Haha, I'm 70 years old. I've been playing since I was ten and am definitely self-taught. When I was ten, my dad bought a Marine Band and played Sugar Blues on it, and handed it to me. You have to bend notes to play that tune. He told me to sound it out. There were absolutely zero harmonica teachers. The secrets of playing were not shared around either. I learned the simple tunes that came with harmonica and then tried to play along with classical music in a general way. Then, I fell asleep on it for a couple years. When The Beatles' "Love Me Do" came out in 1964, I found my harmonica and began to try to play it. Then I began to play with The Yardbirds, then, Cream, then Canned Heat, LZ, and so on. I learned by playing along with records and I still love to play along with it's lots of fun. What I need to learn is tongue blocking because I really like the sounds that can be done using it. My only worry is if an old dog can learn new tricks like tongue flicking. But I see you have a video out on it so I'm going to try it. I'll let you know how it goes.
@@timothyheup9352 I'm back. Not long after this post, I ran into BB King's former drummer at a music shop while I trying out microphones. I was playing Rollin and Tumblin, which I had down pat (Cream version) since I was 15. He said I sounded better than most guys who think they are great (gave me his phone number, pretty cool. But I don't want to get into that scene at my age. I now own over 100 harmonicas, a full pedal board including a Memphis Minnie digital delay, etc. I found I regained and improved quickly. The more I play the better it gets. I have a repertoire of songs I can play, etc. A few weeks ago, I walked into the oldest continually operating saloon West of the Mississippi and played s short version of "The Stone Fox Chase" impromptu. I also love playing old-time songs and traditional Irish stuff.
The first problem Jonah has is 2nd position .. ha .. yep, I have embraced 1st and like you and tongue blocking, I long to to become proficient at 2nd. my inspiration was Charlie McCoy. There is plenty of instruction on YT, it's THE resource, but after 50+ years of playing my brain says 1st or suffocate.🤐 so far.
I have been a self taught harmonica player who plays by ear. The first important lesson I learned was how to play the scale front and backwards and learning how to play crisp and clean notes by using the tip of the tongue and closing the lips around each hole. Once I mastered the Marine Band, I graduated to the chromatic and then everything changed. I started playing at age 11, 59 years ago. The trick to learn the harmonica is repetition and practice. As far as technique, I'm still learning new things. I'm so pleased that there many instructional videos online. The chromatic is my favorite harmonica to play.
Good stuff. The recording and the playing back are key. You play something and your mind is all filled with where am I in the song, what's the next part, hows it go, and you lose timing and notes, etc. A recording will show what you need to clean up. Learning is not usually fun and the avoiding it is where we all seem to be lots of the time
I have taught myself 5 instruments in 2 years. There is only one rule in music . Every note is higher or lower or the same as the note before it. Simple makes music simple
@@gee3591 Which makes music far more simple than people realize. That's what their point is. It is only made technical by those trying to make sense of what a composer has done. The composer is rarely if ever thinking that deeply.
I am mostly self taught, at least other than what I stole from old records. When I was 5, I got a shirt for my birthday and there was a cheap plastic toy harp in the package. This was old fashioned retail promotion. I often got harps as stocking stuffers and eventually got around to living with a harp stuck in my face. In my teens, I went occasionally to blues jams until a few bands took interest and hired me into their gigs. 60 Years on from the birthday harp I outlived bands but still play sometimes.
I'm just starting learning harmonica and have been looking into a number of different channels/teachers and I think I am liking your way of teaching/explaining the best. I have subscribed and will be visiting your teacing videos frequently in the coming days. Thanks for your hard work.
I have been playing harp off & on since grade school and I’m 63 now. It wasn’t until I realized that technique plays a bigger part in my harp playing than the harp itself. I stop looking for the harp that was going to make me sound better and focused on the technique I was using to attack the harmonica. Bends, single notes, cords and overblows all went to another level. Pay attention to technique!
Hey! As a teacher that uses this strategy a lot, there are two factors not being considered; 1. you need to be made aware of the useful skills required to improve. A beginner harmonica player might watch themselves play and not know what is going well or wrong, which can lead to misdiagnosing of a problem. This is where the aware expert comes in (someone that has already experienced the problem and overcome it). The second factor not mentioned is that you need to be willing to ditch everything that you believe to be correct to improve. Admittedly not everything will actually need to be dropped, or changed, and some techniques may suit different situations before other, but you need to have that investigative mind to determine if a new/old skill is useable for you.
Thank you for the hint with the bending trainer app. This will help me very much! I'm struggling with the 3 hole half step bend for months! Greetings from Austria!
