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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020
Wail on your harmonica! The harmonica is one of the most popular and versatile instruments in the world. There are several reasons harmonicas are awesome--you can play them anywhere, they're inexpensive, and you can show off in dozens of musical styles. The friendly and pleasingly tuneful Harmonica For Dummies is the fastest and best way to learn for yourself! You'll find an easy-to-follow format that takes you from the basics to specialized techniques, with accompanying audio and video content included to make learning even more simple and fun. Before you know it, you'll be playing jazz in your living room and the blues on your way to work or school--and that's just the prelude to mastering classical riffs. That's right, the humble harmonica has graced some of the grandest concert halls on planet Earth! * Choose the right harmonica * Enhance your sound with tongue technique * Develop your own style * Perfect your live performance The harmonica is awesome to learn, but even more awesome to&nlearn well, and Harmonica For Dummies will get you on the road from being an occasional entertainer to becoming an accomplished live performer. P.S. If you think this book seems familiar, you're probably right. The Dummies team updated the cover and design to give the book a fresh feel, but the content is the same as the previous release of Harmonica For Dummies (9781118880760). The book you see here shouldn't be considered a new or updated product. But if you're in the mood to learn something new, check out some of our other books. We're always writing about new topics!
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Harmonica For Dummies®, 2nd Edition
Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2020 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2020938974
ISBN 978-1-119-70012-8 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-70078-4 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-119-70077-7 (ebk)
Harmonica For Dummies®
To view this book's Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “Harmonica For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box.
Table of Contents
Cover
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part 1: Getting Started with Harmonica
Chapter 1: What Is This Thing Called Harp?
Considering the Harmonica’s Coolness
Becoming the Next Harmonica Idol: What It Takes to Play
Taking Your Talent to the Next Level
Hanging Out in the Harmonica Village
Chapter 2: Becoming a Harmonica Owner
Shopping for Your First Harmonica
Safe and Sound: Caring for Your Harp
Collecting Additional Diatonic Harps
Adding Variety to Your Harmonica Kit
Making Your Harps Portable with Carrying Cases
Getting to Know You: Discovering How a Harmonica Works
Chapter 3: Making Your First Harmonica Sounds
Preparing to Play the Harmonica
Getting Acquainted with Some Musical Concepts
Developing Your Sound
Chapter 4: Relating to Notes, Scales, and Chords
Getting in Tune with the Singable Notes
Sizing Up Intervals
Finding the Key of a Song
Stepping Through Scales
The Building Blocks of Chords
Writing Notes Down
Part 2: Starting to Make Some Music
Chapter 5: I Hear a Melody: Playing Single Notes
Shaping Your Mouth to Single Out a Note
The Elements of Motion: Moving from One Note to the Next
Exploring the Three Registers of the Harmonica
Playing Familiar Tunes in the Middle Register
Making Your First Multi-Hole Leaps
Shifting up from the Middle
Floating in the High Register
Chapter 6: Shaping Your Sound
Enlarging Your Sound with Projection
Starting and Ending Notes with Articulation
Shaping the Tone Color of Your Notes
Pulsating Your Notes with Vibrato
Chapter 7: Enhancing Your Sound with Your Tongue on the Harp
Using Your Tongue to Combine Chords and Melodies
Reinforcing Melody Notes with Your Tongue
Creating Chord Textures with Your Tongue
Combining Widely Spaced Notes with Splits
Playing Quick and Wide Leaps with Corner Switching
Chapter 8: Bending Notes
Knowing the What and the Why of Bending
Getting Started with Bending Notes Down
Deepening Your Skills at Bending Notes Down
Bending on Different Types of Harmonicas
Chapter 9: Positions: Playing One Harp in Many Keys
Understanding How Positions Help Your Playing
Figuring Out a Position
Relating Positions, Modes, and Avoid Notes
Rocking with Six Popular Positions
Part 3: Growing Beyond the Basics
Chapter 10: Fancy Playing: Developing Flair and Speed
Mastering Melody from the Ground Up
Adding Ornaments to the Melody
Developing Your Speed
Chapter 11: Mastering New Songs
Understanding How Songs Work
Choosing the Right Harp
Making It Up versus Playing It Straight
Trial and Error: Playing Along with Random Music
Chapter 12: Behind the Hidden Treasure: Bending Notes Up
Considering the Coolness of Overbends
Exploring the Things to Know Before You Start
Getting Your First Overblows
Achieving More Overblows
Getting Your First Overdraws
Raising the Pitch of an Overbend
Blending Overbends into Your Playing
Part 4: Developing Your Style
Chapter 13: Rockin’ and Bluesin’
Getting Hip to the Blues/Rock Approach
The Three Basic Chords of Rock-and-Roll, Blues, and Nearly Everything
The Three Popular Harmonica Positions
Playing Sweet Melodies in First Position
The 12 Bars of Blues
Exploring 12-Bar Blues with Second Position
Adding Minor Chords to a Progression: “Smoldering Embers”
Adding the Flat III and Flat VII Chords: “John and John”
Burning in Third Position: “Tom Tom”
Chapter 14: Expressing Yourself with Some Folk and Gospel Melodies
Sampling Some First-Position Songs
Getting Acquainted with a Few Second-Position Songs
Inhaling Some Third-Position Melodies
Exploring Folk Songs in Twelfth, Fourth, and Fifth Positions
Chapter 15: Fiddlin’ the Night Away with Traditional Dance Tunes
Choosing Harps for Playing Folk and Celtic Music
Playing Fast Fiddle Tunes
Trying Out Some First-Position Tunes
Energizing Some Tunes in Second Position
Feeling the Excitement of Third-Position Tunes
Part 5: Taking It to the World
Chapter 16: Putting It All Together — Your Tunes, Your Band, Your Listeners
Putting Your Tunes Together
Making Music with Others
Strutting Your Stuff Onstage
Chapter 17: Amplifying Your Sound
Getting Acquainted with Amplification Basics
Playing through a Microphone for the First Time
Taking Amplification to the Next Level: Clean and Distorted Amplified Sound
Connecting Mics, Amplifiers, and Effects Units
Chapter 18: Improving Your Harmonica with Repairs and Upgrades
Gathering the Tools You Need
Following Good Repair Practices
Making Three Simple Improvements
Diagnosing and Fixing Problems
Part 6: The Part of Tens
Chapter 19: Ten (Or More) Ways to Connect in the Harmonica World
Take Lessons from a Pro
Enjoy Harmonica Performances
Seek Out Musical Events That Don’t Focus on Harmonica
Let Loose at Jam Sessions and Open Mic Nights
Contribute to Harmonica Discussion Groups Online
Surf Informational Websites
Use Paid Content Learning Sites
Join a Harmonica Club
Share Your Enthusiasm at Harmonica Festivals
Sign Up for a Harmonica Seminar
Advertise
Chapter 20: Way More Than Ten Harmonica Albums You Should Hear
Blues
Rock
Bluegrass/Old-Timey
Celtic
Country
Gospel
Jazz
Part 7: Appendixes
Appendix A: Tuning Layouts for All Keys
Appendix B: Audio Tracks and Video Clips
The Audio Tracks
The Video Clips
Customer Care
Index
About the Author
Connect with Dummies
End User License Agreement
List of Tables
Chapter 4
TABLE 4-1 Table of Interval Sizes
TABLE 4-2 Interval Sizes and Qualities
Chapter 11
TABLE 11-1 Key Signatures
Chapter 12
TABLE 12-1 Overblows versus Overdraws
Chapter 22
TABLE A-1 Harmonica Audio Tracks
TABLE A-2 Harmonica Video Clips
List of Illustrations
Chapter 2
FIGURE 2-1: A typical ten-hole diatonic harmonica.
