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Loading...Permission to republish this page kindly granted by Aqueduct This post shows the notes included in the major scales and how they are played on a solo layout 12 hole chromatic harmonica in key of C. The idea is to help visualise the different keys. Repeated or choice notes are shown so you may make your own choice […]
(5 votes, average: 2.60 out of 5)Loading...The chromatic harmonica is a type of harmonica that uses a button-activated sliding bar to redirect air from the hole in the mouthpiece to the selected reed-plate desired. When the button is not pressed, an altered diatonic major scale of the key of the harmonica is available, while depressing the button accesses the same scale a semitone higher in each hole. Thus, the […]
(3 votes, average: 3.67 out of 5)Loading...Blues is the most important harmonica style. Once you have learnt the basics, you will be able to play blues with musicians everywhere. Most people a*sociate the harmonica with blues, music sounding like this: Blues Harmonica Type (or Blues Harp) is name used in the Americas. But in Asia, people call Richter-tuned harmonica, or 10-hole harmonica, […]
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading...The Harmonica The harmonica commonly called the mouth organ is one of those musical instruments that have a lot of appeal and charm for an instrument beginner. This is because it is amongst the most uncomplicated musical instruments to play and still ranks top amongst the most romantic ones, primarily as it sound the most […]
(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading...The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. There are many types of harmonica, including diatonic, chromatic, tremolo, octave, orchestral, and bass versions. A harmonica is […]
(6 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading...Have you ever asked yourself: How to read Harmonica Tabs? Harmonica tablature (Harmonica tab or Harp Tab) informs you which ones hole to experience, whether it’s a blow or draw note, and whether a bend or any other effect is needed. Within the system I personally use with my students, plain figures are blow notes […]
(7 votes, average: 3.71 out of 5)Loading...DIATONIC HARMONICA Blow / Draw 1B – Hole 1 blow 2D – Hole 2 draw Bends 4D’ – Hole 4 first draw bend 2B” – Hole 2 second draw bend 10B” – Hole 10 second blow bend 3D”‘ – Hole 3 third draw bend Phrasing 2D 3D play 2 draw and 3 draw as separate […]
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading...How to make a ‘tin sandwich’… The Blues Harp Comb The centre section (black PVC plastic in the picture). The comb houses 10 blow holes and chambers. Originally it was crafted from pear or apple wood (it still is on models such as the Hohner Marine Band and Blues Harp). Wood expands and shrinks with […]
(4 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)Loading...The Diatonic Scale Imagine you were given a piano with no black keys. You could still produce a familiar do re mi scale and plenty of melodies using the key of C major, as this doesn’t require the sharps or flats of the black keys. Your white keyboard would effectively be a C diatonic keyboard, offering up […]
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading...Harp History – Harmonica History The harmonica has a long history, beginning in China with an instrument called the Sheng. The harmonica was further developed in Europe early in the 19th century, with the first harmonicas manufactured in Germany. The best known harmonica company, Hohner, is still based in Germany. Matthias Hohner introuduced the harmonica […]
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading...Close encounters of the third kind This question was asked by a student in our Harpin’ By The Sea beginners’ workshop; we had touched on positional playing as a way to extend the scope of the diatonic harmonica. And to be honest, it’s a fair question. Perhaps we accept the fact too easily, without asking […]
(No Ratings Yet)Loading...Where can I get one? Your local friendly music shop, on line or through specialist harp suppliers (see below). eBay isn’t recommended in this instance as you just don’t know what you’re gonna get or where it’s been! Music shops are the obvious first choice, however in my experience very few know much about harmonicas. […]
(No Ratings Yet)Loading...Got yourself a blues harp but don’t know what to do with it? Well, a*suming you are naturally right handed and purse your lips when you try to play, here’s how to get started. Holding your harmonica You’ll notice the numbers 1 to 10 are printed on one side of your harmonica. These relate to each […]
(No Ratings Yet)Loading...When I say ‘accuracy’, what I mean is clean single note playing. So Moving laterally between adjacent holes without under/overshooting. Skipping holes without missing your target. Moving diagonally from a draw note in one hole to a blow note in another (and reverse) Navigational aids: tongue, ears, bridges, muscle memory. Rhythm… reproduce tunes you already […]
(No Ratings Yet)Loading...Together with accuracy, this is an essential foundation skill for any aspiring harmonica player. The principle steps to good tone are these: Controlled breathing A moist and airtight seal Accurate single notes Tongue in neutral Open mouth cavity Open vocal tract Work from the diaphragm Breath control This is neither table football, nor a MacDonald’s milkshake. […]
