Blues harp in a notes pdf

The modern harps are a little larger and the casing on the blues harp is slightly more curved than on the marine band harps, which i feel fit better in the hand. Though one such hohner richter model is indeed called the blues harp, the original blues harmonica was the marine. Please check if transposition is possible before your complete your purchase. Blues harmonica music theory blues harmonica kaizen. One technique which is an essential part of blues harp playing is the ability to bend notes. Only three notes have been altered from standard major diatonic tuning. The twelve bar blues heres a diagram representing one chorus of the twelve bar blues. Lee oskar harmonicas superior harmonicas since 1983.

Bending is, without question, the blues harmonica technique. Shuffled or swung 18 notes are really the first and third notes of a triplet, and this is the most common groove or feel in blues and early rock and roll. Harps labeled g through b start below middle c, while har. Just to clarify, a chord is a selection of notes played together at the same time as against a note which is just a single tone. Respond beautifully to the draw and bend notes very easily. You just have to take that first step, with a helpful instruction manual by your. New blues by deborah hensonconant pdf download, original. For the first time in blues harmonica history there is an abundance of lesson material available to study. Pdf acoustical and physical dynamics of the diatonic harmonica. This is considered a common tongue block technique. A draw four on a c harmonica should be a true d note. The easy response of the individual notes in every register and the great. The notes on parenthesis are overblows and blow bends and if you do not master those techniques just ignore them. Notes and approximate frequencies of a ten hole, diatonic har.

The simplest way to play through the changes is to target the root notes of the chords in the 12. Not every hole note on the harmonica can be bent, and not every hole that you. Blues can also be played in 1st position, where the key of the harp is the same as the key of the music. Little walter juke sheet music arranged for harmonica and includes 1 pages. This is the most common kind of harmonica, usually a small instrument with ten holes, containing 20 notes, also known as the blues harp. Jsl harmonica, standard diatonic key of c 10 holes 20 tones blues mouth organ harp for kids, beginners, professional, students blues 4.

This session, recorded in 1965, is an introduction to the basics of playing blues harmonica. Notation key blues harmonica lessons blues harmonica. It gives a safe path to a bluesy sound over the 12bar blues. Free harmonica songs, free harmonica tabs harmonica notes. Harmonicas come in a variety of keys click here for more about harmonica keys and note names. The major diatonic harmonica is the traditional, standard tuning for playing blues, folk, rock, country and pop. First position means playing in the same key as the harmonica. Minimum required purchase quantity for these notes is 1. If youve ever wanted to play the blues, try out new blues.

The standard diatonic harmonica is designed to allow a player to play chords and melody in a single key. Simple blues riffs are perhaps the most common way for one to begin improvising on the diatonic harmonica. Use the key of harmonica column next then, find the key of harmonica you will need to use from the bolded key of harmonica column to the left. This tuning is absolutely the best harp available for single note melody playing in the cross harp position. The most common harmonica key is c, the notes on a c harmonica are shown below. As a first step try to find a relaxed mouth shapeembouchure that is similar to whisteling a good start is whistling a low note and afterwards to play a note on the harmonica using the same kind of breathing. It is this sound, known as note bending, which has ensured the longlasting popularity of the harp in blues, rock and contemporary music and makes it a uniquely fascinating instrument. Harmonica chords 20,000 tabs for diatonic, chromatic. First position, or straight harp, starts on the hole 1 blow note. A bent draw four is actually playing it in such a way as to produce a note that is just 12 step down or a d flat. It is a variety of diatonic harmonica, with ten holes which offer the player 19 notes 10 holes times a draw and a blow for each hole minus one repeated note in a threeoctave range the standard diatonic harmonica is designed to allow a player to play chords and. To play simple folk music and melody lines, 1 position straight harp is used, which accents blow notes. It is so fundamental that many professional players continue to practice it daily. Harmonica players began to experiment and found that when they primarily used the inhale draw notes, a different kind of sound was provided.

Figure 4 c major diatonic harmonica what pitches can be produced in the bending process on the harmonica not every hole note on the harmonica can be bent, and not every hole that you can bend allows the same degree of bend. Here is a bluesy theme with four variations by deborah hensonconant for intermediate to advanced players. The amount of bend you can achieve is dictated by the distance interval. Blues harp or cross harp denotes a playing technique that originated in the blues music culture, and refers to the diatonic harmonica itself, since this is the kind that is most commonly used to play blues. It is a variety of diatonic harmonica, with ten holes which offer the player 19 notes in a threeoctave range. Mel bays easiest blues harp book is the ideal way to get started playing todays blues harmonica styles. For example if a blues song is played in the key of f, locate the 2nd position key cross harp column and go down to the fourth row where it indicates f. A bend on the draw or breathin note of the 2nd hole, for instance, lowers it from g to f. Blues harmonica riffs beginner bluesharp instruction and. If you are a beginner searching for lessons, please click this link to be taken to the harmonica blues lessons for beginners page. With the technique of bending, a very bluesysounding scale, called the blues. It will contain the class notes and inside those notes youll find the class recording link as well. Diatonic harmonicas are mostly used in rock, blues, jazz and gospel music.