FIGURE 2-2: Tapping moisture out of a harp.
FIGURE 2-3: Some 12- and 16-hole chromatic harmonicas, with a 10-hole diatonic ...
FIGURE 2-4: Note layouts for diatonic and chromatic harmonicas.
FIGURE 2-5: Tremolo and octave harmonicas.
FIGURE 2-6: Harmonica hard case and soft pouch.
FIGURE 2-7: The five layers of a harmonica.
FIGURE 2-8: A reedplate and reeds.
FIGURE 2-9: The note layout for a diatonic harmonica in C.
Chapter 3
FIGURE 3-1: Basic harmonica tab.
TAB 3-1: Counting off and locking in with the beat (Audio Track 0301).
FIGURE 3-2: Time values in music notation.
FIGURE 3-3: Time signature and barlines.
TAB 3-2: Playing in 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4 (Audio Track 0302).
TAB 3-3: Dotted half notes and tied notes (Audio Track 0303).
TAB 3-4: Dividing the beat in two with eighth notes (Audio Track 0304).
TAB 3-5: Playing in 6/8 and 12/8 (Audio Track 0305).
TAB 3-6: Dividing the beat in three with eighth note triplets (Audio Track 0306...
FIGURE 3-4: Forming a basic hand cup.
TAB 3-7: Three basic rhythms (Audio Track 0307).
FIGURE 3-5: The closed hand cup and the open hand cup.
TAB 3-8: Train rhythms (Audio Track 0308).
Chapter 4
FIGURE 4-1: Note names on the piano keyboard.
FIGURE 4-2: Construction of a major scale.
FIGURE 4-3: Major scale pattern on G.
FIGURE 4-4: Major scale pattern on F.
FIGURE 4-5: A treble staff with note names.
FIGURE 4-6: A treble staff with ledger lines.
FIGURE 4-7: Notes at actual pitch and transposed an octave.
FIGURE 4-8: Sharp, flat, and natural on the treble staff.
FIGURE 4-9: A key signature and an accidental.
FIGURE 4-10: Notes of a C-harmonica on the treble staff.
Chapter 5
FIGURE 5-1: The mouth opening for a single note with a pucker.
FIGURE 5-2: Tongue-block embouchure for a single note.
TAB 5-1: Starting to play hole changes (Audio Track 0501).
TAB 5-2: Hole changes in the middle register (Audio Track 0502).
TAB 5-3: Alternating breath and hole changes in the middle register (Audio Trac...
TAB 5-4: Preparing and playing simultaneous breath and hole changes in Holes 4 ...
TAB 5-5: Making simultaneous breath and hole changes in Holes 4 through 7 (Audi...
TAB 5-6: Moving from a blow note on the left to a draw note on the right (Audio...
TAB 5-7: Moving from blow on the left to draw on the right in the middle regist...
TAB 5-8: “Good Night, Ladies” (Audio Track 0508, Video 0503).
TAB 5-9: “Michael, Row the Boat Ashore” (Audio Track 0509, Video 0504).
TAB 5-10: “Mary Had a Little Lamb” (Audio Track 0510, Video 0505).
TAB 5-11: “Amazing Grace” (Audio Track 0511, Video 0506).
TAB 5-12: “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” (Audio Track 0512, Video 0507).
TAB 5-13: “Frère Jacques” (Audio Track 0513, Video 0508).
TAB 5-14: “On Top of Old Smokey” (Audio Track 0514, Video 0509).
TAB 5-15: Navigating the shift in Holes 6 and 7 (Audio Track 0515).
TAB 5-16: “Bunessan” (Audio Track 0516, Video 0510).
TAB 5-17: “Joy to the World” (Audio Track 0517, Video 0511).
TAB 5-18: Floating in the high register (Audio Track 0518).
TAB 5-19: High register scale moves (Audio Track 0519).
TAB 5-20: “Aura Lea” (Audio Track 0520, Video 0512).
TAB 5-21: “She’ll be Comin’ ’Round the Mountain” (Audio Track 0521, Video 0513)...
TAB 5-22: “Silent Night” (Audio Track 0522, Video 0514).
Chapter 6
TAB 6-1: The smooth swimming exercise (also the receding listener and the sleep...
TAB 6-2: Swelling a long note from quiet to loud and back to quiet again (Audio...
TAB 6-3: Alternating loud phrases with quiet ones (Audio Track 0603).