It was really clear to me what you just said, but I thought that it was just me thinking like that . I definitely can educate myself and get a good result. Thanks man you’re great!!🙏
A good teacher can explain things in many different ways. After teaching a lot you get better at using a variety of things until it clicks. Also support, because it doesn’t fully click til the work is done.
Thank you Jonah, I appreciate you talking about laser focus! I’m just wanting to start playing the harmonica and am finally taking the action to do so but I have been intimidated becuz I have struggled at getting my single notes to sound single! Thank you for directing my thoughts to focusing on that for the week and then when I improve that I will move on! I really want to get it all now but I’m learning to be patient and take it slow and perfect this fun outlet for me! Thank you for the reminder! I appreciate you and the video you made!!😁
I've loved the sound of harmonicas since childhood, played chorded songs on and off, but finally at 76 years old I am starting to learn how to play it the way I should! Your videos are excellent, because you explain exactly what to do in easily understood language. After watching your videos there's actually hope that I might even succeed in playing single notes and learn how to bend! Thank you!
Amazing advice! I used this for my acting lessons, and I improved a lot! Now I record myself and try to put on the hat teacher and wow! What a difference. Thank you!!!
You are a great teacher. I know it’s not related to harmonica, but you have helped me get better at guitar. In the way you were talking about in this video. I was struggling with palm muting and kept practicing it and now I’ve improved at least 50 percent so far
Here is something interesting.....you listen to a harmonica instruction video for ways to improve your guitar work. I have often watched guitar videos for tips on improvement on the harmonica. (scales, arppeggios, exercises, etc) It goes both ways and tips on becoming a better musician can come from all directions. Jolly good.
@@MrSpanky2001 Yes, also learning another instrument a little bit, especially singing, seem to help musicality, e.g. develop ear, rhythmic sense, or give ideas for playing.
I was having a lot of trouble with single notes, I learned a couple easy riffs using single notes exclusively and played those over and over again, soon I found out that I became able to get clean single notes pretty easily and with minimal effort.
Thank you for this great lesson, l am totally new in harmonica. What are the harmonica brand model you can recommend that l can play for a longer time in a mid price from USD 50 to USD 100?
Practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice hardwork hardwork work work and so on . Mistakes are good you do alot then eventually you rarely do it. Forget everything you learn when you learn the basics and play by feel from the heart always. Everything magic starts there.
I find a good way to practice bends, got the idea from another TH-cam tutor (sorry Jonah), is to practice blues bass lines. I should have thought of it before as I play a little bass. Generally the first chord needs to be played on the higher reeds dropping to the lower ones for the other two.
Definitely had to save this one, Jonah! There are no harmonica teachers in Reno, NV so it's out to the web I went to find an online teacher. I have no complaints with my training but without the consistency of weekly in-person lessons, I feel like I'm more my own teacher which leads to some of the problems you mentioned.
The best lesson I ever got was to listen to other players, and just accept it, I am self taught, and I find that playing what I feel is best, btw I have written 400+ blues tunes, btw awesome video, subbed 😎👍
Been playing for 30 years been tongue blocking without realizing it😅 I'm a big blues fan and learned by listening records ( these big vinyl black things that used to put music on😅) weird thing was I picked it up right out the box and could play it instinctively. I did have a bit of help with the basics from a mate but once I got that and I was away, I do however like watching these vids as it names the technical terms for stuff and its really useful to know what the hell it is your doing 😅😅 I started off listening to the main blues guys then I listened to the more obscure guys then I started listening to sax and trumpet players and even guitar players. I steal bits off everybody basically which is what most musicians do.
i’ve been looking for that outro music for quite some time. Any help? The closest I got was Mend by Jincheng Jang looks like he just talked over the melody.
Me too, I'm 61 yrs old from Glasgow & I have early onset Alzheimer's & I'm hoping to be able to play it before I die, blessings from Glasgow in Scotland X
Practice makes perfect but fun makes it better. It took me three years to get a clean single note and bends and I played guitar for almost 30years use practice ten hours . I'm Old now so I slow down because of health issues.
