'Over the Rainbow' preview - The Ben Hewlett Harmonica Course

Coming soon - a lesson on how to play Over The Rainbow (as featured in the film Australia) in two different keys on one harmonica.
From Ben Hewlett:
I've just seen this video of myself playing 'Somewhere over the Rainbow' for the first time, and hadn't realised how dodgy my intonation is in two places!
We'll leave it up as an example of how to do it badly, and then we'll do a lesson on how to play it *properly* in a couple of weeks.
Here's the disclaimer: the pitching of notes in certain parts of the harmonica is tricky even for a seasoned pro so I'll talk you through it in the lesson.
Also, when we filmed this it was at 7am following a rather late evening of much merriment and rather a lot of fire-water if I remember! Plus I've never played it before, and was reading it in Eb on a Bb harmonica.
So, enough excuses, I hold my hands up! In short - I can do it much better than this, and will do so next time I'm in the studio.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Over The Rainbow
• Ben Hewlett
• teach yourself
• Australia
• intermediate harmonica
• harmonica playalong

[edjoey89]

ey what kind ofr hameronic do u use ?? what is the key

[esperantum]

Love the way you used the low octave for the 2º (6-5) riff! Great Harp! Congrats from Brazil....

[bridget4depp]

Oh I loved the 'Australia' version! I love the original song itself but the way it was played in the film just captured me like no other tune ever has... though, I really enjoyed the August Rush Moondance. =)

Can't wait to see the lesson up on here! It would be lovely to be able to play the tune!

=)

[landztranz]

Well said, Ben. Maybe this is not a good question, but why don't you just get a chromatic and play it on that? I I really think you have to be super good on a diatonic to play it just right. I played it yesterday on my Chromonica, (12-hole) and there were no major problems. If you're a harmonica person, why not? By the same token, if I wanted to become a good blues player, I would get a diatonic; for a few reasons it's just not the same on a chrome - unless you're really good at it.

Barry

[benhewlettuk]

Good point - you are probably right; in fact I'll show you the reasons why you might be right by highlighting the difficulties of playing the song on diatonic when I do the next lesson on this tune. I'll also show how you can get round them. I spent a week learning with Howard a few years ago so I guess I don't have a leg to stand on really, but read my disclaimer in the 'more info' section (top right by the date) and you'll see my excuses!

Ben

[landztranz]

Nice try, and mostly quite good, but unless you're Howard Levy or a similarly proficient diatonic expert, you shouldn't play this song on a diatonic. Chrome is the only way to go for this one! Sorry...

[slypher37]

hurry

[happyey]

I love this song! =]

I love Australia! =]