This note layout is called the richter tuning, is used for most harmonicas and is shown below. Learn harmonica, bluesharp rock and blues harmonica pl. For over 50 years, the harmonica has shaped the sound of blues, rock, and sometimes even folk. The 20 tuned reeds offer 19 different notes one note is repeated. Tons of guitar lessons at my site is an old video that i put up on my old techniques channel. It is a metaphor for whiskey bars, juke joints, and good times. Many beginning players are confused about harmonica notes, particularly since some of them appear to be missing. The basic beat of most music, 14 notes, can be divided into 2 types of 18 notes.

In addition to that scale the minor fifth is added which is a note that. Chromatic harmonicas have four notes per hole, and a side button. Even then you can open your mouth wider and play an occasional chord where appropriate. Masters of the blues harp a harmonica transcription book by. Though one such hohner richter model is indeed called the blues harmonica, the original blues harp was the marine band. Repetition is so much easier if the riffs are first internalized. The liner notes cover the recorded material in greater depth, as well as a discography of glovers favorite blues harp recordings. With over 3,000 lesson videos, lesson plans for all skill level players, downloadable mp3s and pdf s, along with forum experts and contributors, is the place to learn blues harmonica. With the popularity of the blues style, many have gone to the single hole pucker up style. Pdf the harmonica is arguably the most widely played instrument in the world, yet there is a surprising.

This course is designed to teach beginner level players the basics of playing the 12hole solotuned diatonic harmonica, which is tuned differently from the standard 10hole diatonic instrument. It is important to build up a repertoire of harmonica licks so that you have some ideas when you improvise. Unlike most guitarists, harmonica players or pianists who play blues i didnt grow up playing blues. The harmonica runs out of notes before completing the scale, however this pattern is very useful. Learn to play one note with your chromatic harmonica. And each hole has 2 single notes blow for one, draw for the other.

Archive of 20,000 tabs, chords and licks from different source. The richtertuned harmonica, or 10hole harmonica in asia or blues harp in america, is the most widely known type of harmonica. Diatonic harmonica this is the most common kind of harmonica, usually a small as the blues harp. The blues scale is probably the most common piece of practical blues harmonica music theory that people do learn. Now try another solo, using all of these notes, but. To achieve greater expression and a bluesy sound, 2 position cross harp is used, which accents draw notes.

The blues scale is based on the ichord and the minor pentatonic scale connected to that chord. Sep 06, 2017 the blues scale is a foundational element of blues harmonica playing. If you want to learn to play the harmonica, youve come to the right place. With our system, you cant fail, even if you think you suck. Instead of filling in the notes for the c harmonica with pitch names, lets this time fill in the chart with scale degrees. Learn blues harp learn to play a musical instrument. How to play chromatic harmonica notes and scales, including harmonica blues scale.

Although 90% or more of the blues harmonica repertoire is played in second position cross harp, every serious blues harp student needs to learn the other two positions in which classic repertoire is sometimes played. Whether youre a beginning blues player who just wants to get that one first harmonica note bend, or an advanced player who wants to learn difficult bending techniques like multiple halfstep harmonica bends and rock harp blow bends and even overblow bends please keep reading. And the harmonica has a natural genius for the blues, with its ease of producing the moaning, wailing. This sequence is part of the blues scale, starting at the root note 2d and moving down. Because they are only designed to be played in a single key at a time, diatonic harmonicas are available in all keys. Care and cleaning your harmonica will last longer if you take care of it. Blues harp, musicians play wonderful music on these, change pitch on. For beginning blues harmonica players who want a quick immersion in blues harp basics, ive bundled four beginners video tutorials into an easytodownload zip file, with the tab sheets thrown in for free. Use repetition of a single riff, and pauses between these riffs. Here are notes charts for the 10hole diatonic harmonica in all 12 keys, with bends. For more harmonica songs, tabs, blues riffs, plenty of video lessons and live classes, visit. The high end of the harp is expecially good for blues in 1st position because all the notes in the blues scale are available with only normal bends. However having a few beginner blues harmonica riffs can go a long way in building a foundation.

