Things to do · Arts and crafts
Learn the harmonica
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
The harmonica is small enough to carry anywhere, and classes range from evening courses for absolute beginners to Chicago blues harp, in person or online. A beginners' course starts with playing one clean note and breath control, then moves on to tunes and a little improvising.
GentleUnder £100 / $130A few weeksIndoorsAlone or with othersUK and US
What you learn first
Morley College in London says its Harmonica 1A course is for absolute beginners, and that musical experience is helpful but not required. Its listed outcomes are playing a single note, playing a "train" song, building a small repertoire of tunes, starting to improvise and developing good breath control.
The college asks for a ten-hole diatonic harmonica in C major, and says you can buy one from the tutor at the first lesson. Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago sells harmonicas in its own shop, so you do not need one before you enrol.
Clubs are where people keep going. HarmonicaUK, the charity that used to be the National Harmonica League, is run by volunteers and traces its history back to 1935. In the US, SPAH (the Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica) lists local clubs in Texas, California, New York, Minnesota and Missouri; the Twin Cities Harmonica Society, for example, meets on Monday evenings in term time.
Ways in compared
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| Morley College, London | Harmonica 1A; 12 weekly evening classes of 90 minutes, absolute beginners | £225, or £170 concession |
| Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago | Chicago Blues Harp 1; eight weekly 80-minute classes in person | $272, or $252 for members |
| Old Town School of Folk Music, online | Chicago Blues Harp 1 Online; eight weekly 60-minute classes | $206, or $186 for members |
SPAH says its conventions draw 500 or more players, performers, teachers and enthusiasts, and that local clubs help when the convention comes to their city. HarmonicaUK runs events including the Chromatic Weekend festival and a National Championship.
How to start
- Get a ten-hole diatonic harmonica in the key of C, the instrument Morley College asks its beginners to bring.
- Book a beginners' class, in person or online, so a tutor can check how you shape single notes.
- Look up your nearest harmonica club through HarmonicaUK or SPAH and go along to hear others play.
Where to go
- Morley College London: Harmonica 1A UK
- HarmonicaUK: about the national harmonica charity UK
- Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago: harmonica classes US
- SPAH: harmonica clubs in the US US
We opened these links on 9 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
What harmonica should a beginner buy?
Morley College asks beginners to bring a ten-hole diatonic harmonica in C major, and its tutor sells them at the first lesson.
Is the harmonica easy to learn?
Beginners' courses start with getting a single clean note and good breath control before moving on to tunes and improvising, according to Morley College.
Can I learn harmonica online?
Yes. Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago runs Chicago Blues Harp 1 as an eight-week online class.
Are there harmonica clubs near me?
In the UK, start with HarmonicaUK, the national harmonica charity. In the US, SPAH keeps a list of local harmonica clubs.
Where this comes from: Morley College London, Harmonica 1A; HarmonicaUK, About; HarmonicaUK, A brief history of HarmonicaUK; Old Town School of Folk Music, Harmonica classes; SPAH, Harmonica Clubs. Opened 9 November 2026.
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