Following In The Footsteps of Elwood J. Blues...

[syxtfour]

Hey there, syxtfour here, and the mailman was kind enough to bring me the how-to guide on the harmonica today. But as I got to reading, I remembered how I (think I) heard that a few of you play the harp as well. So I decided to create this thread to ask you all if you have any tips, anecdotes, or any advice on the harmonica. I hope to hear from you soon, because I'd like to get started on my mission.

[bluesharp]

Look in this part of the forum syxtfour,Jim's posted a lot of tips!!
Hope this helps!!

[FatJim]

Yes lots of tips here! but for the absolute beginner I recommend developing your familiarity of the harp. I also advise you to do this by 'playing by ear' and not relying too much on harp tabs.

So to start with... learn to play in what is called first position. That means playing your harmonica in the key that is stamped on it. If you got a harp with your guide it's almost certainly a c harp. If you didn't then I recommend you get a 10-hole diatonic harmonica in the key of C. If you can afford $20 or so, get a good quality one - a Lee Oskar, a Hohner Special 20 or anything else around that price range. A cheaper harp will do at first, but once you've played a good quality one, you'll appreciate the difference.

First you need to get clean single notes. There a two basic methods - tongue block and pucker. Pucker (lip blocking) is probably the easiest. Watch this guy - he's a professional harp teacher called John Gindick - It should get you up and started quickly...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01c5u-RPvrY

Try playing simple campfire tunes and nursery rhyme tunes. I know it's not the blues, but you need to walk before you run. Good choices are things like "Oh Susanna", "Mary had a little lamb", "Taps", "Camptown Races", "You are my Sunshine", "Happy Birthday". If you can find some recordings in the right key you might want to try playing along to the melodies - If you're finding those songs all too trite, then a bit of Dylan might boost your harp-cred! but play along to the melody lines, don't emulate his dreadful harmonica honking itself!

Like I said try and rely on your ears and your memory, I think a lot of beginners get too reliant on harmonica tabs and then find it hard to make the jump to blues improvisation later.

Once you're familiar with the layout of the harp, can play clean single notes and can pick out a tune with no mistakes (or just a few) then you're ready to learn about bending notes...

keep us posted on your progress!

[Scott]

I think "Oh Susanna" and "Camptown Races" would be good choices. Once you get the tune down pact, there's some good potential for embellishments. "On top of Old Smokey" would be good for harmonica too, as well as "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More".

When you get better, "Orange Blossom Special" would sound nice on harmonica too.

I've gone through the pain of learning kiddie songs on an instrument that wasn't intended for it. I think that some songs go better with certain instruments than others, and finding the right songs for the instrument you are learning will make learning it more enjoyable. Can't play "Row your boat" forever!

[syxtfour]

Well, its good to know I'm already on the right track in a few ways.
- I purchased a Hohner Blues Harp a while ago, and it did not come with the book.
- Coincidently, the book is "Rock n' Blues Harmonica" by Jon Gindick.
- Single notes have eluded me for now, but I'm going to keep trying.
- I learned the Train Song with the help of tabs, but I'm also learning "My Darling Clementine" just from memory, so I haven't really done much work with books just yet.

I shall keep everyone posted on my progress as I strive to become a Bluesman. Wish me luck.

[bluesharp]

Good luck syxtfour!!
With the "Top Tipsters" around,you should be playing the harp pretty well soon!!

[Vinnie Blues]

Originally Posted by Scott

"Orange Blossom Special" would sound nice on harmonica too.

It does ! I went to a gig 10 years ago where Charlie McCoy performed - the king of harmonica, master harmonica man. He played Orange Blossom Special and we all went ballistic. Great stuff !!!

[FatJim]

I posted a link to a clip of Charlie McCoy playing Orange Blossom Special a while back, here's the thread:

"We got both kinds..." Charlie McCoy
and here's a direct link to YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_cT14JALaQ&NR

Hardly a beginner's tune played like this eh?!

[Vinnie Blues]

Originally Posted by FatJim

I posted a link to a clip of Charlie McCoy playing Orange Blossom Special a while back, here's the thread:

"We got both kinds..." Charlie McCoy
and here's a direct link to YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_cT14JALaQ&NR

Hardly a beginner's tune played like this eh?!

Oh thank you so much, put it in my favs. Charlie McCoy is a real harmonica master, he also recorded sessions for a famous rock/country/blues French singer here, Eddie Mitchell (which I love).

10 years ago, there was the 1st Country Music Festival in my hometown and he was invited. I met him later after the show and he was very nice. Signed CDs of him for me. He came back to the same festival this year (but I was to another concert... R&B in Antibes... good stuff always happens at the same dates...)

Orange Blossom Special is not a tune for beginners. It's like playing JS Bach for a classical musician. Takes years to achieve something decent (my flutist hubby knows about this... LOL).

[syxtfour]

Originally Posted by FatJim

and here's a direct link to YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_cT14JALaQ&NR

Hardly a beginner's tune played like this eh?!

0_0

...How the @#$% does he do that?!

[FatJim]

He's Nashville's top harp for hire. Played with EVERYBODY not just the C&W guys. Elvis... Dylan... I would guess because of his session work he is probably the most prolific recorded harp player in the business (I wonder if someone can confirm that?) - and yet because he's not a bluesman he doesn't really get the acknowledgement he deserves. I think he was probably born with a harp in his mouth!

Players of his ability just inspire me!

If you liked that check out three more of my harp heroes:

Magic Dick (of J Geils band fame)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WwB4bLwbWE

Jason Ricci (one of the most energetic and technically brilliant players around)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVI9DCspYro
(another "Beginners" tune like you've never heard it before)

and Howard Levy (The GOD of all things harmonica!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MtRH...elated&search=

And that's before I've even got started on the old Chicago and Mississipi blues guys...

If you ever lose faith and wonder if you'll ever 'get it', just watch these guys and you'll practice til your lips bleed.

[Steam McQueen]

Originally Posted by FatJim

I posted a link to a clip of Charlie McCoy playing Orange Blossom Special a while back,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_cT14JALaQ&NR

That's a great clip, FatJim. Thanks for also mentioning Elvis. I have over a dozen Elvis movies on VHS and it made me think of a scene in Frankie and Johnny. Elvis sings a bluesy version of "Hard Luck" with a street kid playing the harp. As it turns out, that's Charlie McCoy blowin' that harp. Best part of the movie, actually. Well, that and Donna Douglas! (Elly May Clampett)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBYWuaKHx8g

[enrico.reb]

Originally Posted by FatJim

and here's a direct link to YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_cT14JALaQ&NR

What a great video!

[Vinnie Blues]

Jason Ricci's performance of Amazing Grace was real heartrending. Thanks for posting this ! (and the others too).

[Syd-Blues]

Originally Posted by FatJim

I posted a link to a clip of Charlie McCoy playing Orange Blossom Special a while back, here's the thread:

"We got both kinds..." Charlie McCoy
and here's a direct link to YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_cT14JALaQ&NR

Hardly a beginner's tune played like this eh?!

HOLY CRAP! I am going to go practice like a man posessed.