FIGURE 6-1: The elbow swing.
FIGURE 6-2: The windmill.
TAB 6-4: Articulating melody notes using tongue, throat, and diaphragm articula...
TAB 6-5: The “Ooh-eee” lick (Audio Track 0608).
TAB 6-6: Combining a throat rhythm with an abdominal rhythm (Audio Track 0614).
Chapter 7
FIGURE 7-1: Blocking holes to produce a melody note and exposing holes to add c...
TAB 7-1: “Mary Had a Groovin’ Little Lamb” (Audio Track 0701).
TAB 7-2: “Chasin’ the Beat” (Audio Track 0702).
FIGURE 7-2: Sealing off air leaks when you play Holes 1 and 2.
FIGURE 7-3: The tongue slap (Video 0702).
FIGURE 7-4: The pull-off (Video 0702).
TAB 7-3: “Slappin’ the Blues” (Audio Track 0703).
TAB 7-4: Two typical pull-off licks (Audio Track 0704).
TAB 7-5: A demonstration line for tongue textures (Audio Track 0705).
FIGURE 7-5: The chord rake (Audio Track 0705, Video 0703).
FIGURE 7-6: The chord hammer (Audio Track 0705, Video 0703).
FIGURE 7-7: The hammered split (Audio Track 0705, Video 0703).
FIGURE 7-8: The shimmer (Audio Track 0705, Video 0703).
FIGURE 7-9: The tongue split (Audio Track 0705, Video 0704).
FIGURE 7-10: The locked split (Audio Track 0705, Video 0704).
FIGURE 7-11: Playing high-register octaves with variable splits (Video 0704).
TAB 7-6: Octaves using variable and locked splits (Audio Track 0706).
FIGURE 7-12: Three tongue positions within a three-hole spread.
TAB 7-7: Tongue positions for splits in a three-hole spread (Audio Track 0707).
TAB 7-8: “Greeting the Sun” (Audio Track 0708).
FIGURE 7-13: The corner switch.
TAB 7-9: Two typical blues licks using corner switching (Audio Track 0709).
TAB 7-10: Typical fiddle tune licks that use corner switching (Audio Track 0710...
Chapter 8
FIGURE 8-1: The contour of the roof of your mouth.
FIGURE 8-2: The K-spot viewed from the front.
FIGURE 8-3: The K-spot viewed from the side.
FIGURE 8-4: The note layout of a diatonic harmonica in C.
FIGURE 8-5: A piano keyboard.
FIGURE 8-6: The notes available by bending down.
TAB 8-1: The Yellow Bird lick in the middle register (Audio Track 0804).
TAB 8-2: The Bendus Interruptus lick in the middle register (Audio Track 0804).
TAB 8-3: The Close Your Eyes lick in the middle register (Audio Track 0804).
TAB 8-4: The Shark Fin lick in the middle register (Audio Track 0804).
TAB 8-5: Draw 2 bends with the Yellow Bird lick (Audio Track 0805).
TAB 8-6: Draw 2 with the Bendus Interruptus lick (Audio Track 0805).
TAB 8-7: Draw 2 with the Modified Shark Fin lick (Audio Track 0805).
TAB 8-8: Draw 2 with the Close Your Eyes lick (Audio Track 0805).
TAB 8-9: Hole 1 bending licks (Audio Track 0806).
TAB 8-10: Shallow, intermediate, and deep bends in Hole 3 (Audio Track 0807).
TAB 8-11: The Bendus Interruptus lick on Draw 3 (Audio Track 0807).
TAB 8-12: The Close Your Eyes lick on Draw 3 (Audio Track 0807).
TAB 8-13: The Shark Fin lick in Hole 3 (Audio Track 0807).
TAB 8-14: The Cool Juke lick in Hole 3 (Audio Track 0807).
TAB 8-15: The Yellow Bird lick in the high register (Audio Track 0808).
TAB 8-16: The Bendus Interruptus lick in the high register (Audio Track 0808).
TAB 8-17: The Close Your Eyes lick in the high register (Audio Track 0808).
TAB 8-18: The Shark Fin lick in the high register (Audio Track 0808).
Chapter 9
FIGURE 9-1: The circle of fifths.
TAB 9-1: First-position licks (Audio Track 0901).
FIGURE 9-2: The home note and home chord in first position.
TAB 9-2: Second-position licks (Audio Track 0902).
FIGURE 9-3: The home note and home chord in second position.
TAB 9-3: Third-position licks (Audio Track 0903).
FIGURE 9-4: The home note and home chord in third position.
TAB 9-4: Fourth-position licks (Audio Track 0904).
FIGURE 9-5: The home note and home chord in fourth position.
TAB 9-5: Fifth-position licks (Audio Track 0905).
FIGURE 9-6: The home note and home chord in fifth position.
TAB 9-6: Twelfth-position licks (Audio Track 0906).
FIGURE 9-7: The home note and home chord in twelfth position.
Chapter 10
TAB 10-1: The major scale in three registers (Audio Track 1001).
TAB 10-2: A scale with a 1-3 pattern (Audio Track 1002).
TAB 10-3: A scale with a 1-2-3 pattern (Audio Track 1003).
TAB 10-4: A scale with a 1-2-3-5 pattern (Audio Track 1004).
TAB 10-5: A scale with a 1-2-3-4 pattern (Audio Track 1005).
TAB 10-6: A chord progression with alternating patterns (Audio Track 1006).
FIGURE 10-1: A harmonica with the notes of the scale numbered in first position...
TAB 10-7: A first-position scale with chord tones (Audio Track 1007).
TAB 10-8: A melody alternating between resolution and tension (Audio Track 1007...
TAB 10-9: The major pentatonic scale in first position (Audio Track 1008).
TAB 10-10: The minor pentatonic scale in fourth position (Audio Track 1008).
TAB 10-11: The major pentatonic scale in second position (Audio Track 1009).
TAB 10-12: The minor pentatonic scale in fifth position (Audio Track 1009).
TAB 10-13: The major pentatonic scale in twelfth position (Audio Track 1010).
