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100% found this document useful (3 votes)
368 views49 pagesFasttrack Harmonica 1 For C Diatonic Harmonica
Uploaded by
Martin GerulisCopyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF or read online on Scribd
/ 49
| ENERO CY
“Open|the book{and|learn:
(itera
DIS BIEn
DSI BIMESEmcnS
Ip Ris; licks, scales
DSETEI
DAE TESE TES
DUPE SEMICEETTES
DUO Menu AT) For € Diatonic Harmonica
POLL
INTRODUCTION
You bought a harmonica...60 now what?
Congratulations! You look great holding that new harmonica (even as you drive your friends
and family crazy with it). But won't your friends and family be impressed when you really
learn to play the darn thing?
In just a few weeks, we'll have you playing some very well-known tunes, as well a6 jamming
with some cool riffs and techniques. By the end of this book, you'll be ready to play with a
band and play the hite.
All we ask is that you observe the three Fo: patience, practice, and pace yourself.
Don't try to bite off more than you can chew, and DON'T skip ahead. If your lips hurt, take
the day off. If you get frustrated, put it down and come back later. If you forget something,
go back and learn it again. If you're having a great time, forget about dinner and keep on
playing. Most importantly, have funl
ABOUT THE CD
(...no, it’s not a coaster!)
We're glad you noticed the added bonue—a CD! Each music example in the book is included
on the CD, 0 you can hear how it sounds and play along when you're ready. Take a listen
whenever you see this symbol: >
Each example on the CD is preceded by one measure of “clicks” to indicate the tempo and
meter. Pan right to hear the harmonica part only. Pan left to hear the accompaniment only.
‘As you become more confident, try playing the harmonica part along with the rest of the
band,
HAL*eLEONARD®
ICORPORATION
Copyright © 2000 by HAL LEONARD CORPORATION.
Wernaonel Copy Secured Al fogs Recarvad
3 ey bo raprodced nay fro yey monn without Ue pra wrton perms ol he Publisher.
Saat. eg
A GOOD PLACE TO START
Your harp is your friend
An instrument can be like a good friend over the yearé—get you through the rough times
and help you sing away the blues. So, before we get started, give your harmonica (or “harp”
as it’s also called) a name. May we suggest “Harpo?”
Did you buy the right book?
This book teaches you how to play the diatonic harmonica, or C harmonica. If you have a
chromatic harmonica, we'll cover that in FastTrack™ Harmonica 2. To know whether you
have the right kind of harp, check out the two pictures below. You want the one on top. (If
you have both, then you are super cool.)
chromatic harmonica
NOTE: There are also other diatonic harmonicas (for example, an F diatonic
harmonica), 0 make sure yours is in C for this book. The key of your harp should be
stamped on the top cover.
Keep it clean
Fortunately, you've chosen an instrument that doesn't require much maintenance. You won't
need any special cleaners or brushes or an annual tuning, but you do need to keep your
harmonica clean and dry.
Remember that you'll be playing this thing by blowing air through your mouth. From time to
time, there's bound to be some moisture (scientifically called “spit”) that collects inside. No
problem—just tap it on your palm or pants leg every once in a while. (Try to avoid playing
underwater, too!)
And never, we repeat NEVER, play with food in your mouth. First of all, that’s pretty gross.
Secondly, if you get food in your harmonica, it ain't coming out easily. You don’t want to have
a omelly or (eventually) insect-filled instrument in your mouth, do you? Well, do you? Holding the harp
How you hold your harmonica is very important. The best way to hold it is called the C
method, named after the shape your left hand is in. (We also like to call this the “sock
puppet position,” for obvious-looking reasons...)
Look at the picture below and follow these steps:
\
J Make a °C” with your left hand.
2
\
B( Insert the harmonica as shown, holding it firmly but comfortably.
\
3 Keep your fingers arched slightly. This will allow you to control the sound better.
2
Your right hand should cup, or cradle, your left hand with the fingers coming up around your
left hand pinky to form a seal
VERY IMPORTANT: Don't forget to allow room to (a) read the numbers on top and (b
= e Mi
ut your lips on the instrument. (Hey, you can’t play the harmonica with juet your
P Ps play y
hands, can you?)
By the way, if you're left-handed, read this page again, but reverse the hands: That is, when
we say “left hand” use your right hand, and vice verea. Got it? os
A FEW MORE THINGS
(...before we jam!)
How your harmonica works
Would you like to know just how that little instrument makes so much sound? Here's how it
works
Unlike the electric guitar or keyboard, the harmonica has no electronics, circuit boards, or
other complicated machinery inside. In fact, it’s a very simple little music maker, made up of
holes and reeds, sandwiched between two metal plates.
<—— upper plate
<—— upper reeds
<—— honeycomb
<—— lower reeds
<—— lower plate
Inside each hole are two brass reeds, one on top and one on bottom. Each reed is tuned to
a different musical pitch. When you blow air through a hole, the bottom reed vibrates: when
you draw (or suck) air through a hole, the top reed vibrates. That's how one hole can
produce two separate musical tones.
Go ahead, try it...
Note diagrams
Throughout this book, you will see square box diagrams that look like the one below. This
tells you which part of the harmonica will be used for those songs, as well as which notes
the holes represent. But before we begin (and for your sheer delight and amusement), listen
to all the notes on your C harmonica.
