Our recommended harmonium distributor is Old Delhi Music. Students in Bhakti Academy can receive a special discount with code ‘Audrey5’ 

Old Delhi Music in a North American shop offering unique handcrafted Indian instruments that begin in the hands of India’s best builders and end with careful, meticulous refinement at their location Urbana, IL. When it comes to harmoniums, they are the best in the business. They know their builders personally and their products even more intimately. Their Bhava harmoniums are my favorite. They are without question the highest quality, and most consistently great Kirtan harmoniums I have ever played. The extra care Old Delhi puts into carefully sourcing and refining each instrument is obvious. This ensures that what you get from them will not be something you struggle against, but rather, an instrument you can enjoy now and for years to come.

Tips for Ordering the Right Instrument

• I suggest you choose to have your instrument tuned to A-440 (highly recommended!).
• If you want a premium option, go for the Bhava Classic. This 3.5 octave instrument is larger (and heavier) than the Bhava Mini, but also has a user-friendly design that makes it super easy to collapse and set up.
• Know that all Old Delhi Music instruments come with free shipping within the continental US but can be delivered all over the world. Most of the students in this course are outside of the US.

Three Keys to Purchasing a Great Harmonium

1. Of course it’s best to Buy a brand new instrument through a reputable dealer who will make sure the instrument is in tip-top shape prior to shipping it to you and will guarantee their work.
2. Get one that is sized to fit your needs.
3. Make sure your harmonium is tuned to A-440 so you can play with other musicians.

I love Bhava harmoniums! They have a beautiful low sounding resonance and they are great quality staying in tune for a long time! One of the bestselling harmoniums is the Bhava Mini. Many musicians play the Bhava Mini on the road and in the recording studio and strongly recommend you consider purchasing one for this course.

The Bhava Mini looks great, is the perfect size for yoga teachers on the go, and has a surprisingly big/rich sound and long sustain for such a small instrument. At just 17 pounds the Bhava Mini is highly portable and easily fits into an airplane overhead. For most people this instrument is “just right.”

Who Uses a Bhava Mini?

I have a Bhava Mini, as do most of my students and lots of touring/recording Kirtan musicians.

The Harmonium is an incredibly user-friendly instrument.

1. The harmonium is one of the few instruments that sounds great from day one! You don’t have to endure endless hours of squeaking and squawking like a beginning clarinetist or violinist.
2. You can purchase a harmonium that is highly portable. This means you don’t have to lug around heavy gear as you would with a drum set, string bass, or tuba!
3. The harmonium is the perfect instrument for chanting as it creates a beautiful sound that is like having a choir singing back at you.

The very first step in creating your chant practice is getting your hands on a really good harmonium. Unfortunately, this is not nearly as easy as one might expect.

It's so painful to me when a student shows up having paid good money for a harmonium that is just awful. Their instrument may have buzzy reeds, sticky keys, grossly inadequate sustain (how long the sound lasts when they stop pumping), improper tuning, and more. For many harmoniums, there's really no way to fix them. 

Learning to play on a lousy harmonium is like learning to ride a bike on a bike with a flat tire. You spend all your time fighting the bike/instrument. It's not fun, and it makes it a lot harder to learn. 

Don't be one of those people that buys cheap and ends up buying twice.

The only thing more amazing than chanting, is leading a chant. Whether you want to start a home practice, add Kirtan to yoga classes, or lead a band in your community, you will need a great harmonium.

WARNING: Junker harmoniums will give you a headache!

Unfortunately, not all harmoniums are created equal. There are many “junker” harmoniums on the market! Trying to chant on a bad/broken harmonium is like trying to ride a bike with two flat tires—so frustrating. If you have a “junker” you will unfortunately spend so much time, energy, and attention fighting the instrument that it will be challenging to learn, and difficult to enjoy your chanting practice.

My intention is to help you get a great harmonium so you can easily dive into this amazing practice. Years of experience with harmoniums have taught me the following lessons:

Four Mistakes To Avoid When Purchasing a Harmonium

1. Never buy a harmonium directly from India. Your instrument will inevitably be low-quality and in need of repair and tuning. Here is a video that demonstrates the downside of buying direct from India.
2. Never buy a used instrument. Your instrument will likely be in need of significant repairs and tuning, and quite possibly will be a “junker!”
3. Never buy an instrument that is not portable, i.e., too big to fit in an airplane overhead or too heavy to lug around. Unless your harmonium is going to have a permanent home you will want to have something that is easy to transport around town.
4. Never buy an instrument that is too small. A really good harmonium will sustain a 2-note chord for 6-9 seconds.

Get Yourself a Great Harmonium!

A great harmonium sounds fantastic the moment you take it out of the box. A great harmonium will facilitate your learning and offer years or decades of enjoyment. If for some reason you decide to sell your instrument, a great harmonium will retain its value.

I hope this guide helps you purchase a top-notch harmonium that supports you in bringing Kirtan into your home and sharing the exquisite practice of sacred chant with others.

And, feel free to reach out to Nic at Old Delhi Music. He is kind, decent and caring and will be happy to answer all of your questions - [email protected]