TAB 10-14: The minor pentatonic scale in third position (Audio Track 1010).
TAB 10-15: A melodic line with shakes (Audio Track 1011).
TAB 10-16: Rips, boings, and fall-offs (Audio Track 1012).
TAB 10-17: Grace notes (Audio Track 1013).
Chapter 11
FIGURE 11-1: A chord chart for a two-part song.
Chapter 12
FIGURE 12-1: A blues line using a bent note and an overblow (Audio Track 1201)....
FIGURE 12-2: A blues line using bent notes, an overblow, and an overdraw (Audio...
FIGURE 12-3: A harmonica note layout showing overblows and overdraws.
TAB 12-1: Push-through to Overblow 6, with preparation in Holes 8 and 7 (Audio ...
TAB 12-2: Push-through to overblow in Holes 6, 5, and 4 (Audio Track 1204).
TAB 12-3: The springboard approach to overblows in Holes 6, 5, and 4 (Audio Tra...
TAB 12-4: Hole 1 Overblows (Audio Track 1206).
TAB 12-5: The springboard approach to overdraws in Holes 7 through 10 (Audio Tr...
TAB 12-6: The pull-through approach to overdraws in Holes 7 through 10 (Audio T...
TAB 12-7: “Gussy Fit,” a tune with overblows (Audio Track 1210).
Chapter 13
TAB 13-1: “Kickin’ Along” (Audio Track 1301).
TAB 13-2: “Youngish Minor” (Audio Track 1302).
TAB 13-3: “Morning Boots” (Audio Track 1303).
FIGURE 13-1: A 12-bar blues verse (Audio Track 1304).
TAB 13-4: “Ridin’ the Changes” (Audio Track 1305).
TAB 13-5: “Lucky Chuck” (Audio Track 1306).
TAB 13-6: “Buster’s Boogie,” verse 1 (Audio Track 1307).
TAB 13-7: “Buster’s Boogie,” verse 2 (Audio Track 1307).
TAB 13-8: “Buster’s Boogie,” verse 3 (Audio Track 1307).
TAB 13-9: “Smoldering Embers,” part 1 (Audio Track 1308).
TAB 13-10: “Smoldering Embers,” part 2 (Audio Track 1308).
TAB 13-11: “John and John” (Audio Track 1309).
TAB 13-12: “Tom Tom,” first and second strains (Audio Track 1310).
TAB 13-13: “Tom Tom,” third and fourth strains (Audio Track 1310).
Chapter 14
TAB 14-1: “Buffalo Gals” (Audio Track 1401).
TAB 14-2: “Wildwood Flower” (Audio Track 1402).
TAB 14-3: “La Cucaracha” (Audio Track 1403).
TAB 14-4: “Since I Laid My Burden Down” (Audio Track 1404).
TAB 14-5: “Cluck Old Hen” (Audio Track 1405).
TAB 14-6: “Aura Lea” in second position (Audio Track 1406).
TAB 14-7: “This Train,” single-note version (Audio Track 1407).
TAB 14-8: “This Train,” chordal version (Audio Track 1408).
TAB 14-9: “Little Brown Island in the Sea” in third position (Audio Track 1409)...
TAB 14-10: “She’s Like the Swallow” in third position (Audio Track 1410).
TAB 14-11: “À la claire fontaine” in twelfth position (Audio Track 1411).
TAB 14-12: “The Huron Carol” in fourth position (Audio Track 1412).
TAB 14-13: “Poor Wayfaring Stranger” in fifth position (Audio Track 1413).
Chapter 15
TAB 15-1: “Jerry the Rigger” (Audio Track 1501).
TAB 15-2: “Soldier’s Joy” (Audio Track 1502).
TAB 15-3: “The Stool of Repentance” (Audio Track 1503).
TAB 15-4: “Over the Waterfall” (Audio Track 1504).
TAB 15-5: “Angeline the Baker” played low (Audio Track 1505).
TAB 15-6: “Angeline the Baker” played high (Audio Track 1506).
TAB 15-7: “Bat Wing Leather” (Audio Track 1507).
TAB 15-8: “Dorian Jig” (Audio Track 1508).
TAB 15-9: “The Dire Clog” (Audio Track 1509).
Chapter 17
FIGURE 17-1: A mic on a stand that’s properly pointed at the sound source.
FIGURE 17-2: Leaving a tone chamber when you cup a vocal mic and a bullet mic.
FIGURE 17-3: A bullet mic (left) and a vocal mic.
FIGURE 17-4: A ¼-inch phone plug and jack (left), and 3-pin XLR male and female...
Chapter 18
FIGURE 18-1: Flexing a reed through its slot to lower its action.
FIGURE 18-2: Embossing action along the main part of the reed and at the base o...
FIGURE 18-3: The ideal reed action (curvature exaggerated).
FIGURE 18-4: Lowering the base of a reed with thumbnail pressure.
FIGURE 18-5: Raising the curvature of a reed by flexing (a) and stroking (b).
FIGURE 18-6: Tuning a reed with a sanding detailer.
FIGURE 18-7: Marine Band compromise temperament.
Chapter 21
FIGURE A-1: Harmonica in the key of C.
FIGURE A-2: Harmonica in the key of D♭.
FIGURE A-3: Harmonica in the key of D.
FIGURE A-4: Harmonica in the key of E♭.
FIGURE A-5: Harmonica in the key of E.
FIGURE A-6: Harmonica in the key of F.
FIGURE A-7: Harmonica in the key of F♯.
FIGURE A-8: Harmonica in the key of G.
FIGURE A-9: Harmonica in the key of A♭.
FIGURE A-10: Harmonica in the key of A.
FIGURE A-11: Harmonica in the key of B♭.
FIGURE A-12: Harmonica in the key of B.
Guide
Cover
Table of Contents
Begin Reading
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Introduction
Are you hankering to play the harmonica? Are you intrigued by that tiny, expressive instrument that you can take everywhere? Or are you maybe fascinated by that cool character in shades who gets up in front of a band and rips through an incandescent harmonica solo or by the lass in blue jeans who plays a sweet, plaintive melody by the campfire? Have you finally decided that it’s time to just go for it and become the person making that music?
