How to Play Straight Harp Songs With a Harmonica

If you learn to play the harmonica by taking lessons, you learn the straight harp method of playing. Since the harmonica has been called the mouth harp, the term is often used in types of different play. "Straight" in this case means simple or the tune of the song. Once you play your first song, you can almost see the cowboys around the fire. Straight harp method is usually seen in westerns when the campfire dies and sleep approaches. It's the lonely sound that only the harmonica can give.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Diatonic harmonica
• Sheet music

1. Learn the notes of the harmonica from the Internet or lessons. You need to be able to hear the notes or read them to play a straight song on the harmonica. The first note of the harmonica is the key the harmonica is in. If you buy one that's in the key of C major, then the first note is C. Frequently a paper comes with the harmonica that tells the notes on that particular harmonica.

2. Find a simple tune that you would like to play on the harmonica. Most of the old campfire songs and classic folk songs are simple enough to learn without lessons and lend themselves quite well to the straight harp technique.

3. Play 1 note of the song at a time. When you study the harmonica lesson for straight harp, you notice that there are few chords involved. Again, you play it simple and straight.

Tips & Warnings

• Note that the most common form of playing the harmonica in blues and rock is the cross harp that involves more complicated patterns and inhaling and exhaling into the harmonica.