The songs and instruction on this website are samples and exerpts from Harmonica Lessons.com. Our "Harmonica Playing Overview" section is an introductory primer on the two most important types of harmonicas, which harmonica to get, and the 1st and 2nd playing positions.
Dave explains the value of not just learning a scale up and down, but dividing it into smaller "bite-size" chunks, which can then be used as blues riffs.
Here are Dave Gage's sons, Brody and Alex, now called the Brothers Gage, back when they were 10 and 12 year old kids. This video shot in 2015, is an unedited take playing an improvised blues and country based jam and having a bunch of fun.
One plays rhythm beatbox harmonica while the other takes a solo. They are both playing a standard key of "C" 10-hole diatonic in 2nd Position (which is also known as "Crossharp"). They both learned to play harmonica around age 5 and now also sing, play guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards. The key to getting good is consistency. They still practice every single day.
Summary of 1st Position and 2nd Position- Remember, 1st Position (or Straight Harp) is mostly, but not exclusively, blowing in the middle part of the harmonica (hole 4 blow is a good starting point and home base for 1st Position). 2nd Position (or cross harp) is predominately, but not exclusively, drawing at the low end of the harmonica (hole 2 Draw is the best starting point and home base for 2nd Position). On a key of "C" diatonic harmonica, 1st Position playing is in the key of "C" and 2nd Position playing is in the key of "G".
1st Position for simple melodies and folk rock style- 1st Position is typically used for simple melodies like "Oh Sussanah" or "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and widely used in a folk rock context, a la Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen (and many other singer-songwriters).
Players who primarily use 2nd Position- include James Cotton, Sonny Boy Williamson (both I and II), Mick Jagger (Rolling Stones), Little Walter, Paul Butterfield, Mickey Raphael (Willie Nelson Band), John Popper, Charlie Musselwhite, Huey Lewis, Sonny Terry, Norton Buffalo, Steven Tyler (Aerosmith), Magic Dick (J. Geils Band), and many others.
Dave explains the value of not just learning a scale up and down, but dividing it into smaller "bite-size" chunks, which can then be used as blues riffs.