Bending notes on the 1st and 6th holes is harder, but still possible. Little walter juke sheet music pdf notes, chords blues. Harmonica note charts in 12 keys with note bends by glenn weiser. This gives you an idea of just how important it is.

A quick note to left handers some of my lefthanded students prefer to hold the harmonica. The songs and instruction on this website are samples and exerpts from. First you will learn the basic techniques needed to play blues harp such as lip blocking single tone bending the slide. In the diagram blow means the note when blowing into a hole, draw means the note when breathing in. Harmonica123 essential blues harp technique class recording. The richtertuned harmonica, or 10hole harmonica or blues harp, is the most widely known type of harmonica.

Harmonica instruction study chart of harmonica keys. Its tough to bend notes on the 5th and 7th holes on a standard harmonica, and only tricky blow bends are possible on holes 8 through 10. Major diatonic harmonica for blues folk rock pop country. Blues riffs a riff is a slang term for a short musical phrase that is usually repeated or repeatable. Find any tabs for diatonic, chromatic and tremolo harmonica. This resulted in a new and more fluid style of playing, known as 2 nd position cross harp. For example, the root note of a c chord is a c note. Blues harmonica fundamentals slap small open circle above note head same as standard tongue block lips over four holes, tongue blocks three left holes, but the tongue starts off the harmonica, sounds the chord, and then slaps down to leave one note sounding similar to saying hal. Without bending, you lose half of the instruments expressive capacity. When starting out with blues harmonica most people start with second position. How to play blues harmonica blues harp beginner lesson. Their construc tion enables playing techniques known as bending and overbending, which expand the range of available notes and create chromatic harmonica.

Note pucker playing chord techniques and the chord hammer tongue. This book contains detailed harmonica transcriptions written in standard notation and harmonica tab. The traditional harmonica for blues playing was the hohner marine band, which was affordable and easily obtainable in various keys even in the rural american south, and since its reeds could be bent see below without deteriorating at a too rapid rate. Play these notes slowly, from the 2d and back again. Blues, my harmonica cartoon character and purchase him and other toons on tshirts, mugs, mousepads. Breakthrough blues is an online harmonica course designed to get you playing killer blues quicker and more easily than any of my previous methods if youre a beginning or struggling intermediatelevel harmonica player, breakthrough blues will help you take yourself seriously as a blues musician and performer. Diatonic harmonicas are tuned to a single major scale and are available in different keys. What notes to target over a 12 bar blues on harmonica. Harmonica note charts in 12 keys with note bends by glenn. Includes standard notation, harmonica tab, guitar chords, complete playing instructions and short biographies of the 17 artists. This articles shows the notes on a harmonica, and the reasoning behind their layout. Harmonica instruction learn how to play harmonicas. Scroll down the page to view the complete song list. Getting individual notes out of the instrument pucker a vs.

Harp key 1st dorian am gm am cross harp key positions 2nd. Youll see this notated as 8 or 1 and they both carry the same meaningsame note name equals the same function in music theory terms. Download slow blues harmonica lessons licks backing tracks. You get floyds hotel, shuffle blues rhythm, stompin, and basic blues harp. Hundreds of free harmonica tabs on blues, rock, pop, country, folk, movie, classical, christmas songs, and more. Blues is also one of the most fun kinds of music to play on harp, because you can set up blues scales, bend notes and have a rollicking good time.

They are arranged in such a way that only the middle octave contains a complete eight note scale. Care and cleaning your harmonica will last longer if. I had to figure it out once i was an adult, and thats one of the reasons i love teaching it. Bending notes by drawing holes 4 and 5 is a good place to start. Straight 18 notes are 14 notes exactly divided in half and give you a rock feel. Glover stresses that the student should first listen to a wide range of players before attempting to play. Blues harmonica tabs user guide free easyharp blues. This is achieved by drawing or sucking the notes flat to get that blues sound that is so distinctive of the blues harp style. And the harmonica has a natural genius for the blues. The variety of slow blues changes and feels include. Although solotuned instruments are not well suited for blues. It means that we can start playing without knowing many riffs. Hold the harmonica with one hand at each end, with the numbers facing you. From the beginning, the harmonica has been an integral part of blues music.

Student guide for solotuned harmonica part i diatonic. Low notes are on the left and high notes are on the. You can also access our site through your mobile phone. Although blues is their bread and butter at the harp surgery, lessons cover a range of styles including folk, rock, jazz and even classical. The diatonic harmonica has 10 holes with 20 tuned reeds 10 blow reeds and 10 draw reeds.