BEGINNER'S HARMONICA - Lesson 2 - BAJAN PIEDPIPER

Learn to play harmonica. MUSIC 097 OK ~ BENDING NOTES ~ What makes a note bend? Normally, when you play a note on your harp, the air passes over the reed more or less parallel with it. If you cause the air to pass over the reed at an angle ... it makes the reed vibrate at a different rate, so the note changes its pitch and we say the note has "bent."

IT'S BY CHANGING THE SHAPE OF THE CAVERN OF YOUR MOUTH THAT THE AIR IS DEFLECTED AND THIS AFFECTS THE TONE AND PITCH OF THE REED.

Some trivia ~ when you bend a note on a harmonica, the note flattens . . . when you bend a note on a stringed instrument, i.e. a guitar, the note sharpens. ! Now isn't this great information? ! ! !

There are several 'bending' methods in addition to what's on the video, here are two others ~

1) Place your harp in your lips at hole 1 ... inhale while DRAWING FROM YOUR ABDOMEN ... drop your jaw. The note will bend. Try it on holes 2, 3 and 4. (These are the holes that are the easiest to bend.) See it demonstrated here - this is an EXCELLENT presentation -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JLOjim5ix4

2) This method is a bit more advanced. ~ Choose one of the holes 1 to 4 ... USING THE MUSCLES DEEP IN YOUR THROAT/NECK draw the air through the reed. i.e. DRAW FROM YOUR THROAT. Your tongue goes back a bit and your jaw drops a little ... it's dinky to explain, however by experimenting you'll soon get it. See it demonstrated by Adam Gussow on this video - watch his throat closely and you'll understand.
http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/video/how-to-practice-to-the-blues-scales-o...

Bending notes produces the bluesy sound that is the blues! Like learning to play single notes ~ it can be challenging in the beginning. Just remember ~ the philosophy is simple ~ the more you practice, the better you get...... Just practice ... and it'll happen!

CONTINUED FROM LESSON ONE: Space ran out on Lesson 1 so lets continue here ... while working on your single notes, learn the Scale at the same time (Kill two birds with one stone!) ~ If you're playing a 10-hole diatonic, begin the scale at hole 4 blow and play: (b=blow d=draw)

4b - 4d - 5b - 5d - 6b - 6d - 7d - 7b - 8d - 8b - 9d - 9b - 10d - 10b

Later, when you can bend notes well, you can begin the scale at hole 1 blow.

By the bye ... when practicing ~ if you get feeling tired or frustrated - stop! - come back later or the next day and in the 'rest period' you'll find your mind has been working on 'the problem' and you'll do much better.

As you travel along, you will wish to start to improvise... IT'S BY MEMORIZING THE SCALE AND BY MEMORIZING SONGS, THAT YOU AUTOMATICALLY BEGIN TO KNOW WHERE ON THE HARP ARE THE NOTES YOU WANT TO PLAY! ! !

Listen to the words of the Master: "After memorizing the song and you're playing it correctly - that is the beginning of your practice not the end of it. Only then can you begin to make it sound like music." THIS IS WHY, when you learn a song from a tab sheet -- you memorize it and then throw it away. Do not allow yourself to acquire the habit of having to read a tab sheet whenever you wish to play!

MORE ABOUT HARMONICAS: - the key of your harmonica is stamped somewhere on the cover plate. If your harmonica is made in the Key of C all the blow notes will have to do with the chord of C Major and starting from hole 1 blow, they will run C E G C E G C E G C. A G harps blow notes will be G B D G B D G B D G. etc. Regardless of the key ALL HARMONICAS ARE PLAYED THE SAME WAY ! ! !

The blow notes on all harps will be the 3-note chord, repeated, from holes 1 to 10, of the key the harp is made in.

When you play in the key the harp is made in, you play in first position. There are actually 12 positions a harp can be played in! In 'second position' - on all harps - the scale will begin on hole 2 draw.

Now, why play in different positions? WHY PLAY IN SECOND POSITION? When you play a harp in first position, most of the notes youll play will be BLOW NOTES. But for playing blues you will want to play mostly DRAW NOTES because draw notes can be more easily bent - and its these bent notes that sound particularly "bluesy." (Also, when you bend a note you are able to produce a semi-tone which is not a built in note on a diatonic harp.) So we play blues (and other genres too) in 'second position' also known as the 'cross harp position.'

When you play a C harp in second position, you play in the key of G.

Heres a video thats actually comical! Brother Bob is playing a Key of D, Lee Oscar diatonic harp in second position (Key of A.) I think itll bring a smile to your face!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn-CCVuMZ2c&feature=user

Lot of good stuff here ~ http://www.eadcentral.com/go/1/1/0/http://www.davegage.com/tips.html

Now to ~ Lesson# 3 ~ THE MAGIC HOLE ON THE HARMONICA - click here -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmrm49G6d9c

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[MrNikcccc]

how long have you been playing?

[BajanPiedpiper]

@MrNikcccc about 65 years... off and on ! :)

[BajanPiedpiper]

About 65 years - off and on! :)

[timmiejboy]

I just bought a blues harp harmonica in G to learn play harmonica. Is my harmonica in G a good harmonica to begin with? and what songs are good for me to learn?

[BajanPiedpiper]

@timmiejboy A G harp is fine. Songs: learn the ones you like!  go to a tab site and get the tabs... like harmonicacounteydotcom or harptabsdotcom...

[edwinajessel]

Am I going to be ok starting with a D harp? I love blues and can sing/play guitar with it but this is my first time with harp (I just got given)

Also, will be in Barbados in Feb would love to come see you play!?????

[BajanPiedpiper]

@edwinajessel any key harp is fine - I just did a new Beginner's vid - in youtube search write... BEGINNER'S HARMONICA -- Addendum# 1 -- Bajan Pied Piper -

would be happy to see you here in BDS - write me a week or so before you come to check if I'm on island... (could be I'll be on a cruise!) :)

[75ironhead603]

Just started my journey with the Harp. THANK YOU for getting me started on the right foot.

Best Regards

T

[MIKEandDEBERA]

@edwinajessel D is good to start with

[MIKEandDEBERA]

@timmiejboy NO



[eeskaatt]

Hello sir. I just recently got interested in harmonica and yesterday I finally got myself one. It's a 16-holes(double, i think) and in C. Is this good enough for a beginner like me?

[MrNINTENDOJOE]

is e flat one of the best for blues good lesson by the way

[rmachayes]

I don't believe it, but by just listening to your advice on bending, I actually did a bend after trying for two weeks. I was using a Hohner Crossover in C. Gosh, that is amazing. Thank you so much. And I love your delivery of your lessons, very laid back but knowledgeable.

[justin2273]

Very informative and easy to understand. Thanks!

[sonickage]

very cool video. Where are you from originally?

[upermei1]

Your videos have been extraordinarily helpful for me. They're simply packed with nuggets of information...(and I prefer your lessons due to your wonderful accent as well). Thank you so very much for taking the time to teach me the harmonica.

[tehmightywill]

i got an E harp,

i'm not sure what this means but i play guitar and there are 2 strings called 'e' so i thought that it would have more songs played in that key but i have absolutely no idea what im on about i just know that john lennon and dan akroyd on the blues brothers play a harmonica

[madchickenfilms]

Do you have a Hohner blues harp made in germany?