Right, firstly- hi I've just been given a harmonica (Key of C, which I think is the best to start with?) and I'm wondering what would be the best way of learning it? I've googled Harmonica Lessons and stuff but most are either songs I've never heard of (Hymns) or you get about half the lessons but have to pay for the rest So if anyone here could help on the way to playing like Bob Dylan, Daltrey or Ozzy Osbourne (The Wizard is a great harmonica song), or any of those wicked blues players whose names I've forgotten, I would have your babies.
Ok, but i want like 12 kids C is a good key, ive been playing for a while and its all i have really seen the need for OK Well i guess i will write a little basic lesson First Holding Hold it by placing your index and tumb on the top and bottom sides of the harp, With your other hand curl your thumb and place it on the edge of the harp (the cornor of your mouth when you blow) and cup your hand Your thumb should at as a hinge This forms the nifty little resonator type pocket with the fingers of your hands Emboucher(Mouth on harp) To start out, just narrow your lips like you are wistling into the harp, or widen them to get more then one hole Late you can start trying to block the holes with your toung, but that can be tricky PLaying: now its basicly just sucking and blowing, Try sliding around opening and closing your hand pocket vast to get a little vibrato, or leaving a long open draw to get the Waaaaa sound heres your are my sunshine to start out, its pretty easy,- means inhale and the number indicates which hole 3.... 4 ..-4... 5.. 5 .....5 .-4 .5 .4. 4 You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, 4 ......-4....5 .-5 -6 ..-6 ....6 ...-5.... 5 You make me happy when skies are grey 4 ....-4 .....5 ..-5 ..-6 -6..... 6 ..-5 .5 ...4 You'll never know dear how much I love you ..4.....-4 ....5 -....5...-4 ..-4 ...5 4 Please don't take my sunshine away. Further advice, just play around with it, soon enough you will get the feel and then you will be able to play anything you hear
i learned with a G, A, C and E and listened to a lot of neil young and Dylan. i just kept on trying to hit the same notes as them, and keep with the music.
I have no trouble with harmonica. I can play it by ear. Easy as shit. I cna listen to Dylan do it, then do it myself. So, maybe I'm just lucky, or maybe if you try playing it by ear like that you'll get the hang of it
its really damn easy. all it takes is an ear for music and if you dont have one you could probably develop one with that thing. just play along with some recordings, doesnt really matter who, doesnt really matter what key either as i can play with my C harmonica in the first 6 keys of the circle of fifths. i find it most enjoyable and entertaining to play along with some good soul tunes, late 60s/early 70s temptations, mm mm. :H dylan's always cool too, his harmonica lines are generally pretty simple to learn.
Not checked this thread for a while... But yeah, the harmonica-ing has gone quite well Now just to get less shit at guitar and I could make a one-man-band and busk
Here is something i had in a text file, i didnt write it, but i dont know who did anwaysy, enjoy Quick Guide to Improvisational Harmonica When you play 2nd position or cross harp, you are playing your "C"harp in the key of "G." The reason we play 2nd position is because now we can play harp with the accent on the draw notes, the notes that really wail. When you play cross harp, there are certain notes that won't make a mistake. In my long and varied harmonica career, I have heard them called "Safe Notes", "Harmonizing Notes", "Common Tones", "Target Notes", "Pedal Points." What you call them doesn't matter. Knowing where they are does. For instance, 4 draw and 2 draw. You can play them at any point in the jam and make them fit with the music. They are often the two most accented and wailed-upon two notes in any blues harp harmonica solo. The other Common Tones are important too. Would you like to know where the rest of these Safe Notes are? 1 draw 2 draw (G note on your C harp) 3 blow(same note as 2 draw) 3 draw bent 3 draw unbent(except in minor key) 4 draw (D note on C harp) 5 draw (when playing blues) 6 blow (G note on your C harp) 6draw 7 draw unbent (unless playing minor key music) 8 draw (D Note on your C harp) 9blow (G note on your C harp) 10 draw Basic Riffs Since we know there are certain notes that we can accent or wail on, let's use them to build the structure of our music. For instance, go from 2 draw to 4 draw, using the notes inbetween as Steppingstones. The Up Riff: 2d 3d 4b 4d The Down Riff: 4d 4b 3d 2d 4 Draw Surprise: 4d 4b 3d 4d Blues Scale Down 6b 5d 5b 4d 4b 3d 2d The Good Morning Riff: 1d 2b 2d The Principle of Repitition What do you do with these riffs? Repeat them and mold them to the music. Music that goes all over the place, jumping from note to note is usually boring. Repitition is an essential element in music. Here are a couple of ways to use it. take one riff, say The Up Riff, and repeat it, creating a theme. After you've done this through the chord progression, switch to another riff,say, Blues Scale Down, and repeat it, then go back to the first riff and so on.
my friend and i started a harmonica club at our school. you guys should all start one at yours too. -peace