Blow c E G c E G c E G c
Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
If you are comparing this chart to your instrument and find more holes on yours,
‘then (again) you probably have a chromatic harmonica.
Two options: buy FastTrack™ Harmonica 2 or buy a C harmonica. Please don’t swallow it!
You may think that you just put the harp to your mouth and blow. Well, it’s not that simple.
The position of your mouth and lips on the instrument are important in achieving a good,
focused sound.
Don't be timid or germ-conscious about lipping your harmonica (you're the only one playing
it). Your lips should be fully around it, almost like you're eating it. In fact, your upper lip
should cover half of the top while your lower lip ia well beneath. (See the picture below.) You
want the inner, wet part of your lips in contact with the harmonica.
Go ahead and blow a few sounds. Now try drawing (or inhaling) a few. Don't worry about
which notes you hear. Right now, you just want to concentrate on how and where it site in
your mouth.
The legend continues...
In addition to the notes and lyrics, you'll find a few more helpful notations in this book's
musical examples. These tell you how to play the note. They'll all be clear to you as you
continue through the book. For now, just know what they mean by reviewing this legend:
1-10 means Which hole to play
t means Blow (exhale)
i means Draw (inhale)
t means Half-step blow bend
& means Half-step draw bend DOG-EAR THESE TWO PAGES
(...you'll need to review them later)
Music is a language with ite own symbols, structure, and rules (and exceptions to those
rules). To read, write, and play music requires knowing all the symbols and rules. But let's
take it one step ata time (a few now, a few later as we go along)...
Notes
Music is written with little doo-hickeys called notes. Notes come in all shapes and sizes. A
note has two essential characteristics: pitch (indicated by its position on the staff) and
rhythmic value (indicated by the following symbols):
7 J J
whole note half note quarter note
(four veats) (two beats) (one beat)
The rhythmic value lets you know how many beats the note lasts. Most commonly, a
quarter note equals one beat. After that it’s just like fractions (we hate math, tool):
two halves equal one whole ‘two quarters equal one half
Jr jee JedeJ
four quarters equal one whole
JeJtJelco
Staff
All the notes are positioned on (or nearby) a staff, which consists of five parallel lines and
four spaces. (The plural for staff is “staves.") Each line and space represents a different
pitch,
Ledger Lines
Since not all notes will fit on just five lines and four spaces, ledger lines are used to extend
the staff: Clef
A symbol called a clef indicates which pitches appear on a particular staff. Music
uses a variety of clefs, but we're only concerned with one for now:
A treble clef makes the staff lines and spaces have the following pitches:
¢ oo é °
2:
= ‘©:
E G B D F F A c E
Every Good Band Draws Fane “FACE”
An easy way to remember the line pitches is “Every Good Band Draws Fans.” For the
spaces, spell “face.”
Measures (or Bars)
Notes on a staff are divided into measures (or “bars") to help you keep track of where you
are in the song. (Imagine reading a book without any periods, commas, or capital letters!)
1st measure 2nd measure 3k measure
treble clet 4 ee
t \ 4
statt bar lines, double bar ling
(end of section)
Time Signatures (or Meters)
A time signature (or “meter”) indicates how many beats will appear in each measure. It
contains two numbers: the top number tells you how many beats will be in each measure;
the bottom number says what type of note will equal one beat.
t
four beats per measure three beats per measure
arter note (1/4) = one beat varter note (1/4) = one beat
q 4
Relax for a while, read through it again later, and then move on.
(Trust us—as we go through the book, you'll start to understand it.) LESSON 1
Don’t just sit there, play something!
If you've already tried playing your harmonica, chances are you've heard several different
notes at once. That's because you're blowing or drawing air through more than one hole at a
time. With practice, you can learn to direct air through a single hole.
ecckemupyanalblow!
Playing one, two, or three notes is determined by the shape of your lips. To play single notes,
we use the pucker method. With the harp still well within your mouth (see below), tighten
and pucker your lips like you are going to whistle a happy tune, or drink from a straw.
3 oe
When you pucker, you can direct air through one single hole at a time. When you relax your
lips (or “unpucker,” if that’s even a word), you can play two or three notes. Let's try it.
Put your mouth around Holes 4 to 6 and blow. You should hear the notes of all three holes
(C, E, G). Now pucker, directing air through the middle hole (Hole 5) and making a single
note (E). Do this several times with the following example:
®
> ra0
> s00
> a0
> sa0
Hey, it sounds like the start of “This Old Man.” Wow, your first song!
Same idea in reverse...
Now let’s try the same thing, but this time you'll draw (or inhale). When you do thio, of
course, you hear slightly different notes than before—those on the top reed actually. With
unpuckered lips, you get three notes (D, F, A); puckered, you should hear just one (F):
®
6
6
5
4
{
200
6
5 5
4 4
{ | It’s OK to cheat...for now
If you're having trouble playing single notes, or even finding the right holes to put your
mouth around, try this trick:
To find and play Hole 5, for example, cover Holes 1 to 4 with your left index finger and Holes
6 to 10 with your right. (See the illustration below.) Now put the entire finger-harp
apparatus to your mouth and blow or draw Hole 5.
