How to Play the Harmonica in a Minor Key

Holes on a harmonica are numbered from left to right. Each hole can be either blown or drawn.

The harmonica is a popular instrument that compliments folk, blues and rock music, among other genres. Several types of harmonicas can be used for varying musical effect. The type of harmonica that is most common to popular music is the diatonic harmonica. A diatonic harmonica is tuned to one of twelve major keys, but can also be played in the minor keys a major second, a major third and a major sixth above the tuning of the instrument. For example, a C major diatonic harmonica can also be played in the minor keys of D, E and A, by making use of different playing positions.

Instructions

1. Draw, or breathe in, the fourth hole, blow the fifth, draw the fifth, blow the sixth, draw the sixth, draw the seventh, blow the seventh and draw the eighth hole to play the minor scale a major second above the tuning of the harmonica. This is the third playing position for harmonica. On a C major harmonica, the third playing position produces the scale of D minor.

2. Blow the fifth hole, draw, or breathe in, the fifth, blow the sixth, draw the sixth, draw the seventh, blow the seventh, draw the eighth and blow the eighth hole to play the minor scale a major third above the tuning of the harmonica. This is the fifth playing position for harmonica. On a C major harmonica, the fifth playing position produces the scale of E minor.

3. Draw, or breathe in, the sixth hole, draw the seventh, blow the seventh, draw the eight, blow the eighth, draw the ninth, blow the ninth and draw the tenth holes to play the minor scale a major sixth above the tuning of the harmonica. This is the fourth playing position for harmonica. On a C major harmonica, the fourth position produces the scale of A minor.

Tips & Warnings

• To play in a minor key on a chromatic harmonica, select the key that you'd like to play in and use only notes that correspond with that key. The chromatic harmonica gives access to all notes in the chromatic scale and therefore requires an advanced knowledge of the all twelve major and minor keys.

• Playing in the fourth position minor key on a diatonic harmonica can be more difficult for beginning and intermediate harmonica players as it requires the bending of notes to play the tonic note of the scale in higher and lower octaves.

References

• Harmonica Lessons: Terms & Definitions
• Harmonica Lessons: General Overview
• Harmonica Index: First Five Harmonica Scales