Select Key of Harmonica - Available in 12 Keys
Am Harmonic Minor
Key labeled in 1st Position (Straight Harp)
Harmonic Minor Box
The Harmonic Minor tuning, with five altered notes (shown below), is the traditional minor tuning for diatonic harmonicas. Its distinctive flavor is suitable for Gypsy, Yiddish, and Asian music, as well as East European, Tango, and Reggae.
Key of Am Chart

Playing this harmonica in 1st Position (starting from blow) gives you a harmonic minor scale.

Harmonic Minor Scale in the Key of Am

1st Position: Gypsy, Yiddish, Asian, East European, Tango, Reggae



With an A Harmonic Minor (Am) harmonica in its holder, starting from blow (exhale), pick out a melody in the midrange of the harmonica.


Try it with an East European slow Waltz or a Tango rhythm.


Key of Am Midrange

Strum a Tango rhythm on your ukulele.

ukulele - chords

With an Am Harmonic Minor harmonica, blowing gives you an Am minor chord. Drawing in the lower half of the harmonica gives you an E7 chord.


While vamping a Reggae groove with the A minor (blow) and E7 (draw) chords on the harmonica, you are freed up to play accompaniment lines on the ukulele.

Key of Am Chart

Your single notes don’t have to be too precise, as the layout of the harmonica avoids putting discordant notes next to each other. Sometimes, playing a couple of notes together sounds better than a single note.


For more about the Harmonic Minor Harmonica, check out this chord reference guide.

Harmonic Minor Box
But wait! There's more...

Lee Oskar also makes harmonicas in three other tunings: Major Diatonic, Melody Maker™ and Natural Minor, ideal for creating different harmonic textures and for accompanying different styles of music. Click on the Altered Tuning links above for some great ideas on how to get the most out of your Lee Oskar Harmonicas!