Because it's 0 darn awkward, we're convinced we don't need to tell you that this is not a
correct (or even realistic) way to play the harp. (Oops! Too late—we already did.) But it is a
great way to figure out what pitch you're supposed to be playing, if you're having trouble
finding it.
Breathinglislimpogtant ay
With all this inhaling and exhaling, you'd think breathing would be no problem while playing
the harmonica. Au contraire, mon frerel |t's very important to stay aware of when and how
you breathe while you play.
To take a quick breath between notes, move the harmonica slightly away from your lower lip
while using your upper lip to keep your position. It’s not ae difficult as it sounds, but it’s not
as easy as youd think either. Try it with the next song
66
. |
a
a
“0
oO
a
Sa
a
Sana
hao
hao
Shao
” symbol is a breath mark.
oO Take a quick but deep breath whenever you see it. [All the netas you mead 7
Your C diatonic harmonica is in the key of C. This simply means that it uses the following
musical notes:
C—D—E—F—G—A—B—C
“But wait!” you say. “That's only eight notes, and my harmonica has ten holes!” Correct,
Einstein—most of these notes repeat several times 90 that you can play the same notes
higher or lower.
But for now you won't need twenty notes. All the notes you need are located in the middle,
on Holes 4 to 7
Blow e¢lelale
roe | 1 | 2] 3(| 4 [5] 6] 7 [js | 9 | 10
Draw D F A B {
Playing in the middle section of the harmonica is called straight harp because you are using
the notes best suited for your instrument. Using the pucker method, try blowing and
drawing through Holes 4 through 7, one at a time. (Use the notation below as a guide.)
®& From C to Shining C
c D FE F G A B C¢
4t 44 5t 5) 6t 6) 71 7
Congratulations! (Sure, it needs lots of practice, but that was your first try!) Try again
until you're pleased with the sound of the notes and comfortable with moving your lips back
and forth between the four holes.
my Don't worry too much if you aren't getting a true single-note sound.
If the sound of surrounding holes is “leaking” a bit ae you play—no big deall
Concentrate on centering your pucker around the correct hole.
Iv'll otill sound great, and with practice, it'll fix itself. Now try a real song, reading from the same type of harmonica notation as before.
Remember, though, that this is not real music notation, and you won't often see this in
music (except for beginning harmonica books). So don't get too attached to it.
COUNT THIS: The little numbers under the lyrics are the beats. Count them in your
head as you play, to know how long a note should ve held.
4t
Are
count: 1
Crowds
This next song starve on Hole 5 (E).
St
Broth
6t
4t
Check
should sound.
4)
you
2
Sy
er
2
5y
are
2
4y
the
2
© Brother Jacques Rock
sleep
a
6t
Jacques,
3
wait
3
4t
clock.
3
® Ode to Joyful Rock
St
St
ar?
ing,
“
at?
ing,
“
4t
are
St
Broth
6t
crowds
4t
Time
1
4s
you
2
54
er
2
54
are
2
44
to
2
BY
2
@
@
at at
sleep - ing,
a
6t i
Jacques?
2
st at”
wait - ing,
cs
4t
rock
ca
Listen to the CD if you need a reference for how it
St 44
2 4
4t .
3 «
Bt 4
3 4
4t
3 “
Before moving on, we suggest playing through this lesson again.
Make sure you know how to read the number/arrow notation before we learn real novation. LrsoUN 2
Get out your staff and clef...
Unless you intend to play all your music from a beginning harmonica book (boring!), you
won't often encounter the “number/arrow” harmonica notation we used in Lesson 1. Most of
life's music is printed in standard music notation. So, before proceeding, flip back to pages
6 and 7 for a review. (We'll wait...)
Let's take this reading music thing gradually, a few notes at a time. Welll start with six
easy noves found on Holes 4 through 6.
Cc Dd E F G A
Ae a Rt
4 7 = bd - _
at 4) st 5L eT 6!
Now that you know what they look like, here's 2 song to test them out. Don't forget to
pucker,
IMPORTANT: Just like reading a book, when you get to the end of the musical line
(staff), continue on to the beginning of the next line. The song is over when you see
‘the double (thin and thick) barline.
® Mary Had a Little Band
all
allt
ore
SSS 5
Be
4b 4b stay
qu
49
4
Notice that as the notes go down the staff, your mouth goes down the harp. Likewise, as
the noves go up the staff, your mouth goes...oh, you get the ideal Try it again—this time
with the CD.
10 Tene
When playing repeated notes (like in measure 2 of the last song), it’s important to clearly
define the beginning and ending of each note. Otherwise, you'll get a muddy, sloppy sound. This
type of definition is called articulation, an important technique for any harmonica player.
One way to achieve good articulation is with your tongue. Try this little exercise without
your harmonica:
a
J Say “ta” four times slowly, Notice where your tongue touches the roof of your mouth,
2
} -
Bi Now say “ta” but hold it— “taaaaasaazaaaaaaaa’
BY Say it loud: whisper it.
ay it loud: whisper i
PS P
Now do the exact same thing while blowing a single note on the harmonica. Each time your
tongue touches the roof of your mouth, it cuts off the air flow through your harmonica
(even though very briefly), which gives a definite start and stop to each note.
© Ta-Ta for Now
=
o
et et et et et et 5) 5) 6 6 6T
Taa taal taah. Taa ta taaah. Ta ta ta ta taaah.
