How to Use a Harmonica to Play Songs
Harmonica is a reed instrument played by many people for fun. Harmonica can also be found in music ranging from the blues to country and rock. The harmonica is one of the simplest instruments for a beginner to learn, which is why it is so popular with hobbyists. Learning to play songs with harmonica takes just a little practice and can lead to years of enjoyment, whether you're playing professionally, for friends and family, or simply entertaining yourself.
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Instructions
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Learn to read and understand harmonica tablature. Many harmonica songs are written in tab and easy to grasp. A harmonica tab is simply a horizontal line that represents the separation of the top and bottom holes of a harmonica. The top hole represents notes you blow, the bottom represents notes you draw. Instead of note heads, numbers are attached to the note stems that tell you which hole to blow or draw. Sometimes, especially for simple melodies almost anyone knows, note stems are not even used to indicate rhythm.
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Select a song you know by heart. There are plenty of standard songs perfect for the beginner on harmonica. "Oh, Susanna," "Blowin' in the Wind," "Wildwood Flower" and "Amazing Grace" are perfect starter songs.
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Look at the tabbed song before you begin playing. Familiarize yourself with the notes you'll be playing. Begin playing the song. If the music you're playing uses standard note stems and tails to indicate rhythm, a straight line drawn after the note will be used to indicate half notes and whole notes. The length of the line will show you how many beats to hold the note you play. Quarter notes and eighth notes are represented by traditional note stems and tails, so brushing up on your basic music-reading skills isn't a bad idea.
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Blow into your harmonica for notes you encounter above the horizontal line of your harmonica tab song. Draw (suck air in) to get the notes you encounter beneath the horizontal line.
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Bend notes by bending your tongue down inside your mouth to create a pocket, which allows you to increase the air pressure you use on the harmonica. This will bend your notes. It takes practice. A curved arrow beside a note in the harmonica tab tells you to bend the note up or down. These are the basics for using your harmonica to play easy harmonica songs. With a little practice, you can get the hang of it and have fun.
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References
- Photo Credit harmonica lesson image by itsallgood from Fotolia.com
