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A tremolo harmonica is, at least in this part of the world (Topeka, Kansas, U.S.A.), not the most common. Most common here is an instrument with ten or twelve holes in a single row, two notes (one blow, one draw) per hole, sometimes called a "standard diatonic". So much more common is standard diatonic that, upon pulling out any of my tremolos, I have received the silent "what in the world..." looks from at least three professional harmonica players. Tremolo is different in that there are two parallel rows of holes (usually 16, 21, or 24 holes per row), where each hole has only one reed (either blow or draw), and where each vertical pair contains one reed tuned right on the note, and one reed tuned just slightly off (I have heard that the off-tuning is about four cents, but this does vary). The double-reed notes with slight off-tuning leads to the term "tremolo", which is shorthand -- not really an accurate term -- for the "beating" one hears with two slightly-offtuned reeds played together.
Over my few years of harmonication, I have discovered many reasons to prefer tremolo. I have found that in the style I play (very chordy, often high-energy, always strong in spirit), the timbre of tremolo tuning works far better when playing with vocals and when playing deeply embedded within ensembles: when playing chords, the "beating" effect is almost completely cancelled out, and replaced with a plethora of wonderful overtones, both low and high. And a plethora of overtones is exactly what one wants for close integration with other tone sources. Ever tried to sing along to a flute, or a pipe-organ? These have almost no overtones, which means that they produce almost singular sine wave tones, and are not easy to sing with. Tremolo, in contrast, works very well for both solo and ensemble. Its sole disadvantage to some is the fact that it is not so well suited for bending. I am not very interested in bending – I would rather have one instrument per key, or close to it, so I can concentrate on the music and let the technical details fade away. And in my experience tremolo is actually quite a lot easier to play.
I started tremolo myself because a Brelli tremolo harmonica happened to be the instrument my wife bought for herself more than twenty years ago, and never used very much. She pulled it out of an old box, and handed it to me without a single word. In two weeks I was playing familiar tunes singably; but only one week passed by before I wanted another instrument, as a reserve, or a backup: as a carry-it-into-all-storms. So I bought a Hohner Blues Band, a very very common ten-holer, which had been recommended to me by various usually reliable sources. I was shocked at how much harder it was to play. I couldn't isolate notes the same way, or do chords the same way, and all of the output was far more muddled. I went back to my Brelli for a while, and then a while after that I was at my brother-in-law's place for a party, and was asked to play, and had none except another ten-holer of his which was lying around. So I tried hard. I was able to do my notes and chords acceptably, and better and better over time. But when I had my Brelli in my hands again, and especially after a microgig or two, I understood the situation much better. I could get good at ten-holer if I wanted to do so; but tremolo was where I needed to be, because of the results of that tone quality. The next instrument I bought (also on advice) was a Hohner 32/64; and although I have had good times with this instrument, and still use it occasionally, I learned from it what Richter tuning is (see the review of the Hohner Double Echo), and why I don't want it. After taking much more time for learning about which tremolo and where, I ordered a Tombo 1521 in Eb, and I found what I was needing all along. I now very often use Hohner Echo Celeste in E, Huang Musette 24 in C, Suzuki Humming Tremolo in G, Tombo 1521 in Eb, and F, and Tombo 3121 in Cm, Bb, and Am.
Today I play regularly at home, at our church, at other churches, and with a Gospel trio. I play when the Spirit brings me the will and the way, and I am happy to participate. The tremolo is definitely the harmonica I need. I have tried others; but others do not blend so well in ensemble, probably because of the lack of the broad overtones which the tremolo provides. Regardless, I am very happy to have my instruments, and I play them whenever He makes it possible.