If so, Harmonica For Dummies, 2nd Edition, is the place to start. If you’re a novice who doesn’t own a harmonica yet, this book opens the door with solid advice and gives you a guiding hand into this fascinating new world. Even if you’re already an accomplished player, this book shows you all sorts of techniques and approaches that can take your playing to the next level of excellence.
You can have a lot of fun making music with the harmonica, and it can enrich your social life. Over the last 40 years, playing the harmonica has introduced me to new friends worldwide. I’ve become friends with some of the world’s greatest harmonica players, and I’ve noticed something remarkable about them: Even though they can comfortably rest on their laurels and bask in being called “world’s greatest,” they rarely do. They remain curious and open to new experiences. I imagine that you do, too. If so, I invite you to join me on the journey of discovery called playing the harmonica.
About This Book
Harmonica For Dummies, 2nd Edition, gives you everything you need to get going with the harmonica. One great thing about this book is that it’s a reference you can jump into and out of at will. Just head to the table of contents or the index to find the information you want. Here are a few more great things about this book:
Music tab and notation and for all the music in the book.Tab (short for tablature) tells you the physical actions you take to play the harmonica. It tells you what hole number to go to and whether you need to exhale (an arrow pointing up) or inhale (an arrow pointing down). Simple, eh? Everything you can play on the harmonica in this book is tabbed.
In the second edition, you also get to see animated video of lips and tongue on the holes of the harmonica moving and breathing as a song is played (Chapter 5) or a technique is employed (Chapter 7). I include music notation for every piece as well. Being able to read notes on a staff isn’t required to play harmonica, but it isn’t difficult to learn, either.
Audio tracks that you can play along with for every example, song, and exercise in this book.
Tab, tongue illustrations, and descriptions can carry you only so far. By listening, however, you can quickly comprehend what you’re going for. In fact, by hearing the sound you’re striving for, you’ll achieve it more quickly.
Videos of important actions and techniques.
In addition to the 17 animated videos of lips, tongue, and breath actions to play songs and techniques, you can view 15 videos of me demonstrating essential techniques of breathing, holding the harmonica, getting a single note, shaping the sound with hand action, using vowel sounds to bend notes, using microphones, and even repairing a harmonica.
The audio and video files are available at www.dummies.com/go/harmonica.
It’s also important to note that this book focuses on the ten-hole diatonic harmonica, which has — you guessed it — ten holes. Each hole on the harmonica should be numbered. When I refer to a note on the harmonica, I often state the hole number and the breath direction. For instance, “Hole 4 Blow” refers to the note you get when you go to Hole 4 and exhale into it. “Blow 4” means the same thing.
To use this book, you only need one harmonica: a ten-hole diatonic harmonica in the key of C. Harmonicas come in all 12 keys, in addition to being available in high and low versions of several of those keys. All the skills you learn on the universally available C-harmonica will transfer to the other keys of harmonica.
You’ll notice that I use the terms “harmonica” and “harp” interchangeably throughout the book. The harmonica has many colorful names, and these two are the most popular (and the most likely to be accepted in polite company).
When I talk about high and low notes, I mean exactly those — the notes that people think of as high (a mouse squeaking, for instance) or low (a foghorn or maybe Barry White). On a harmonica, the low notes are on the left and the high notes are on the right.
This book contains both figures and tabs, which are numbered sequentially within each chapter. Figures illustrate important points in the text. Tab, which is short for tablature, shows you the actions required to play each note (which hole to play, whether to blow or draw, and any other actions required). Each tab in the book shows you a tune, scale, chord, or sequence of notes that you can play on a harmonica. And if you’re not sure what the tab is supposed to sound like or whether you’re getting it right, don’t worry — each tab has a reference to the corresponding audio track so you can listen to the tab being played.
Foolish Assumptions
I’m going to stick my neck out and assume that you like the harmonica and that you wouldn’t mind being able to rip out some cool licks. But I won’t assume that you know anything at all about where to start or what sort of a harp to get (oops, I mean what sort of harmonica to get — maybe you don’t know any of the inside lingo yet, either). Maybe you don’t know anything about music except that you like it. Don’t worry — that’s not a problem.
At the same time, I won’t assume that only a greenhorn will ever read this book. You may be an intermediate player who has the basics down but who is looking for a few tips to feed your ever-growing harmonica fascination. I also won’t assume that you’re interested in blues, campfire tunes, or any other style of music. The core techniques you need for every kind of music are covered, though I do include chapters specifically on blues and rock, folk and gospel, and fiddle tune styles.
I do assume that you’re interested in the most widely played type of harmonica: the ten-hole diatonic harmonica (which includes such popular brands as Hohner, Lee Oskar, Suzuki, and Seydel). While I do touch briefly on other types, such as chromatic and tremolo harmonicas, this book focuses on the ten-hole diatonic.
Icons Used in This Book
In the margins of this book, you find icons to help you spot important information — or even information that you may want to skip. Like those neon signs that depict a shoe or a martini glass in a shopping district, these icons point out things you may want to get into or skim over as you read. Here are the icons I use and what they mean.
This icon highlights important points that are key to the understanding and skills you want to acquire.
Every now and then I offer a tip that can get you where you’re going more quickly or can put things in the right perspective. This icon helps you spot these golden tidbits.
This icon highlights long-winded technical explanations. If you want to skip the tech talk and just try out a new technique, that’s perfectly fine. Later you may get curious about how things work. When that happens, you know where to look.
When you see this icon, exercise caution to avoid damaging your harmonica or, more important, your eyes, ears, or other sensitive body parts (including your ego).
This icon helps you relate what you hear on the audio tracks and see in the videos to the examples and techniques in the book. The book describes and the audio and video tracks demonstrate — what a combination!
Beyond the Book
This book provides great information to help you learn the harmonica, but you can find many more resources on Dummies.com:
There are over 100 audio tracks that accompany the chapters of this book. I also give several video and animated demonstrations. Check out these essential resources at
www.dummies.com/go/harmonica
.