Being really good at your instrument will take you years. I think it´s more important to be patient and to simply continue for years. Greetings from Germany. 🤠
When it comes to playing jazz on the harmonica, the choice of key depends largely on the song's key, your skill level, and your preferred approach to jazz playing. While diatonic harmonicas can be used for jazz, many advanced players opt for chromatic harmonicas because they allow for greater flexibility in hitting all notes, including sharps and flats, which are common in jazz. For diatonic harmonicas, here’s how key choice relates to playing jazz: --- Keys of Harmonica for Jazz 1. C Harmonica: The C key is the most versatile and common for jazz players. Jazz standards are often written in concert key C or G (for horn sections), so starting with a C harmonica can help you get familiar with the genre. In third position (D minor), you can play minor scales that are common in jazz. 2. Bb Harmonica: Bb is popular for jazz because it complements the keys played by brass instruments (like trumpets and saxophones), which often play in Bb or Eb. It’s great for playing melodies in second position (F) or third position (G minor). 3. G Harmonica: Lower-pitched harmonicas, like the G, can add warmth to jazz solos and fit well in relaxed or slower jazz styles. Works well for playing in second position (D) or third position (A minor). 4. D Harmonica: The D harmonica is useful for brighter, sharper jazz arrangements and solos. It's great for playing in third position (E minor) or second position (A). 5. Chromatic Harmonica in C: Most jazz players prefer a chromatic harmonica in C because it allows full access to all 12 notes in the chromatic scale. Common for bebop, swing, and complex jazz melodies where sharps and flats are integral. --- How to Play Jazz on Diatonic Harmonica Jazz requires more than just choosing the right key. It also involves using advanced techniques and positions: 1. Second Position (Cross Harp): Works well for bluesy or modal jazz pieces. Play in the key that’s a perfect fourth above the harmonica’s labeled key (e.g., play a C harmonica for G major or G mixolydian). 2. Third Position: Ideal for minor keys, which are prevalent in jazz. Play in the key a whole step above the harmonica’s labeled key (e.g., play a C harmonica for D minor). 3. Overblows: Essential for hitting missing notes in jazz scales on a diatonic harmonica. These allow you to play chromatic passages on a diatonic harmonica. --- Examples of Jazz Harmonicas and Players Harmonicas: Chromatic harmonicas like the Hohner CX-12, Suzuki SCX-64, or Seydel Saxony are preferred by jazz players. Famous Jazz Players: Toots Thielemans: A master of the chromatic harmonica in jazz. Howard Levy: Known for playing jazz on diatonic harmonicas using overblows and advanced positions. --- Conclusion For a beginner or intermediate player looking to experiment with jazz, a diatonic harmonica in C or Bb can be a good starting point. If you're serious about playing jazz, consider investing in a chromatic harmonica in C, as it offers the flexibility needed for jazz's complex melodies and improvisations. Your key choice will also depend on the song's key and your ability to use different positions or techniques like overblows to access missing notes.
Great video J. My problem is that I keep messing up when I either play in front of people or when I go to try and record myself, I've taught myself over the last couple of years and I love playing but I want to be able to play without messing up . I've learnt about 20 / 30 tunes ( mainly irish folk ) and would love play on stage with a band , but this performance anxiety ruins it for me
I would say first of all (1) practice builds confidence, (and if you're messing up, that usually means you need more practice). (2)When preforming don't worry about messing up. The audience won't notice if you make one or two mistakes and they wont really care either way, and its fine to make little mistakes. It's also likely that worrying about making mistakes makes you make more mistakes. Lastly, as far as recording goes, remember that you have as many takes as you want to record. I almost always do 5 or so takes and it's usually the 2nd or 3rd thats the best. You can also try again the next day and the next day (assuming you are recording yourself). I wouldn't take many more than 5 takes because after that you usually get diminishing returns. I'm saying this as a multi-instrumentalist and a music teacher who has been preforming music since I was 8. Remember as well that music isn't about playing perfectly, it's about having fun and expressing yourself. Also, John Lennon made TONS of little mistakes with his recorded harmonica performances with the Beatles (it's how some harmonica players were able to identify which type of harmonicas (and keys) he was using) and no one noticed that he made mistakes! You can also hear Paul McCartney saying "f@#$ing hell at the 2:58 mark on the recording of "Hey Jude" when he messed up on the piano. So if two of the best musicians of our time made mistakes when recording instruments, so can you! Good luck on your future performances and recordings, and keep having fun! Sam
@@samuelhaney2560 Wow 👌 greatly appreciated my friend, that is a brilliant answer 👏. I also play Irish mandolin as part of an Irish band but I don't tend to worry when i get things wrong as I'm part of a collective and not out in the open much as when I'm soloing on the harp.
Honestly. Spending the Time playing is it. Play till your blue in the face. You will get so used to the instrument You're playing you will master it. You have to put the time in.
