harmonica lessons

Let's now take a look at what we have so far...

1) First Position: A Harp - 6+ 6+ 5 5+ 4+ 4+ = Pitches: E E D C# A A = 5 blows and 1 draw

2) Second Position: D Harp - 4 4 4+ 3 2 2 = Pitches: E E D C# A A = 5 draws and 1 blow

3) Third Position: G Harp - 6 6 6+ 5 4 4 = Pitches: E E D C A A = 5 draws and 1 blow continue reading...

Grab your G, A and D harmonicas and let's play the following licks on each harp.

1) A Harmonica - 6+ 6+ 5 5+ 4+ 4+

2) D Harmonica - 4 4 4+ 3 2 2

3) G Harmonica - 6 6 6+ 5 4 4

Play these licks a couple of times on each harmonica and think about the possibilities for each harp.

Now how about bending on your harmonica... well, as you might have guessed, it's the same as whistling! Grab your harmonica of choice and try the "sh" on the 6 draw... "kee" on the 4 draw... and "ku" on the 2 draw... now use all of those in order on the 3 draw... if you have issues with controlling the 3 draw bend, this is the essential understanding needed to control it. TAKE YOUR TIME and give this some effort.

Whistling a high note you'll notice the tongue forward in your mouth, with the pitch being created near the very front of the tongue. Note that the body of the tongue is high and large in the mouth, filling up the mouth cavity so that the air volume (space, not loudness) is very small... this is what's needed to sound the high pitch. Experiment with this, we'll dig more into this tomorrow.

Join Joe Filisko for his 18 Harmonica Insights with Tip #13 about Memorization.

Join Mark Hummel for his chromatic harmonica instrumental "Humble Bug." In this video he explains the songwriting process for this tune and where some of the licks came from.

Many harmonica models have sharp corners left over from the manufacturing process that can be uncomfortable and possibly cut you up. Get a file, fingernail file, fingernail boards (sand paper), anything that's meant to take material off... they all can do the job. File until that sharp corner feels butter smooth. If you're afraid of messin' up your harp, try it on an old model first.

Join me for an artist study of one of our four great post war Chicago blues fathers, Big Walter Horton. In this lesson we dig into what Big Walter Horton is really known for... his killer shuffle. All of the licks used in the study song "Shakey's Shuffle" come from Big Walter himself, providing you with great vocabulary for you to study and draw upon for your own improvising. You may record yourself playing to the provided jam track and submit it to me for review if you wish. This study is for advanced skill level players. You'll need an A Harmonicas for this study. continue reading...

Moving the lick up an octave we get the following notes...

I7 = 6+ 6+
IV7 = 4+ 4+
V7 = 4 4

and another octave we get the following...

I7 = 9+ 9+
IV7 = 7+ 7+
V7 = 8 8

Do you have your C Harmonica pitch set memorized? If not, why!?