or loads more stuff tbh, just makes it a lot easier for that type of electric blues 😎🤘

Thanks Adam !! - such a great vid from the most inspiring harp dude on the net - if G is a truck then F must be the super-car. I love my Special 20 in D flat. It just plays so well and can be as bluesy to.

This has been exactly my question as a beginner, what key can I purchase that’s the bluesiest key!! I’m so happy I stumbled upon this video

That G harp really caught my attention. I'm VERY new to this and finding my feet. But I liked that and the D

Funny! Informative! Fantastic exploration of the form! Great Show!! Thank you very much!

I had a similar experience with a Bb crossover, when I got it, it didn’t even need to be gapped, it was just perfect. I never had a better harp than that until I got a blue moon custom.

Really been enjoyin yer vidyas, Adam! Been playin harpoonicus fer many decades, always love learnin new things!

Great video! Very informative and good advises for the beginners. I’m a beginner and have c harp which I think ill use for playing melodies and also Ive got a G harp which I also like for it’s low deep sound. And the next harp I will buy I think will be B flat as to me it sounds very blusy yet tender at the same time. I adore your videos Mr Gussow! Good luck!

I did not expect you to burst out singing like that. I was startled, but not disappointed.

I purchased a bflat harp by accident 2 weeks ago and intended to take it back but.........I decided to give it a go. And have fallen in love with it. Great Key! Thanks for all the great education.

One of the great harmonica gurus and a great person to boot!

Nice playing. I have had them all, but A has always been my favorite.

Thank you for making these videos, i just recently started and its been helping me battle addiction and gives me something i do anywhere at any time

Adam, you are amazing and so helpful to old guys like me.

Gussow... I’ve got to set up some lessons with you. This was awesome and you have been my inspiration.

Great video! Honest and better than any professional video

I'm glad you said that the bluesiest key is the one that sounds bluesiest... 'cause I'm a new harp player -- old -- and I like the Bb and G. Those are my faves. Dig your videos and I hope I can get good enough to busk for fun! And If I make enough for a Big Mac meal, all the better! Cheers!

Depends on the position, the player/harp and the tune for band. I like the D-harpe while band in A (second postion): Sharp and distinct. Im a smoker so A and G takes too much air...havent played on flat-tuned harps...Gussow - you are a highly trained player with a good sound. Thanks for sharing your knowledge :-)

I love the sound of the G harp. It puts the way I feel into sound. To me, all of the other keys are too light and have too much lilt to truly and accurately resonate how it feels to be in the throes of the blues. They are sort of "blues wannabes"; cheap imitations that care more about being popular than translating and releasing the painful crying of the player's soul. This is the first video of yours that I've seen, Adam. Fantastic video. I just subbed.

Just when you said your voice sat well in a particular key I knew I had to find that for myself the hunt is on thanks man good work

Genius - love your style dude !

Absolutely right. Its what sound blusiest to me. Hoping Adam has done or will do a blusiest mic and bluesiest amp video.

Thanks Adam, great vid, lots of valuable tips, now I gotta send off for two more keys to add to my collection.

I loved his answer. Mine is the G. Love the low tones

Man, I just sit watching and enjoying your videos as I bought my first Hohner Crossover in C and I'm just starting to nail single notes. As any other instrument, harmonica looks as easy as when you see Federer playing tennis. Lots of fun by learning the harmonica. Now I'm dying 😢 trying with my first bend but I'm sure it will come soon.

An intermediate after five years of playing.. thanks to you! Great video! My favorite is A bc i like playing juke and whammer jammer and jimmy reed sounds. Like E for jump. G is great for an unknown you would really like...dave ferguson, "last train gone". Also like to play G with joe liggins "honey dipper". Would you ever consider a lesson on that one? Thanks for being an inspiration for us. Also liked that twice in this video you played your favorite "slow blues" tune. I play that on the river bank when i am taking a break from fishing!

Thanks to you, I bought my secound harmonica, being a true beginner tho. Was trying to get into C, however, when you played on that smmoth G... I just had to buy one.

Beginner here, thanks for the lessons doc. I love ya

loving all that passion Guss

I am really liking this Homer Polar Db Harmonica. It is most definitely havier in weight compared to the Marine bands and I really like that

adam not only do u shred on the harp but you are the coolest dude in town bro.

Man, every harp you pick up sounds like magic.

