Chromatic harmonica technique note positions masters of. For the first time in blues harmonica history there is an abundance of lesson material available to study. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. This is just a series of seven notes which help the harmonica sound bluesy, so playing this scale over and over is excellent training. Harmonica instruction study chart of harmonica keys. Blues scale in 12 positions the notes below are for a harp in the key of c, but the tab holds for any key harmonica e. Major scale exercises wildflower harmonica instruction. A scale is an ascending sequence of musical tones or pitches a diatonic scale is a sequence of eight tones spanning an octave as explained in the next section. Chromatic tabs while not sheet music, tabs are what some slidemeisters like to call cheat music. For this song, we are using just the first five notes of the major scale. But some people seem to have an almost allergic reaction to learning any music theory at all, preferring to say, i just play what i feel, man. The lion sleeps tonight is a perfect example of a cool first position tune that fits in the major scale.
Learn the chromatic harmonica improvise in all 12 keys. Download our free pdf versions of each scale with fingering. Why not try starting with the minor pentatonic scales. The difference between diatonic and pentatonic scales. The earliest harmonica recordings dating from before ww1 document proficient note bending in the 1st position, whereas 2nd position playing was not recorded until 1923, though it must have existed. I would like to prepare a lesson where i explain what context to use these different scales as an improviser.
The harmonica and irish traditional music by don meade. And because they use fewer notes than the standard 7note scales, pentatonics make it easier to play in multiple keys on one harmonica. It did take me some effort over a couple of years though where i practiced them pretty regularly until they were that way. The chromatic harmonica hes been very popluar in jazz with larry adler, toots thielemans or gregoire maret.
Dec 01, 2008 a couple of good ways to practice scales using scale exercises and methods so that you can always have something to practice and always be working on new improvisational ideas. For additional charts, information on positions, and harmonica theory, visit the members area theory section. Minor pentatonic scales are a fantastic place to start, particularly for players who. The arrows and numbers below indicate how to play the blues scale. Download blues harmonica jam tracks soloing concepts 2 in pdf and epub formats for free. They seem to think that gaining knowledge about how music works could somehow kill the magic they feel in music. Can you see how having played the major scale a lot would help you to be able to play this song more easily. The harmonica has a lot in common with the button accordion and anglogerman style of concertina, both of which have a long history of use by irish musicians. Mar 06, 2012 all you need to follow my stepbystep harmonica course is a diatonic harmonica aka blues harp in the key of c. Ive been figuring this out, because i couldnt really find an overview of all the scales for diatonic. A draw four on a c harmonica should be a true d note. Chromatic harmonica lessons for beginners download ebook.
The instrument baffled me at first but then i noticed that if i approached it like a woodwind. With 12 different pitches to choose from, you have endless possibilities. A bent draw four is actually playing it in such a way as to produce a. Learn to play blues scale practice on your harmonica, the tab is below. The chromatic harmonica hes been very popluar in jazz with larry adler, toots.
Irish harmonica players can take some inspiration from players of other free reed instruments used in the irish tradition. Both reed plates are attached commonly via screws to a comb commonly made. Below are the 12 minor pentatonic scales presented as chromatic harmonica tabs. You will need a c harmonica and we are playing in 2nd position in the key of g. At the end of this notation key i have provided a list of lesson material i have authored that i feel will. Play scales very slowly with big bows keeping an even tone across the bow stroke practice scales with a drone pitch using the first note of the scale memorize the scales occasionally use a tuner to help. Bending notes on the harmonica by david barrett for stanford ccrma music 318 class how the harmonica produces sound there are 20 reeds on the harmonica10 on the blow exhale reed plate. This refers to the two different kinds of steps that occur. Student guide for solotuned harmonica part i diatonic.
Ultra locrian mode of the harmonic minor scale guitar scales and modes trainer harmonic minor scale boo is one of the priceless well worth that will. Chromatic harmonica lessons chromatic harp instruction. You can also access our site through your mobile phone. All of the material covered in this course pertains to the solotuned diatonic harmonica. Now these arent all the scales, but just the ones i figured out so far.
We can also hear it in famous pop songs by stevie wonder and eurythmics. Just because you practice scales, chords, patterns, and exercises doesnt mean you will sound stiff and mechanical, or that you. The chromatic harmonica defined the chromatic harmonica has a button on the right side which when not pressed in, allows you to play a standard major scale in the key of the chromatic typically, the key of c, and with the button depressed, gives you all the halfsteps or notes in between. Some years back i spent much of a summer holiday playing this exercise with a metronome. Learning to play the harmonica starts with playing a single melody with either a pucker or tongue block and knowing how to read. C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 a b a a b d g b d f g b b b e b b d g b d f a b d f a blow v c e g c e g c e g c draw v d 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 b d 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 e 1 2 3. A couple of good ways to practice scales using scale exercises and methods so that you can always have something to practice and always be working on new improvisational ideas. Introduction the major scale is a great way to practice your singlenote technique and learn to move around on the harmonica. May 22, 2010 jeanphilippes chromatic ascencion to better playing i will unassumingly try to provide basic knowledge for anyone interested in developing better playing technique with the chromatic harmonica, via the help of breathing exercises and scales practice. Now that you can bend notes the next thing we should look at is the blues scale. Irish harmonica players can take some inspiration from players of other freereed instruments used in the irish tradition. If you use and like, thank you to consider support donation. Often new players are drawn to the instrument because of a desire to play the blues. There are many different diatonic scales, but probably the most familiar one in western culture is the major scale, the one many of us learned as children in school.