I don't know what to do to figure out how to consistently play a song that everyone will recognize I mean I could jam easy enough but if you ask me to reproduce my jam or play an actual song I might mess it up
The good news... Once you learn the discipline any instrument becomes easier... Also, it's actually easier to learn several instruments at one time... Why??? Because many instruments should be practiced in short sessions... If the other ones use different body parts you just switch up...😁🎵🎶
Its not true that techers would go out of job. Even pro musicians have teachers when theyre better than their teacher. Most valuable thing teacher can give is inspiration and different perspective what you cant see on your own. Theres no price tag on that value
Why don’t you check out my new Harmonica Accelerator class, which will give you a few lessons, and it taste of some of the songs and riffs that I provide in the main course: theharmonicarevolution.newzenler.com/f/the-harmonica-accelerator
In short, record yourself, find an issue, work on fixing that. Move on to the next issue. In a lot of cases that should work. Now here is my problem with it... You might not have the skills to detect something is wrong and when you do, it's not clear what actually it is you are doing wrong. So it would be something like "It just doesn't sound good...", getting that more specific to "the tones aren't at the right pitch", and why is that? Are you bending by accident, are you blowing/sucking to hard? is the harmonica itself broken? Maybe the entire harmonica is in the wrong key.... And now I'm already filling in a lot of details that might help with troubleshooting it. While an experienced player might immediately spot what you are doing wrong. What I'm saying is, you might lack the skills to detect there is a problem, accurately describe the problem and then find the cause of the problem. You might be able to find help on the internet, if you are capable of at least detecting and accurately describing the problem.
WHAT YOUR SAYING IS TRUE TO THE EXTENT THAT IT WILL TAKE YOU LONGER TO FIGURE OUT YOUR PROBLEM THAN A TEACHER WATCHING, HOWEVER YOU ALSO PROVED HIS POINT IN THE TROUBLESHOOTING. TEACHERS ARE NOT ALWAYS EXCESSABLE, ECPECIALLY FOR HARMONICA, SO SELF TAUGHT IS THE ONLY OPTION FOR MANY PEOPLE AND HE IS GUILDING THEM INTO THOSE TROUBLESHOOTING STEPS TO HELP THEM MOVE FORWARD. ITS SOMETHING SELDOM TALKED ABOUT AND TO HAVE THE SKILL TO TROUBLESSHOOT IS INCREDIBLY VALUABLE! IM SELF TAUGHT, I COULD NEVER FIND A TEACHER TO HELP ME OUT SO IVE ALWAYS HAD TO FIGURE IT OUT MYSELF, HE IS GIVING CRITICAL INFORMATION ON STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO DO THAT. DONT BE BITTER THAT HE DIDNT GIVE SOME MAGIC KEY TO BECOME A PRO OVER NIGHT. YES, SELF TAUGHT MEANS ALOT MORE WORK!
Evil birds fly together. Just like good birds fly together So guess wat goove on leavee alone. Go do wat u evil bords do best go do evil. Cuz dis good bird which is me u tfyin makeeeh fly. I goin make u evil birds wate time.
Haha, I'm 70 years old. I've been playing since I was ten and am definitely self-taught. When I was ten, my dad bought a Marine Band and played Sugar Blues on it, and handed it to me. You have to bend notes to play that tune. He told me to sound it out. There were absolutely zero harmonica teachers. The secrets of playing were not shared around either. I learned the simple tunes that came with harmonica and then tried to play along with classical music in a general way. Then, I fell asleep on it for a couple years. When The Beatles' "Love Me Do" came out in 1964, I found my harmonica and began to try to play it. Then I began to play with The Yardbirds, then, Cream, then Canned Heat, LZ, and so on. I learned by playing along with records and I still love to play along with it's lots of fun. What I need to learn is tongue blocking because I really like the sounds that can be done using it. My only worry is if an old dog can learn new tricks like tongue flicking. But I see you have a video out on it so I'm going to try it. I'll let you know how it goes.
Adam Gussow has some great content. He's been playing forever and He's a college prof, so he knows how to teach.
I am a fellow seasoned beginner. I'd like to say, you as an old dog Can learn new tricks. Go for it! You'll be glad you did. Good luck sir.
@@timothyheup9352 I'm back. Not long after this post, I ran into BB King's former drummer at a music shop while I trying out microphones. I was playing Rollin and Tumblin, which I had down pat (Cream version) since I was 15. He said I sounded better than most guys who think they are great (gave me his phone number, pretty cool. But I don't want to get into that scene at my age. I now own over 100 harmonicas, a full pedal board including a Memphis Minnie digital delay, etc. I found I regained and improved quickly. The more I play the better it gets. I have a repertoire of songs I can play, etc. A few weeks ago, I walked into the oldest continually operating saloon West of the Mississippi and played s short version of "The Stone Fox Chase" impromptu. I also love playing old-time songs and traditional Irish stuff.
