How to Play Harmonica: A Complete Guide for Beginners

by Blake Brocksmith, Gary Dorfman, Douglas Lichterman

Overview

This easy-to-understand beginner’s guide provides an introduction to playing the harmonica and includes helpful information about basic techniques, tools, and music knowledge.

Learn to play the harmonica with this step-by-step guide perfect for beginners. With just this book and your harmonica in hand, you’ll learn basic music skills, discover how and why your harmonica works, play some simple tunes, and start to improvise your own music.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781507206645
Publisher:	Adams Media
Publication date:	04/03/2018
Series:	How to Play Music Series
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Blake Brocksmith is a harmonica player, singer, guitarist, actor, writer, and director. He has performed and recorded professionally on the harmonica since 1986.

Gary Dorfman is a harmonica player, singer, and guitarist. He is the chief engineer at Batcave Recording.

Douglas Lichterman is a musician, author, and music educator. In the 1970s he was a founding member of the rock band Windows.

Table of Contents

Introduction 9

How to Use This Book 11

Standard Notation and Harmonica Tablature 11

Harmonica Diagrams 12

Chapter 1 One Note at a Time 13

Types of Harmonicas 15

REading Music 17

Get Comfortable with the Instrument 19

Mastering Breath Control 21

How to Hold Your Harmonica 23

Techniques for Playing Single Notes 25

Exercises for Playing Single Notes 28

Chapter 2 Bending Notes 31

Bend Notations 33

Bent and Blue Notes on Your Harmonica 34

Draw Bends 36

More Advanced Techniques 39

Classic Riffs with Draw Bends 41

Trills 43

Slurs 45

Exercises for Playing Bends 45

Chapter 3 Understanding Rhythm 49

Counting 51

Mastering Rhythm When Playing in a Group 53

Advanced Tongue Techniques That Create Rhythm 55

Articulation Syllables 62

Simple Rhythms and Syncopated Rhythms 63

Rhythmic Exercises 65

Melody and Chording Together 68

Arpeggios 70

Chapter 4 Playing in Different Key Positions 71

Determining Which Harp to Play Based on a Song's Key 73

First Position 74

Second Position, or Cross Harp 76

Third Position 78

More Positions 81

Chapter 5 Songs You Can Play in First Position 83

Playing Melody 85

Well-Known Folk Melodies You Can Play 86

Chord Melodies 90

Exercises for First-Position Play 91

Beautiful Is Better Than Loud! 94

Playing by Ear in First Position 96

Play with Confidence 96

Chapter 6 Improvisation 99

What Is Improvisation? 101

Components of Improvisation 103

Phrasing 109

Roots and Fifths 110

12-Bar Blues 112

Tone 117

Ensemble Playing 119

Band Etiquette 122

Playing Along with Recordings 123

Chapter 7 Practicing 125

Why Practice? 127

Practice at Regular Times 127

Get Organized and Be Prepared 128

Relax and Focus 129

Listening Is Practicing Too 130

Break It Down 132

Slow Down 133

Evaluate Yourself Honestly, but Stay Positive and Have Fun! 135

Chapter 8 Gear and Accessories 137

Microphones 139

Amplifiers 141

Effects Boxes 145

Customizing 148

Cables and Adapters 149

Minor-Key Tunings 150

Appendix A The Essential Harmonica Recordings 151

Appendix B Resources 155

Appendix C Glossary 159

Index 171