Harmonica Instruction
[Lessons, Tips, Songs, Tabs]
A Basic Overview
Here are some basic facts and information on how to play the harmonica. Topics you will find on this page include: Diatonic vs. Chromatic Harmonica, -Which Harmonica To Get-, 1st Position (Straight Harp), 2nd Position (Cross Harp), and a Summary of 1st and 2nd Position.
Songs & Tabs (New Songs Added !!)
Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced level songs to get you going. The beginning songs and tab are all played in the 1st position while the intermediate and advanced level songs are played in the 2nd position. Links are included to additional songs and numerous tabs of melodies, riffs, and solo parts.
Playing Tips
Here is a collection of instructional one liners. They include rules of thumb, playing tips, and common sense rules of physics and nature that apply to harmonica playing (and many other activities for that matter). The rotating "Tip of the Day" is taken from this collection of tips.
Basic Blues Improv
Basic Blues Improv gives you three different approaches to improvising the blues. Basic Techniques Improv shows you simple note choices that can be used with any of the listed basic techniques. This combination allows you to start creating your own sounds and riffs for the blues. The second section, Basic Blues Riffs, gives you some common short phrases (i.e. riffs or "licks") you can use to play to the blues. The last section, Target Notes Over 12-Bar Blues, is a good way to play to the actual chord changes of a song. With this improv method you can never play a note that sounds wrong. When you add your favorite playing techniques and throw in some passing notes, this approach is pretty hard to beat. At the end of this section, you will find some recommended "Jam To" albums (with keys for each song) that you can apply these improv approaches to. There is also a 12-bar blues MIDI file in the key of "G", Slow_Blues_in_G.mid, that you can download and play/practice to.
Harmonica Players List
Here is an list of harmonica players and some of their albums that I can recommend listening to. I realize that there are plenty of great players left off this list, but these are some good ones to get you started. Visit Harmonica Store.com for additional CD and player Recommendations. You can also find many of the linked albums on the page "keyed" with the complete listing of songs, the keys they are in, and which harmonica to use for playing along at the CDs: Song Keys section at Harmonica Lessons.com.
Additional Harmonica Instruction
[ FREE Site & MEMBERS AREA available ]
Visit Harmonica Lessons.com -- 525 pages of Info, Lessons, Video, and Tips -- Learn Single Notes, Bending, Hand Effects, and Advanced Techniques -- Jam to the Blues -- Over 150 Classic Songs & Tabs -- Discussion Forums, Chromatic Harmonica Section, Theory, Scales, Terms & Definitions, a huge Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section, Repair Info, Play Guitar with Harmonica, Games, CDs "keyed", Jam-to MIDI files, and more. A
Members Area and
Free Samples area are available.
*Double-click song title to hear 30 second sample.
