How to Suck in Notes on a Harmonica

"Draw" is the more often-used term, instead of "suck."

Probably everyone has felt the blues, so nearly everyone is a potential harper who fights the blues one note at a time. Sucking in, or "drawing," notes on a harmonica is, according to the book "Blues Harp: For Diatonic and Chromatic Harmonica," the main ingredient in playing blues harmonica. Drawing correctly, though, takes practice and proper technique. Maybe you're one of the gifted ones who'll get it from the start, or maybe you'll need more time. In either case, you will do better justice to the harmonica by learning how to properly suck in notes.

Instructions

1. Grip correctly. The common grip is to hold the harmonica in your left hand. Use your thumb and middle finger to grip the harp like a sandwich, leaving your index finger free to rest on your nose, if you'd like. Allow your other fingers to curve around the top and back of the harmonica, and cup your right hand underneath with your fingers pointing up. A correct grip will help you draw correctly.

2. Mouth the harmonica. You don't want to peck your harmonica. Loosen and relax your lips and make a "Shhh" sound. Hold the harmonica in your mouth so that your upper lip covers about two-thirds of the harmonica's top, and your bottom lips cover about one-third of the harp's bottom. Tilt the harp up slightly to achieve this.

3. Breathe right. Getting a quality sound requires that you breathe from your diaphragm, so that your belly expands when you inhale, along with your chest. According to the book "HarmonicaLessons.com Presents," you don't actually want to "suck in," but, rather, to breathe in. Imagine your breath flowing through the harmonica instead of coming into it.

4. Pucker correctly. Imagine that you're whistling or blowing a kiss to someone, and treat your harmonica like a close, personal friend. Focus on drawing breath through a single hole to practice your accuracy. Puckering, though, is not like sipping a cup of tea, notes the book "Blues Harmonica for Beginners." Think instead of gulping down a mug of coffee.

5. Bend your notes. Accentuate your single note draw by bending it to a lower pitch. Relax your tongue as you draw in. Prevent air from escaping through your nose by imagining that you have a cold and you're trying to keep phlegm from going down your throat. Then, as you draw in air, pretend you're saying "E-O-E-O." Mouthing "O" pushes the tongue further back, restricts airflow, and creates a lower pitch -- a bent note.

References

• "Blues Harp"; Phil Duncan; 2005
• "Blues Harmonica for Beginners"; J. Fletcher, Rob Fletcher; 1998
• "HarmonicaLessons.com Presents"; Dave Gage; 2008
• "Building Harmonica Technique"; David Barrett; 1997