How to Play a Blues Song on the Harmonica
There are specific techniques to achieve the blues style of playing the harmonica. These techniques require regular practice to reach a competent level of ability. The instrument is practical in that you can put it in your pocket and it doesn't require any maintenance. It doesn't matter if you have never played a musical instrument before, but a liking for the blues will help. Blues harmonica has a long history and there are lots of opportunities to listen to it for inspiration.
Instructions
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Buy a diatonic (designed to play in one major key) harmonica in the key of C. This is a 10-hole harmonica and is most suited to playing the blues. It is also the easiest harmonica to learn on for beginners.
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Buy a tutorial book with a CD or use an online course, or buy sheet music for the harmonica.
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Hold the harmonica, so that the holes are arranged from 1 to 10, going left to right as the harmonica faces you. The notes go from the lowest (number 1) to the highest (number 10). Place your fingers on top of the harmonica and rest the harmonica on your thumb.
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Learn how to follow tablature in your course or on your sheet music, unless you can read music. This is a method using a number for each hole (and note), and arrows, which indicate whether to breathe in or out. An upward arrow is a note on which to exhale and a downward arrow is a note on which to inhale.
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Play a single note. Prepare by wetting your lips and pressing them against one of the holes. Form a seal around the hole, so that you create a good tone and you don't make a sound from any of the other holes.
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Practice blow notes (by exhaling into the harmonica) and draw notes (by inhaling into the harmonica), and repeat each technique, moving from hole to hole.
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Practice breathing into more holes than one to produce multiple notes. These are the basis of chords.
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Learn how to bend notes. This is a necessary technique to achieve a blues style and involves lowering your tongue when playing a draw note and raising your tongue when playing a blow note. The tablature for bending is usually indicated by a bent arrow or a note within a circle.
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Practice the C Scale, which is always the first scale that harmonica players learn. The tablature for this is 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7. The sequence for breathing is exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale, inhale, and exhale.
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Practice cross playing, another necessary technique in order to play the blues. This means playing in the key of G on a blues harmonica (a C harmonica) to express the blues style. Play the G Scale. The tab for this is 2 3 4 4 5 6. The sequence for breathing is inhale, inhale, exhale, inhale, inhale, and exhale.
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Start by playing songs for beginners in your course or from your sheet music, following the tablature or by reading the musical notes.
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Listen and play along with blues records or CDs.
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References
- Photo Credit harmonica lesson image by itsallgood from Fotolia.com