HELPFUL HINT: Experiment with other tonguing sounds like “da” and “ka.”
Try a fast tonguing with “ta-da, ta-da, ta-da” a6 you continue
to blow steadily. (Or if you're hungry, use “taco, taco.”)
Continue practicing your tonguing technique with this well-known song:
® Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Rock Star
SSS SSS
.
alll
a
S55
4) 6t 6i 5h SL st sf 4t
SSS
6t Sli sl Gh sh sy al at
13 A FINE TIME TO BREATHE
Up to now, you've been using those handy little breath marks as signals to breathe and
avoid fainting. Well, not always will the music be 60 kind as to remind you. So, you have to
find other places to breathe. Have we got a perfect solution for you...
asta 7
A musical rest is 2 pause, some short and some long. Rests are like notes in that they
have their own rhythmic values, instructing the musician how long (or how many beats) to
pause:
whole rest half rest quarter rest
(four beats) (two beats) (one beat)
Use these new squigglies to your advantage. Whenever you see one, take a deep breath while
counting the beat in your head.
In the following 4/4 example, you will blow on hole 6 like this: G, G, pause, G, pause, pause,
pause, pause, G, G, pause, pause, G, pause, pause, G.
® Take a Load Off
(breathe)
= ae hers
Ss! = = +
ee = 4 = o-
‘count: 1 2 (3) 4 a2.,s # 1 2 (3, 4) 1 (2) (3) 4
IMPORTANT: A rest does not mean rest your hands or put your harmonica down!
CH During a rest, you should take a deep breath and get your mouth into position for
the next set of notes.
® This Old Man
z | z
=)
o og
ete Ste 61 ever sl ot ates
+ ‘ I | +
3 Se
at st ef ef 44 4) 5f st 4f oat
“ Make sure you plan ahead!
Before you start playing a song, take a look and see which parts might be problematic for
breathing. For example, in the next song, you will play six exhaled notes in a row (starting at
measure 10) without a chance to breathe—that ie, no rests. This means you should take a
very deep breath on the rest just before this part, 90 you might want to circle it or
something
&® When the Saints Go Marching In
ee Ee =H.
4t sth 6t 4p sf 5L 6t
QL
alll
all
Q
=
nel> Elo*1 stk ot st at st al
oS
all!
$
i
My
all
6t et st
t
al
Z
i
{
wlth
au
st 5h et 5
Nice tie!
And you thought you were running out of breath with whole notes? Take a deep breath,
because you're about to encounter even longer notes...
A tie connects two notes (makes ‘em look fancy) and tell you to extend the firet note
(keep playing) through to the end of the tied note:
du tl ai lO) OO a
Turn the page and try playing a song with some sharp-dressed (tied) notes...
15 Remember to think and count the beat in your head as you hold a note. After a while, this
will become second nature—you'll just feel the beat.
® Kum-bah-yah
Ge oS === =|
st 5st st at 4b 4, at
Further extensions
Another way to extend the rhythmic value of a note is to use a dot. A dot extends the note
by one-half of the note’s original value. Most common is the dotted half note:
d : J.
half note dot dotted half note
(two beats) + (one beat) = (three beats)
You'll encounter dotted half notes in many songs, especially those that use 3/4 meter
(that is, three beats per measure).
® Harp Waltz
Sas i
= =
a & Camptown Races
Pickups aren't just trucks.
a
By the way, instead of starting a song with reste (like “Kum-bah-ya,”) a pickup measure
can be used. A pickup measure simply deletes the rests at the beginning. So, if a pickup has
only one beat, you count“, 2, 3" and start playing on beat 4:
|
Try this song with a pickup measure. Listen to Track 17 to get an idea of how it starts.
Count “l, 2, 3, 1, 2,” and then play away.
® For He's a Jolly Good Fellow
P
By =e
|
haw
===
al 44) at at ost at at ost
=F Es = == 5
8L 6 6! et 6t ef 5. at
This is a good time to take a break, maybe order a pizza.
When you come back, gargle some mouthwash
and play the songs in Lessons 1 and 2 again. mB
LESSON 8
Movin’ on up...
Reading six different notes (C to A) in musical notation wasn't too difficult, was it? Great!
Let's add two more higher notes...
(Netaa Bend 37
For the other six notes (C through A), you played them consecutively—alternating blows
and draws—as you went up the staff. When you reach Hole 7, your inclination is to (again)
blow the lower note (B) and draw the higher one (C).
But wait: These new notes are tricky! B and C are reversed on Hole 7. You draw the lower (B)
and blow the higher (C). To play all eight notes in order, you follow this pattern:
B ie
é : ‘-
o- o ‘2 a =
oe o
Ce ea
blow draw tow aw Blow raw ww
LEARN SOMETHING NEW! Do you realize what you just played?
That was your first musical scalel
Great, but what's a scale?
A scale is nothing more than an arrangement of notes in specific patterns of “half steps”
and “whole steps.” Using a piano diagram to illustrate, a half step is from one key to the
next. closest key (black or white); two keys apart io a whole step.
clole}r|alalalc
wwiwwwn
The notes on your harmonica are equivalent to the white keys on a piano. The black keys
have other names like C-sharp and B-flat, which you'll encounter later when you learn to
bend notes. (Much later, pal.)