The chromatic harmonica defined the chromatic harmonica has a button on the right side which when not pressed in, allows you to play a standard major scale in the key of the chromatic typically, the key. Blues scales blues is an irresistible tonality for a guitar player. The melody maker harmonica, with its three altered notes shown above, is great for playing major scale melodies in the 2 position. To participate in the course solotuned harmonica part i diatonic. Free sheet music for chromatic harmonica download pdf, mp3. Not really very useful for something youve never heard before, but very effective in allowing you to play a familiar number by the hole numbers stamped on your chromatic harmonica. Sep 06, 2017 how to play the blues scale in 2nd position on harmonica hello and welcome to this weeks harmonica lesson which is a short but really important one how to play the blues scale. The chromatic harmonica has been designed to provide you all the sharp and flat notes at the simple push of a slide. Chromatic harmonica scales guitar lessons for beginners. Playing scales on the harmonica can be very useful. Harmonica course volume 6 101 blues riffs hello and welcome to the 6th in our series in which we offer you 101 blues riffs to learn, use, modify, and take over their ownership. If you take two notes an octave apart and add some of the pitches that lie between them, youll have a scale.
This booklet is provided free of charge by jamey aebersold jazz. However, most music uses a few standard types of scale. Theyre in seven different keys and just with blow and draw bends no overblowsoverdraws. Practice is generally considered the realm of classical and jazz players, leaving harmonica players to hone their skills on stage.
Here are some scales you can play on a diatonic harp. Leapfrogging creating unique patterns from the scale is a good idea. Spice up your songs with the soulful sound of the harmonica along with your guitar or ukulele playing. A proven method to get fast piano scales in 5 minutes a day piano lessons, piano exercises jazz standards. I started playing chromatic in 1982 after a few years of saxophone and blues harmonica study under my belt. Try improving your single notes and bends first with these easy video lessons click here blues scale practice for diatonic harmonica warm up by trying the following with bends if possible. Start with playing the scale ascending and descending as a warmup. Free sheet music for chromatic harmonica christmas. Scale charts 6 minute read here is the definitive list of all the main scales that can be played in each of the first five positions. The harmonica has a lot in common with the button accordion and anglogerman style. Jeanphilippes chromatic ascencion to better playing i will unassumingly try to provide basic knowledge for anyone interested in developing better playing technique with the chromatic. Pentatonic scales are fivenote scales that sound good over just about any kind of music. If you would like a complete catalog of the thousands of jazz educational materials available, please call 180045688 or visit.
While live performance can produce rapid improvement, thoughtful practice can also bring great dividends for harmonica players. Aug 03, 2016 introduction the major scale is a great way to practice your singlenote technique and learn to move around on the harmonica. Rock, country, blues, folk, and world music all make extensive use of pentatonic sounds. Student guide for solotuned harmonica part i diatonic presented by the gateway harmonica club, inc. There are many different makes and models out there. The purpose of this article is to cover one and only one topic. Not really very useful for something youve never heard before, but very effective in allowing you to play a. How to play the blues scale in 2nd position on harmonica hello and welcome to this weeks harmonica lesson which is a short but really important one how to play the blues scale. I discuss and demonstrate where you can and where you cant play slide turns in all of the keys on the harmonica. Free sheet music for chromatic harmonica download pdf. Free sheet music for chromatic harmonica christmas carols. A bent draw four is actually playing it in such a way as to produce a note that is just 12 step down or a d flat. The first 5 notes of these different scales are exactly the same. Bending notes on the harmonica by david barrett for stanford ccrma music 318 class how the harmonica produces sound there are 20 reeds on the harmonica10 on the blow exhale reed plate and 10 on the draw inhale reed plate.
Pentatonic scales wildflower harmonica instruction. The only thing that changes are the 6th and 7th degrees of the scale. Mastering the chromatic harmonica by practicing scales. For 20 years we provide a free and legal service for free sheet music. Harmonica scales for beginners while learning to play. All you need to follow my stepbystep harmonica course is a diatonic harmonica aka blues harp in the key of c. The scale below is what i like to call the master scale. Harmonica playalong volume 14 chromatic harmonica hal leonard harmonica playalong harmonica for kids a beginners guide with stepbystep instruction for. The previous issue outlined ideas for practice, and introduced an exercise based on the major scale. What to learn to play the chromatic harmonica in every key. Each riff will be played for you at a fast speed, then a slower speed and then in most cases, at an intermediate speed. Pdf download blues harmonica jam tracks soloing concepts. Harmonica lessons that work learn how to play great.
What is the difference between the diatonic and pentatonic scales. To participate in the course solotuned harmonica part i diatonic, the student must have. Learning to play the harmonica starts with playing a single melody with either a pucker or tongue block and knowing how to read harmonica tablature tab, how to play a harmonica in position, and knowing the positions for the 12 harmonica keys. Bare numbers represent blowing into the hole of the same number, bracketed numbers represent drawing sucking on a hole of the same number. Blues harmonica jam tracks soloing concepts 2 book also available for read online, mobi, docx and. Well look at the basic scale, and then two exercises. Ultra locrian mode of the harmonic minor scale guitar scales and modes trainer harmonic minor scale boo schedule guitar scales and modes trainer. I dont personally practice my scales any more, theyre pretty ingrained in me.
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