Great presentation bredren 👍🏾 Thanks for sharing

Entertaining, enriching and inspiring key review - thanks I'm happy :)

props to this guy for making genuinely informative and well made videos and also being the corniest man I have ever seen

Excellent video...and get down and then up to your musicianship.....

the c actually sounded pretty good for a second Adam thanks!

Thanks for all your help Adam . I Love bf for blues .

Adam.... you are such a hoot. When I see a long video post from you I can hardly wait to dive in. I can pretty much be certain that we are off to the races and not likely to follow the course all the way to the finish line. So.... the bluesiest harp? The one I've got in my mouth at any given moment. When I play with folks, because I am a real novice at this stuff, I just ask the bass player to lean over and tell me the key, then we're off and running. Thanks for another 19 minute ride on the wild side.

You are compellingly hilarious. I am a fan and you are my harp mentor. At my age, that is saying something dude. Thanks.

Good video! Thanks Adam.

Great Video! Thank you so much!

happy new years adam thanks for all the videos

So listening to this one, by the way, thanks for the advice. The ones that pulled me were G, Db and E. I play Keep it to Yourself on a D harp, and even though it still sounds amateurish, I like the sound too... though I wonder how would that one sound on a G harp. Thanks for sharing.

Holy shit, that was fast and clean, you have upped my game and understanding, thanks

Bb is one of my favorites.

"advanced" harmonica player here, & i "stuck around for some fun!" MAD SKILLZ, adam, & you've a keen sense of humor: this one...., no THIS one!

Very informative. Thanks.

Just watched this and very informative, LEGEND……just bought the Marine Band Crossover. Hope i can play like i did 15 years ago on my £20 hohner x

I am about to purchase my first harmonica mainly because I want to learn some Led Zeppelin harmonica songs. I know absolutely nothing about the harp, but it is an essential ingredient for blues in my opinion . I am actually a guitar player and a drummer , just started learning piano. There’s nothing more satisfying than learning a brand new instrument . I’ve been searching on RU-vid for videos, explaining the difference in the different keys of harmonica in, which is best . You’ve answered about three of my major questions in the first 30 seconds of this video . Now that I know I can play any song on any different key of harmonica, and the only difference is the personality of that tone. I feel relieved. Zeppelin uses B-flat for a lot of their songs, including the one I wanted to learn When the Levee Breaks . Hohner rocket B-flat will be the one I pull the trigger on. I’ve always been a firm believer that if you’re starting a new Instruments, you should buy at least a medium range so it is easier to play and sounds better . Now I will be able to record Guitar , drums, and piano into my daw and also add the additional flavor of the blues harp. Thanks for making everything clear , now I guess the only thing to do is to learn the harmonica. I will be smashing the subscribe button for sure .

Great Video as always

I love the C although I started with D#. Love your playing.

Dude, I aspire to be on your level! Man you kill it!

My new Marine Band Deluxe in A is my current favourite. It just has more of a growl for some reason. I also love playing my G and Bb always sounds cool to me too 😎 I’m not a big fan of playing C and D, but like to listen to others play them.

Nice work, you are very talented.

Thanks great info I have Special 20 in G love

I think G is well suited for country licks. I also use it playing over Am7 - Dm7 - Bm7- Em7 Bossa Nova Santana-like chika chika riffs on guitar. Smooth jazz feel

Spot on mr gussow!

Why do they all sound so good when you do it?

Nice video! Inspiring.

It's not the key, it's the way you play it and the mood you are feeling.. love the way Adam plays

Thanks Gussow We Love Ye ! For This !!!

Excellent information here to play solo harp but find a guitarist who likes Blues to jam along with and play those popular Blues standards 😎🎸🎶

I’m glad I watched this.

Thank's) Wery usefull information

what a great blues man!!

Amazing.... I never knew a harp could sound so good

I’ve found that you get the best of both worlds low and high range with Eflat and that’s the one that stuck out to me as the bluesiest lol but they are all versatile

Legend and Thank you SIR

Makes perfect sense. Sometimes I get frustrated in a long practice session & switch to playing improve on a "C" harp in G to release frustrations. I usually play harmonicas in A, Bb, C, D and sometimes a G in my daily practice sessions. Like you said in the video they all play the same but in different keys. I have destroyed reeds in B flat harmonicas more often than any of the other keys. I, too seem to favor playing a Bb for blues.