But just because you have the white-key notes doesn't mean that you don't have half
steps. Look at the distance between E and F or B and C above. (Yep—half step.)
The step pattern used for a major scale is:
Whole — Whole — Half — Whole — Whole — Whole — Half
Most scales have eight notes and begin and end on the same-named note. The scale you
played started (and ended) on C and used the major pattern above, thus it was the C
major scale. Put it to work!
The next song uses all eight of these notes, starting at the top and working your way down.
It’s a well-known holiday song, but it’s also a backwards C major scale!
® Joy to the World
| :
=
2
F 6 et 5, 8t ‘au
iegee cota
i —F = ¢ J ea <= =o |
et 6! 6 1” 7 n
NOTE: A rest isn't only for inhaling. In “Joy to the World,” the notes in measures
5 and 6 were all drawn (inhaled) notes. But if you inhale on the rests, too, you have
‘too much air! In this case, the rests give you a chance to exhale.
Mavomodnacicol sion ay
How often are the notes of a song arranged in the same order as a scale—backward or
forward? (Let's hope not many. It would get quite boring!) So, remembering the blow/draw
pattern of aC scale won't be much help to you.
Instead, playing the harmonica requires memorization. You have to remember which notes
are blown and which are drawn...and you have to remember it lightning fast! One way to do
this is to think:
»
Af AliCs, Ee, and Ge are blown, except for the G on Hole 2.
A
2{ Allother notes (D, F, A, B) are drawn.
Test your memory with some music. In the first example, you'll be jamming on all the blow
notes (that is, C5, Es, and Ge). Then move on to a short example of the drawn notes—D, F,
A, 6. (NOTE: Each example is played twice on the CD, immediately followed by the next one.)
® Blow and Draw
SS
at st 6t
7
oN
oN
z
2
+
ee 6t 6t 7t
4) 5) ay Sy 6, 4) 5) 6 7 6 Knowing scales is the key...
If a song's melody is derived from the notes of the C major scale, the song is in the key of C.
(The scale is your “key” to which notes to play!) Since your C harmonica is based on the
notes of the C major scale, your harmonica is in the key of C.
The great thing about a diatonic harmonica is that you really can't play a wrong note.
Seriously! Track 20 on the CD is a tune in the key of C. All of the notes and harmony in this
little ditty come from the C major scale. Listen to it a couple of times...
® Jam Time
Now put your harp to your mouth and jam along with the CD—single or multiple notes,
Don't even think about the actual notes you're playing. Nine times out of ten, it will sound
pretty darn good. Why? Because you're playing in the same key as the CD tunel
Of course, you want to sound good ten times out of ten, 60 you should know which scale
notes are the most important, or most often used. It’s as easy as counting to five.
In the key of C, the most common notes are the first, third, and fifth notes of the scale:
=
G
Hey, those are all blow notes! (Told you it was easy.) C, E, and G are the notes used to
make a C chord (we'll explain chords in the next lesson), and a C chord is the one used most
often when playing a song in the key of C.
Try jamming along with Track 20 again on the CD while playing only C, E, and Gs. You can use
the little idea shown below, or make up your own.
® Jam Time
————— —— r i
Ch Saas
Missa atieoT. at aaa): See
NEW TERM: Short musical ideas like the one shown in Track 20 are called riffs.
While the rest of the band is playing the song,
you can insert your riff wherever you think appropriate. Playing only three notes (C, E, G) can get boring, 0 you throw a few drawn notes into your
riffs to spice things up. Try this using the riffs shown below first, before making up your own
& Spice Up the Jam
SS SS a
® Folk Jam
a s S
® Rock Jam
o—< ——— SS
st st st 5T 4) oat
2 Country Jam
wt
sl st
Each riff comes from notes of the C major scale. The band is playing in the key of C, so it
works out no matter where you play the riff. Cool, huh?
D
a
COINCIDENCE OR HIDDEN AGENDA?
Diatonic harmonicas are designed so that the most important
notes of the key are blown. This makes it: easy to improvise and still sound good.
Since your harp is a C diatonic harp,
the blow notes are the three most important (C, E, G). Galitothozmad 7
With 60 many notes (20 to be exact) and possible places to play on the harmonica, it’s
easy to get confused. So, it helps to break down (not literally, please) your harp into three
separate sections. We'll call these zones.
Zone 3 1 Zonet Zone 2
Blow c E G c E G c E G c
Hole a 2 3 4 5 6 iz 8 9 10
Draw D G B D F A B D a A
Zone 1 (middle): Good for playing just avout any song in the key of C. Hey, all the notes are
cherel
Zone 2 (upper): Good for higher notes. You don't have to stop at Hole 7!
Zone 3 (lower): Good for playing lower notes or for playing harmony. (We'll cover thio in the
next lesson.)
IMPORTANT: You aren't limited to a particular zone. When necessary, you'll need to go
outside of the zone you're playing in to grab extra notes.
—— Zone 2 ——
GAG WiC Dee beerrnGreA,
By now, you probably have the notes of
Zone | down. Let's try some songs that
use higher notes, from Zone 2.
