shake technique harmonica harp blues

Now that you've become comfortable centering your shake between the two holes you're shaking between, let's start with the common 4 draw shake (4 and 5). Again, focus on keeping your nose at 12 O'clock between the two holes, shaking to the left to 11 O'clock (4 draw) and to the right to 1 O'clock (5 draw). Play the shake for a moment and then take the harmonica away from your lips. Keeping your nose at 12 O'clock, move the harmonica to the left and perform a 2 draw shake (this is a very uncommon shake, but good practice of extremes). continue reading...

In your lessons I teach that a shake should always start with the bottom note (and commonly with a dip if it's a bendable note). This is the case... most of the time.

Top Note Down Shake
Listen to the last chorus of Big Walter Horton's famous blues harmonica instrumental "Easy," and you'll hear on bar 6 that the 6+ is played as a 6+/5+ shake (this is due to the dissonant sound of the 6+/7+ shake option... the shake focused downwards still gives the melody the variation he was looking for, but with less dissonance).

3-Hole Shake continue reading...