You can download the book’s Cheat Sheet at
www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/harmonica
. It’s a handy resource to keep on your computer, tablet, or smartphone.
You can read interesting companion articles that supplement the book’s content at
www.dummies.com/extras/harmonica
. I even included an extra top-ten list.
Where to Go from Here
If you’re a beginner and don’t know much about harmonica, start your journey with Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 5. They provide you with the basics to get you up and running.
If you already play but can’t quite figure out how to play what you’re hearing on CDs or at live shows, check out Part 3, where you discover how players use positions to play in many keys.
If you’re fascinated by the secrets of bending notes, check out Chapter 8. (Tip: Working first with Chapter 6 will give you a big advantage.) And if you want to learn some tasty tongue textures, flip to Chapter 7.
If you already play fairly well but haven’t yet developed a repertoire of tunes, hooked up with a band, or played in a jam or onstage, check out Part 5. And last but not least, if you’re an experienced player who wants to pick up on more advanced techniques, head to Parts 3 and 4.
Part 1
Getting Started with Harmonica
IN THIS PART …
Learn about the origins of the harmonica.
Find out how harmonicas are constructed.
Figure out what kind of harmonica to buy.
Get an intro to harmonica tablature.
Chapter 1
What Is This Thing Called Harp?
IN THIS CHAPTER
Discovering what makes the harmonica such a cool little instrument
Considering what it takes to play the harmonica
Understanding how to take your playing beyond the basics
Sharing your music with others and visiting the virtual harmonica village
Maybe you’re attracted to the sweet yet wailing sound of a harmonica. Or maybe you dig the image of a harmonica player onstage who somehow manages to strike a hip-looking pose while apparently eating a sandwich that’s hidden in his or her hands. Either way, you know you love harmonica, and you’re dying to find out more. For a little background on the harmonica (or, as players call it, the harp) and why it’s such a great instrument to play, read on.
Considering the Harmonica’s Coolness
What makes the harmonica one of the world’s best-selling musical instruments? Let me count the ways! Here are just a few reasons that the harp is so cool:
Its sound has immediate appeal.
Its haunting, plaintive wail, which alternates with sweet, soothing tones, makes the harmonica attractive and easy to identify. Even a beginner on harmonica can rock a roomful of listeners for a few minutes. Expert musicians can play on the immediate emotional connection of the harmonica to create extended intimacy and depth of expression. That emotional appeal is one reason the harmonica is so often featured in film scores and on popular records.
It automatically sounds good.
The harmonica was designed to be, well, harmonious. It can sound several notes at once in pleasing combinations that make intuitive sense because they automatically support the melody notes. Playing a harmonica is like riding a bicycle that you can’t fall off.
You can take it anywhere — even outer space.
The harmonica is one of the most portable instruments around. In fact, here’s a tidbit most folks don’t know: The harmonica was the first musical instrument in outer space. On a December 1965 space flight, astronaut Wally Schirra reported an unidentified flying object in a polar orbit (Santa’s sleigh, perhaps?) and then played “Jingle Bells” on a harmonica that he had smuggled aboard.
It’s cheaper than dinner out.
Seriously! You can buy a decent harmonica for less than the cost of a restaurant meal. You can’t say that about a guitar or synthesizer.
HARMONICA ANCESTORS IN THE STONE AGE
Possibly as early as the Stone Age, and probably in Southeast Asia, someone cut a narrow flap (or reed) into a thin piece of bamboo, held it up to his mouth, and plucked it. The resulting vibration of the free-swinging reed was amplified by the player’s mouth. Jaw harps, the oldest and simplest instruments to use free reeds, are still made this way in many parts of the world.
Later, people tried simply blowing on the reeds instead of plucking. However, to sound properly, each reed had to be installed in a bamboo tube whose length was tuned to the note sounded by the reed. Eventually, people made these free reeds out of metal and bundled several tubes together to create mouth-blown instruments, such as the khaen (several tubes bound together in rows like a pan pipe) and the sheng (a cluster of tubes inserted into a gourd, which looks like a forest of bamboo growing out of a teapot).
To this day, the khaen is used in Thai and Laotian social music and courtship rituals, while the sheng remains an esteemed instrument in Chinese opera. The metal free reeds used in khaens and shengs are thought to be the oldest living relatives of the reeds used in harmonicas today.
It’s close and intimate with the player.
You can enclose a harmonica completely within your hands, and its sound comes out closer to your ears than that of any other musical instrument. Playing the harmonica can be an intimate act, almost like writing in a secret diary.
It has the allure of the outsider.
The harmonica seems to bring out the rebel and the lone wolf in some players. In fact, harmonica technique is built on doing things the designers never imagined and may not even approve of! The harmonica embodies the triumph of creativity over orderly procedures.
It has the appeal of tradition.
Despite the lone wolf aspect, the harmonica expresses musical traditions beautifully, and it’s also well accepted within the comfortable confines of community values.
Becoming the Next Harmonica Idol: What It Takes to Play
Playing a musical instrument doesn’t take supernatural abilities. It simply takes desire and application (and, okay, maybe a little talent). So, if you want to play the harmonica, trust your desire — you can totally do this. If you’re willing to try, you just need a few things, which I explain in the following sections.
A harmonica
If you go shopping for harmonicas, you may encounter a bewildering array of types and models at prices that range from the equivalent of a hamburger to a small car! So when you’re ready to buy your first harp, check out Chapter 2 for a buying guide to help you select a decent-quality harmonica of the right type at a sensible price.
A little music know-how
Chapter 3 shows you how to read basic harp tab, which is the main thing you need to understand in order to read the examples and tunes in this book. If you read through all of Chapter 3, you also can pick up some basic music theory (which never hurt anyone). And if you want to puzzle out reading musical notation in addition to tab, check out Chapter 4.
HARMONICA IN THE WESTERN WORLD
No one really knows when the free reed made it from Asia to Europe (see the sidebar “Harmonica ancestors in the Stone Age” for more on the free reed’s start in Asia). However, it had certainly arrived by 1636, when a khaen-like instrument was clearly described by French philosopher Marin Mersenne.