& Home on the Range
SS m2
et oT BL Clete aol ol o) 0] ar 6)
22 The next song is all in Zone 2, except for the G (Hole 6) that you occassionally drop down
to play. And even though it’s Zone 2, most of the melody notes are blown (C, E, and G
again), since this song is (yep!) in the key of C...
S20 The Streets of Laredo
J—e.
of of oat ef st of st aL 7 7 et et
cd e.
: e = EP 2: | P- e a == fe = 2.
7 wt aL et ot ee st 9) st o st of
BMS
TP
%
oy
ns
Te
Cro
CT OUe ee dianaair laa
Lev’s sing this lesson to sleep with an old nighttime classic, “Taps.” (Breathe whenever you
can, because all the notes are blow notes!)
Taps
HAVE SOME FUN!
Say the word “yo” (or even “yo-yo") as you play the songs again.
You'll hear a sorta wobbly, cowboy sound. (Yee-haw!)
a
om LESSON 4
In perfect harmony!
Sometimes you just don't want to play the melody. Maybe you're tired, or maybe the singer
in your band is doing fine without you. In these cases, you can play an accompaniment part,
or harmony. And as we said before, Zone 3 is the perfect place for doing this.
When you play multiple notes at the same time, you are playing chords. Chords supply
harmony to a song. Your tiny but highly versatile instrument can play either single melody
notes or chords. (Hey, your sax-playing friend can't do that!)
If you don't feel like playing riffs or melodies, you can just play the chords of a song. And
without really knowing how to play a harmonica, you can play two basic chorde—C and G:
} Put your mouth on the bottom three holes (1, 2, and 3).
AC
2 Blow, and you will hear C, E, G—a C chord.
2
3 Draw, and you will hear D, G, B—a G chord.
2
Try it with a song, Use the letters above the staff (the chord symbols) to know which chord
to play. Blow for C: draw for G. You can either hold the chord or play a rhythm with it.
® Oh, Susannah
c
————
SSS
Thank you, gir. May we have another? This time, try to play the correct rhythm with your
chords. Listen to the CD to get an idea of what we mean
® Rock to My Lou
ee
& =
ed
24 What exactly is a chord?
Most chords contain three scale notes—the root, third, and fifth—each being a specific
number of steps from the other. The chord’s name (C or G) comes from the root note. The
third is two scale notes higher than the root, and the fifth is two scale notes higher than
the third
Using the C major scale, it’s eaay to find the notes for a C chord:
root 3rd sth
To build a G chord, we can create a G scale and take its root, third, and fifth notes:
root 3rd sth
To play these chords, find spots on your harmonica where the three notes of the chord are
grouped. For example, notice that no matter where you put your mouth, you will always get
the notes of a C chord when you blow:
Blow c E G c E G Cc
o|m
Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6
But to play a G chord (G-B-D), you really only have two choices to draw on:
play
Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Draw D G B D F A B
Oo] @
alo
>
Not many alternatives for such a popular chord, 90 we need a solution
25 26
iwognotelchordey,
Technically speaking, a chord has three or more notes. But we can cheat a little and
sometimes use only two notes for harmony. You just have to choose which nove to drop.
This will usually depend on where you want to play the two-note chord.
Look at your G chord. it has the notes G-B-D. If you drop the G and just play B-D, then you
have two different places now to play a G chord—one low and one high.
6
om Lo} a (/@ [| o/ Fla le{ oir la
Try all of your G chord possibilities
£09 More G Chords
*—
4
3
2
root 3rd sth (repeat)
Since two of the notes are drawn (F and A) and one is blown (C), you will absolutely never be
able to play FA, and C at the same time. No problem—drop the C and just play F and A.
Now you have two choices, Holes 5-6 or Holes 9-10:
& My New F Chord
aa 2 rn YOU STILL GOT RAYTHIME
Can you spare a quarter? How ’bout an eighth?
An eighth note has a flag on it: d
Two eighths equal one quarter note (or one beat). To make it easier on the eyes (you're
welcomel), eighth notes are connected with a beam:
ee a
To count eighth notes, divide the beat into two and use “and” between the beats:
2
1 (and) 2 (and) 3 and 4 and
Practice thie by firet counting out loud while you tap your foot on the beats. The second
time, keep your foot tapping the beat: while you sing the crazy lyrics “I and, 2 and,” etc.
ee
@ 2 @ 3 & 4) 1 & 2
@) 4 @)
What about the rest? ‘/
Eighth reste are the same (value-wise), but you... pause. Count, tap and pause with track 33:
© (<==
1) 28) @ & 4
Practice eighth notes while you also practice your new C, F, and G chords. Don't worry too
much about how you sound. The main thing is to get this new rhythm down
® Chord/Rhythm Jam
27 That's all you need to know...seriously! C, G, and F are pretty much the only chords you
need to play almost any song in the key of C! Sure, you'll learn more in later lessons, but
these three are the most common. And here's proof—two solid pages of three-chord songs!
Play from the chord symbols above the staff. Try holding some chords and improvising a
rhythm on others. Just have fun
& Amazing Grace
S55 SS
ne —_ IMPORTANT: Don't forget to articulate as you play each chord. Say “ta” or “da” or
“ka” to give each chord a definite beginning and ending
© Rockin’ on Old Smokey
cst Fg!