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading...Pucker or Tongue Block Both methods of playing are correct, neither is wrong. You should be able to switch comfortably between the two. So, which ever is alien will eventually need mastering. At first this is akin to using a knife and fork with the wrong hands. Given time it will drop into place, but you […]
(2 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)Loading...Bend it! There is no doubt that learning to draw bend marks the transition from beginner to intermediate harmonica playing. When we find our first bend, it feels like we’ve just won the lottery. After hours of perseverance, we’re punching the air and yelling ‘woohoo’ like Homer Simpson. We want to tell all our friends. We want to […]
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading...Part One Be aware that blow bends take place at the top end of the harp. We’re talking holes 8-10 in principal. You will also find a slight dip in hole 7, however as there is no semitone interval between the blow and draw note, political correctitude says this is officially not a bending hole. […]
(No Ratings Yet)Loading...What is Octaving? Octaving is playing two notes an octave apart in unison. It is a great way to reinforce a note by playing its adjacent octave simultaneously. The result is a ‘bigger’ sound, but a clean one as there are no harmonic notes involved. The good doctor sometimes calls it double-barrelled harpin’. A good example is the opening to […]
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading...Tongue slaps This is a technique which goes hand in hand with the tongue block method of playing harmonica. Instead of pursing or puckering, you are covering about four holes with your mouth, blocking off three holes with your tongue and playing the remainng hole. Typically this means blocking the three holes to the left […]
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading...What’s a trill? It’s when you alternate (move back and forth) rapidly between two adjacent holes. Trills can be achieved by puckering or tongue blocking. I find puckering best for control, but remember seeing an interview with James Cotton in which he cites Little Walter’s tone when playing tongue-blocked trills as totally ground breaking. Technically […]
(1 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)Loading...Good vibrato is difficult to achieve initially, but vital in bringing a mature quality to your playing. There are three identified forms of vibrato; hand, diaphragm and throat. Of these throat vibrato is by far the most widely used and, I think, the most impressive form. Diaphragm Vibrato Not to be confused with throat vibrato, […]
(No Ratings Yet)Loading...Wah-wah This starts by cupping the harp, which is when we use both hands to create an airtight chamber around the harp. It actually amplifies the sound and gives it a warmer tone. In terms of physics, we are harnessing waveforms and using them to our advantage. The image (left) illustrates the cupped hand hold […]
(No Ratings Yet)Loading...Here are a couple of simple techniques that will elevate your phrasing and musical expression. Call them musical ornamentation. Glissando Glissando (gliss.) is derived from the French verb glisser or it’s adjective glissant, meaning sliding or gliding. A glissando can be achieved in an upward or downward direction. It often preceeds the beat and target […]
(No Ratings Yet)Loading...A Monkey Swing is when you loop off one bend into a neighbouring hole. You can continue the journey bending reeds as you go. Alternatively you can swing right back to where you just came from, sustaining the original bend for your return. Monkey swings can be used at the top or bottom of the […]
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading...Ready to rumble? Ever wondered how to warm up those harp muscles, learn breath control, hone your tone and perfect your chops? Look no further. This is a short guide to how we begin sessions at the Harp Surgery. The aim is to blow out the ‘cobwebs’, focus the mind and get the engine ticking […]
(No Ratings Yet)Loading...Born in Spain in 1975, Enrique Iglesias is the son of popular Spanish singer Julio Iglesias. Iglesias grew up largely in Miami and began singing as a teenager. He released his self-titled debut album in 1995 and, like his subsequent studio works, proved to be a huge success. By early 2012, Iglesias had sold more […]
(No Ratings Yet)Loading...Synopsis Born in Colombia on February 2, 1977, hugely successfully Colombian pop singer and dancer Shakira has won two Grammy Awards, seven Latin Grammy Awards and 12 Billboard Latin Music Awards, and has been nominated for a Golden Globe Award. Known for hits like “Whenever, Wherever” and “Hips Don’t Lie,” Shakira is the highest-selling Colombian […]
(No Ratings Yet)Loading...Synopsis Born Robyn Rihanna Fenty, on February 20, 1988 in Barbados, Rihanna signed with Def Jam records at age 16 and released her first album, which sold more than 2 million copies worldwide, in 2005. She went on to release more albums and hit songs, including “Unfaithful,” “Disturbia” and “Umbrella.” Rihanna has also won multiple […]
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading...Elizabeth Woolridge Grant (born June 21, 1985),[5] known by her stage name Lana Del Rey, and former stage name “Lizzy Grant” is an American singer-songwriter. Del Rey started songwriting at the age of 18[6] and signed her first recording contract with 5 Points Records in 2007,[7] releasing her first digital album Lana Del Ray in […]