Then, in the late 1700s, German professor Christian Gottlieb Kratzenstein fashioned a new kind of free reed. Instead of being cut from the surface that surrounded it, the reed was made separately and attached above the surface. This new type of reed could respond to airflow without being mounted in a tube whose length was tuned to the reed’s pitch. Freeing the reed from the tube created all sorts of new possibilities. This new type of reed was incorporated into organs, pitch pipes, and even the handles of walking sticks — you could stop to admire the view and play a little tune on your cane. Then, starting in the 1820s came an explosion of free reed inventions — harmonicas, concertinas, accordions, and bandoneons began to appear all over German-speaking Europe.
The invention of the harmonica itself is hard to pin down. Credit often goes to a German teenager named Friedrich Buschmann, who in 1828 wrote a letter describing a square configuration of pitch pipes strung together to play combinations of musical notes. Meanwhile, others were already building harmonicas as early as 1824. In any case, by the 1870s, when mass production began, the harmonica had taken on today’s familiar form. By the 1920s, Hohner was making 20 million harmonicas a year, and people worldwide were using them to play folk, popular, and even classical music. Since then, the harmonica has been a fixture on the world music scene.
Your body
It may surprise you to know that most of the sound you hear when you play a harmonica comes from your lungs, throat, mouth, and hands — not the harmonica. After you get the hang of breathing through the instrument, you can start developing a little rhythm (Chapter 3 again), and then you can zero in on single notes to play melody (Chapter 5). From there you can start using your body to shape and amplify your sound (Chapter 6 goes into greater depth on this). At that point, you’re ready to tackle just about anything on the harmonica.
Regular practice — and unstructured fun!
The most important thing you can do to become better at playing the harmonica is to play regularly. Keep one in your pocket, car, purse, briefcase, carry-on bag, or fanny pack — it can pretty much go wherever you do. Find spare moments to play a little. Instead of watching reruns on TV or drumming your fingers on the dashboard at red lights, play your harp. Then, when you have time, try to spend a half hour just playing. As long as you do it frequently and regularly, you’ll start to develop some playing ability.
Make sure to have fun and experiment. A regular practice session with goals is great, and I encourage it. But set some time aside for unstructured play. When you explore the instrument, you can have fun discovering new sounds, and you’ll learn things about the harmonica that you won’t get by sticking to the guided tour.
Taking Your Talent to the Next Level
After you can play some chords and melody, you’re ready to take your harmonica skills on the road. You may not be ready for the 30-cities-in-15-days kind of road, but you’re definitely prepared to travel the road to greater mastery and satisfaction.
When you’re ready to take your talent to the next level, consider mastering tonguing techniques, which allow you to take full advantage of rhythmic chording to accompany, vary, and accentuate melodies. (Check out Chapter 7 for more information on these techniques.) Your lungs, throat, tongue, and hands all play a part in making the harmonica one of the most expressive, voice-like musical instruments you can play. So be sure to explore ways to use your body to shape your sound as you advance. (Chapter 6 can help.)
Other important techniques include changing the pitch of notes to make them go down (bending) and up (overblowing and overdrawing), both to make an expressive wailing sound and to create notes that weren’t designed into the harmonica. (Get the inside info on these skills in Chapters 8 and 12.) Experienced players also regularly play the harmonica in keys that it was never designed for, which works surprisingly well. (Chapter 9 has more information on the art of playing in positions, or multiple keys.)
As you master harmonica techniques, you’ll likely want to start using them to play tunes. To work up your melody chops (your playing ability) in the harp’s high, low, and middle registers, spend some time with Chapter 10. To see how song structures work, go to Chapter 11. Then you’re all set for choosing songs and tunes to include in your repertoire (Chapter 16).
Hanging Out in the Harmonica Village
Wouldn’t it be nice to step out of your practice room and amble down to the local harmonica village? There, you could chill at a harmonica coffeehouse and make music with your friends, visit a harmonica accessories boutique with all the latest harmonica belts and cases, hit the music store to find great harmonica tunes or get new harps, and maybe hang out at the local harmonica garage to check out the vintage models that have come in for a wash and wax or the hot rods that are being souped up for horsepower and speed.
Some parts of this ideal village probably exist in your town, while other parts may require a trip to far-off cities. Still others exist only online. So the village is a virtual place, and one you have to assemble for yourself. The following sections shed light on some tips for finding (or creating) parts of the village, and they show you how to deal with what you find when you get there.
Sharing your music with others locally
Getting together with other folks to play music can be enormously satisfying. When you’re ready to take the plunge, you need to assemble a repertoire of tunes and understand the musical etiquette of playing with your friends. Also, when you get up in front of an audience, you need to be prepared, read the mood of the crowd, make a good impression, and know how to keep your cool when you make mistakes. If you suffer from stage fright, you need to overcome it as well. Chapter 16 explains all this and more.
An important part of playing for audiences is using sound systems and amplifiers so that you can be heard (although playing amplified is also just plain fun). Chapter 17 guides you through the workings of microphones, speakers, amplifiers, and sound systems so you can deal with sound technicians, hear and be heard, and sound great while you strut your stuff.
Visiting the repair shop and the accessory store
Harmonicas can be leaky, and they occasionally go out of tune, get stuck, or even break a reed. However, even if your harps are working okay, you can still spruce them up for better performance, including faster response, brighter and louder tone, easier note bending, and sweeter-sounding chords.
Harp techs usually live in out-of-the-way places where they can concentrate on their work. Instead of shipping your harps away and waiting for several weeks, why not fix them yourself? You can save time and money (and feel empowered by your self-reliance). Check out Chapter 18 for some hints on fixing and upgrading your harmonicas.
When you’re ready to purchase some accessories to make playing even more fun, check out your local music store. However, you may find a greater selection from online specialty retailers and manufacturers. (Check out Chapter 2 for some tips on buying online.)