== - = 1
SS SS
a 1 @ Yankee Doodle
cal
2 =
2 SSS
st oT Mieeeeu aero lean 7
F8l
f
=a
st 8) 7 el 7) 61 et 61 71 71
c8{ ofl cf
=== |
et 6! 71 6L ef 6) 7) 7t ol 6T 7 7L BL 7H 7
NOTE: The letters “N.C.” etand for no chord. So, don't play ahythi
take a deep breath and get ready to play the next chord
there. Instead,
© Down in the Valley
cf :
| i f €
a
eat ass aa st 4 at
NG «| >
6 E | €
(———
el a al st 4! 3h al
NC. cet e
: 1 | 7
So: = — +
3t 4T aL st at st 4) af
NC a3} a
Es =
Se 3 =
21 3, 4! st at ee Cert
Try playing these two pages again, but this time play the melodies inotead of the chords.
29 G ie cleao00
Remember the dotted half note (three beats)? A dotted quarter note gets one and a half
beats:
J : J.
quarter note dot dotted quarter note
(one beat) + (half beat) = (1% beats)
Think of it as being a quarter note tied to an eighth note.
GE iS
1@2 & 3&4 8) 1 2 & 3&4 8
Often you'll see a dotted quarter note paired with an eighth note, since the eighth equals
the missing half beat. Listen to track 39 on the CD while you clap the beat. Once you can
feel the rhythm of the dotted quarter note, try playing it...
Auld Lang Syne
ig Sy!
7 10) ot CBee ieee af aL 7 oT st at ot
is c G F G c
pi ta a = K
zy Ee = =a
G = Pree eo
10) 1 oP eh al el el cel er
¥ t \-27Ret
G ee i WARNING: If you haven't slept since page 1,
continuing could be hazardous to an enjoyable musical life. ©
Take a long break and go sleep!
(Your neighbors need a break on the ears, too.) LESSON 5
Playin’ the blues
You know chords, scales, all the notes, some different rhythms, lots of good stuff. We think
it’s time to make your little harp sing a new kind of tune—the blues.
Gras har /
Since your harmonica is in the key of C, playing songs in other keys on it io called cross
harp. Who cares why exactly—it's just a hip little name. Whatever the reason, it's an
important concept to know, because there are lote of songs in other keys.
The key of G is a popular one. And on the harmonica, it’s a great key for playing the blues. If
you make a scale on the root note G, you get the following:
G A B c D E F G
°.
ry o 2.
° ‘o: 2 =
eT 6! 7 7t 8) at aL ot
x 2:
et 71 8) at 91st 8 7 7T 8f sf Bt sLa7, a st
eg.
ot
HEAD FOR THE END ZONE: When you oo.
play G blues, you'l find yourself using
Zone 3 quite a bit. And while you're
down there, you can jam those Gand aut
C chords some more.
oi at 2b at al at al st sy
You'll find that many of the notes in cross-harp blues playing are drawn. Keep this
consistent by playing the low G on Hole 2 (drawn).
® Roadkill Blues
= SS =
21 3h st 4t at ost 4) at a
¢ f eae:
oe oo a 338
eS) ale ate al tea ea
Bt ONE POWERFUL MOTE
OK, 60 you want to know how the blues works. How can the sound be 20 different from the
songs and riffe we played in C? If you recall the steps used to form a major scale, you might
remember that the last two steps are whole step-half step, as shown on the C major scale
below.
But when you play a scale on the root note G, the last two steps are reversed (half step-
whole step).
Your ear expects the seventh note (F) to sound a half-step higher. When it doesn't, it
makes the whole scale sound kinda “bluesy.” That F is one powerful little note, huh?
Feel the power of F as you make your own kind of blues with the following riffs.
@ G Blues Riff
+
|
(repeat)
@ Extended Riff
es = i
(repeat)
5L st al 6t 5) st aL
You can use your chords to riff, too.
® Blues Chords Riff
6
G3} c3 G
z BS z
= a = 24
Fg} G
¢ rs Of course, some songs in G don't even use the omnipotent F, 90 they don't sound like the
blues. They just sound like normal tunes. Try the next two, for example:
@® Red River Valley
BSF
——— J
alll
7.
7
all
4) 6t a 7m 6L et 6! st 1 ot 4) 6t
q =e ao,
G See e ==
)
7 et 7) 8 m 7 61 el 7t 7 7 6
4 =a = as
st
8) 7f GIee Ol dene (nas Chen ol aace Ol
ee CAUTION: This next song has a difficult-looking rhythm (eighth-quarter-eighth). Iv
actually pretty easy, though. Take a listen to Track 46 first to get a feel for it.
Tom Dooley
Sa ae
a 7 41 4) 4) st ét 6!
WHAT'S THAT SYMBOL?
Repeat signs (|: ‘|) tell you to (you guessed it!) repeat everything in between.
If only one sign appears at the end ( :] ), repeat from the beginning of the song
33 [Mora nance Tor your monay . 7
Well, we lied (90 sue us). Playing the G blues isn't really playing in the key of G. Actually, the
key of G is based on the G major scale, which (like the C major scale) has the following step
pattern:
Whole — Whole — Half — Whole — Whole — Whole — Half
If you were playing a piano, notice that this pattern and scale would require you to play a
black key—the one between F and G.
POTECIOeT
When a song, scale or key requires a note that is a half otep higher or lower than the
normal-sounding note, a symbol is placed by that note.
F-sharp
One half step higher is called a sharp and looks
like a tic-tac-toe board: s fo——
B-flat
One half step lower is called a flat and looks likea = = a
backwards note with no air in it (get it? “flat”): a =
So, the correct G major scale (which requires F to be a half-step higher, F-sharp) is
notated and sounds like tI
&
Mu
|
9
ae
6
°
5
9 |9)
>
a
°
9
E F-sharp G
‘As you know alll to well, you don't have any sharp or flat notes, You just have ten holes and
twenty notes, right? Right?
Well, not anymore. . Now hg /
To play sharpo and flats requires a special technique called note bending. You aren't really
bending anything or hurting your fragile little instrument. When you “bend” a note on your
harmonica, you lower the sound of the note.
To bend a note, you apply more presoure to your note-playing than usual. The easiest notes
to bend are ones that are drawn on Holes | through 4. Follow these steps:
For draw bends:
\
J Draw air through the correct hole.
2
A
2( At the same time, lower your jaw.
4
\
5BY Also at the same time, curve your tongue back in a rounded position.
= HELPFUL HINT: For draw bends, say “AUHH” as you play. This will put your jaw in the
cortect position to bend the note.
Try bending some draw notes on your harmonica, starting with the lowest one.
Hole eetee| se oee ee gra lang acto 7 9 | 10
Draw! D | G OFCb A BaD kaa
Bend! Dh | Ge} Be} Db |
ich i Fei ati ct
Now enjoy some of these new notes in a blues tune:
® Bendy Blues
ze P
al ea) aca 2 ow
ete ele 2k
4 (as) © The blow bends are a bit more difficult, but the technique is similar. Keep in mind that it only
works well on Holes 8, 9, and 10. Here are the steps:
For blow bends:
\.
J(_ Blow air through the correct hole
2
y
2¢ At the same time, move your jaw back slightly.
4
“
2 Also at the same time, curve your tongue back in a rounded position.
pep HELPFUL HINT: For blow bende, saying “OHH” as you play puts your jaw in the correct
position to bend the note.
C4
Blow | ¢
Hole | 4
wv |m
Think backwards
IF it’s not possible to bend a note up (or higher), how can you ever play sharps? Good question.
Look again at the keyboard diagram on page 34. The nove between F and G can be called either
F-sharp or G-flat. That's right—every sharp note has a corresponding flat name. Since you
can't bend a note higher, you have to think of F-sharp as “lowering” (bending) the note G...
Worried Man Blues
@)
pcp ere
8 BL et oat oot 1! 107" s0F 107 10) ot ot
be Fe) 2
py = es =
ie Seer
st stet of ovat BL al a et a st ot 10}
oy e —
pPptrcepe se pp pete
x —
107 1077107" 10) tol 10 10) 10f 107 10 of
AA WHY BOTHER?
You'll encounter lots of sharps and flats in all types of music,
ZD especially the blues. Without bending,
you'd have to learn the chromatic harmonica to play these notes! LESSON 6
Make the pros jealous!
Playing the notes well is half the battle. The other half is playing the notes with style. This
lesson will probably be the most fun, and you can apply these tricks of the trade to any of
the songs you play.
If you want to sound like the pros, one simple technique called vibrato can do the trick.
Vibrato sounds like you're “wobbling” the note. Listen to Track 52 on the CD to hear an
example. You'll hear the music first without vibrato, then again with vibrato.
' _
@HSs = ee =
e
st 5, st lt ct 6) et 61 7 7
Sounds great, huh? You can achieve this several ways. The easiest vibrato is called hand
vibrato. (We have no idea why—maybe because you use your hand?!) Here's how it works:
As you play a longer note—a half note or whole note—simply flap the fingers of your
outside hand away from the harmonica and back, sort of like the flap of a bird's wing. (Make
sure the palm of your hand does not move. It should stay cupped and in contact with your
other hand.)
Try adding vibrato to each of the notes in this “scaly” exercise:
® By the Wobbly C
iy
GA == SS = ae
Slater, 6 a él ok
mt
©° E f = 7 == z ©
aL Meee 6! et
The faster you “flap.” the faster the vibrato. Try it again with various speeds of vibrato—
first slow, then fast, then a mixture. Which do you prefer? (Gees 7
Anice effect that you can add virtually anywhere is the slide. All you do is start on a lower
part of the harp and “slide” into the desired melody note or chord. Listen to some examples
on the CD...
i. I. I, in i. sl. sl.
a a F a F Le
é 6
g g f
79F . 4 ¢ 1
1 tt mA
Play Track 54 again and try it yourself. Simply put your mouth on the starting note and
keep blowing (or drawing) up to the next note. Once you get the hang of it, try it in a song.
y
NOTE: Don't forget to add some hand vibrato to the longer notes.
WG These are marked with an H.V. (Well, what did you think “H.V." meant, silly?)
& Battle Hymn of the Republic
iS SE
st st st
al st at ef BL i Beef
BL 8 vt a vit 9 et qo ot at at a
at
Ps Fe 5
= = =
at a 6, st et 5t
Hy. > 3B i
i = i = HM §. v ;
= Fl 8
st 6f 77 81 BT vt iz 10a
“al al