Chapter 2
Becoming a Harmonica Owner
IN THIS CHAPTER
Buying your first diatonic harmonica
Keeping your instruments in good shape
Expanding your harmonica collection with additional keys and types
Checking out chromatic and tremolo harmonicas
Choosing a case to carry your stuff
Exploring the nuts and bolts of a harmonica
If you want to try playing the harmonica, you probably should buy one. I mean, you could hum falsetto sounds into your hands like I did when I first started, but after a while people will start giving you funny looks. Trust me, I speak from experience.
After you decide to take the plunge, your first challenge is figuring out what kind of harmonica to get. You can buy hundreds of different models and dozens of different types, in all sizes and shapes and keys. A harmonica can cost less than a hamburger or more than a small car. In this chapter, I tell you what to look for and what to avoid.
Your harmonica doesn’t need vaccinations or a license, but you do need to know how to care for it, so I give you some easy guidelines for keeping it in good playing condition.
To get started, you only need one harmonica. But as you get bitten by the harmonica-playing bug, you’ll want to acquire additional keys of harmonicas, and maybe even different types. I give you an overview of what you’re likely to need. As your harmonica collection grows, you’ll want a convenient way to organize your harmonicas and carry them around, so I show you some of the available options.
Finally, if you’re curious about how a harp actually makes that sound, I show you how a harmonica is put together.
Shopping for Your First Harmonica
A good harp to begin with (and the only one this book includes instructions for) is a ten-hole diatonic harmonica in the key of C. And that’s the kind you should buy. Get one that has a plastic comb. Expect to pay an amount roughly equal to twice the price of this book.
Understanding the construction of the ten-hole diatonic
I wrote this book for the most popular kind of harmonica: the ten-hole diatonic harmonica. This harp is about 4 inches long, which makes it easy to cup in your hands. A diatonic harmonica is designed to play in just one key (but in Chapter 9, I show you how to play one of these harps in at least three keys). A diatonic harp looks like the one shown in Figure 2-1.
© John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
FIGURE 2-1: A typical ten-hole diatonic harmonica.
Diatonic harmonicas come in many configurations. Yours should have:
Ten holes in a single row:
If your harp has more than one row of holes, it won’t work with the instructions in this book. If it has more or fewer than 10 holes, such as 4, 6, 12, or 14 holes, it may or may not work with this book. So just be safe and get one with 10 holes.
A comb that’s made of plastic, not wood or metal: The comb is the middle layer of the harmonica (refer to Figure 2-1 to see what I mean). I recommend a plastic comb because it won’t swell, and plastic is the material that’s most often used for mid-priced harmonicas of good quality.
Wood combs are beautiful, but when they get wet they can swell up and cut your lips. In fact, new players often produce a lot of saliva, so wood isn’t a good choice until you get over the waterfall stage. Metal-combed harps don’t swell, but they’re expensive. If you want to fork out the extra cash, however, I won’t stop you. It’s your money, and it will probably be a good harp. (See the later section “Getting to Know You: Discovering How a Harmonica Works” for more information on combs.)
Tuning in to the key of the harp
Each diatonic harmonica is designed to play the notes that belong to one key, such as the key of C, D, or A. Harmonicas come in all 12 keys: G, A♭ (A-flat), A, B♭ (B-flat), B, C, D♭ (D-flat), D, E♭ (E-flat), E, F, and F♯ (F-sharp). The key of the harmonica is always marked on the harmonica, usually to the right of the hole numbers, as shown in Figure 2-1. (Not sure what a key is? Find out in Chapter 4.)
When harmonica players refer to the key of a harp, they call a harmonica that’s tuned to the key of C as a C-harp. A harmonica in the key of A is an A-harp, and so on.
Starting out with a harp in the key of C
All you need to get started is one diatonic harmonica in the key of C. No need to hire the cat out for day labor or sell the microwave to invest in a set of 12 harmonicas — at least not yet.
All the examples in this book’s audio tracks are played on a C-harp. You can use a harp that’s in another key, but what you play won’t sound like what’s on the tracks because the notes will be different. Nearly all harmonica music books are written for a C-harp, and C is in the middle range of harmonica keys, so it’s less likely to give you trouble than a low-pitched or high-pitched harp when you first start playing.
Pricing a harmonica
Your first harmonica doesn’t need to be gold-plated or encrusted with rubies, but it does need to be airtight, responsive to your breath, and in tune. The cheaper the harp’s price, the more likely it will be leaky, unresponsive, and out of tune. But that doesn’t mean you have to take out a loan to buy a harp that plays well.
A decent harmonica costs about twice the price of this book. Use that price as your guide for what to pay. You can pay a little more or a little less, but be aware of the following guidelines:
If you buy a harmonica that costs less than half the price of this book, you may get lucky and find a decent harp. But the odds aren’t good, and they get much worse as the price goes lower.
If you pay much more than twice the price of this book, you’ll get a good harp, but it may be more than you need right now. New players often damage harps from breathing too hard, so you may as well start with something economical (as long as it’s airtight, responsive, and in tune).
Among the better-known manufacturers whose product lines include good-quality instruments are Easttop, Hering, Hohner, Kongsheng, Lee Oskar, Seydel, Suzuki, and Tombo. I recommend the following models as good-quality, reasonably priced starter harmonicas: Hohner Special 20, Lee Oskar Major Diatonic, Seydel Session Standard, and Suzuki Harpmaster.
Determining where to buy a harp
If you’re unsure of where to buy your first harmonica, remember that your local music store likely has some good harmonicas for sale. Its prices may be higher than you’d find online, but you’ll come to realize the following three advantages to buying locally:
You don’t have to wait.
You can walk in and walk out with a new harmonica in a matter of minutes. And the more you and your fellow harp players buy locally, the more likely your local store will stock harmonicas and have them available when you need one. And think about it: If your harp breaks just before a gig (you’re quitting your job and going pro tomorrow, right?) or you quickly need a harp in a key you don’t have, that local shop can be a lifesaver.
You don’t pay shipping costs.
Many online retailers charge for shipping, which can eat up any cost savings on the price of the harp.
You don’t have to guess at quality.