The first problem Jonah has is 2nd position .. ha .. yep, I have embraced 1st and like you and tongue blocking, I long to to become proficient at 2nd. my inspiration was Charlie McCoy. There is plenty of instruction on YT, it's THE resource, but after 50+ years of playing my brain says 1st or suffocate.🤐 so far.
I have been a self taught harmonica player who plays by ear. The first important lesson I learned was how to play the scale front and backwards and learning how to play crisp and clean notes by using the tip of the tongue and closing the lips around each hole. Once I mastered the Marine Band, I graduated to the chromatic and then everything changed. I started playing at age 11, 59 years ago. The trick to learn the harmonica is repetition and practice. As far as technique, I'm still learning new things. I'm so pleased that there many instructional videos online. The chromatic is my favorite harmonica to play.
Good stuff. The recording and the playing back are key. You play something and your mind is all filled with where am I in the song, what's the next part, hows it go, and you lose timing and notes, etc. A recording will show what you need to clean up. Learning is not usually fun and the avoiding it is where we all seem to be lots of the time
I have taught myself 5 instruments in 2 years. There is only one rule in music . Every note is higher or lower or the same as the note before it. Simple makes music simple
" Every note is higher or lower or the same as the note before it. "
Octaves: 'and i took that personally'
[it's a pedantic joke. dont @ me]
What does this mean? It’s impossible for a note to NOT be higher, lower, or the same as the one before. Those are the only 3 options.
@@gee3591 Which makes music far more simple than people realize. That's what their point is. It is only made technical by those trying to make sense of what a composer has done. The composer is rarely if ever thinking that deeply.
@@WifeOfTheBeast does he mean going up and down just by one note? I’m still confused
I have been playing for 12 years, and you did a great job on this video!
I am mostly self taught, at least other than what I stole from old records. When I was 5, I got a shirt for my birthday and there was a cheap plastic toy harp in the package. This was old fashioned retail promotion. I often got harps as stocking stuffers and eventually got around to living with a harp stuck in my face. In my teens, I went occasionally to blues jams until a few bands took interest and hired me into their gigs. 60 Years on from the birthday harp I outlived bands but still play sometimes.
I'm just starting learning harmonica and have been looking into a number of different channels/teachers and I think I am liking your way of teaching/explaining the best. I have subscribed and will be visiting your teacing videos frequently in the coming days. Thanks for your hard work.
Thanks Jonah. Joined a blues band, then got kicked out. Now I got the blues.
I have been playing harp off & on since grade school and I’m 63 now. It wasn’t until I realized that technique plays a bigger part in my harp playing than the harp itself. I stop looking for the harp that was going to make me sound better and focused on the technique I was using to attack the harmonica. Bends, single notes, cords and overblows all went to another level. Pay attention to technique!
Hey! As a teacher that uses this strategy a lot, there are two factors not being considered; 1. you need to be made aware of the useful skills required to improve. A beginner harmonica player might watch themselves play and not know what is going well or wrong, which can lead to misdiagnosing of a problem. This is where the aware expert comes in (someone that has already experienced the problem and overcome it). The second factor not mentioned is that you need to be willing to ditch everything that you believe to be correct to improve. Admittedly not everything will actually need to be dropped, or changed, and some techniques may suit different situations before other, but you need to have that investigative mind to determine if a new/old skill is useable for you.
Thank you for the hint with the bending trainer app. This will help me very much! I'm struggling with the 3 hole half step bend for months! Greetings from Austria!
It was really clear to me what you just said, but I thought that it was just me thinking like that . I definitely can educate myself and get a good result. Thanks man you’re great!!🙏
A good teacher can explain things in many different ways. After teaching a lot you get better at using a variety of things until it clicks. Also support, because it doesn’t fully click til the work is done.
Thanks for the videos. U make learning so easy.
Thank you Jonah, I appreciate you talking about laser focus! I’m just wanting to start playing the harmonica and am finally taking the action to do so but I have been intimidated becuz I have struggled at getting my single notes to sound single! Thank you for directing my thoughts to focusing on that for the week and then when I improve that I will move on! I really want to get it all now but I’m learning to be patient and take it slow and perfect this fun outlet for me! Thank you for the reminder! I appreciate you and the video you made!!😁
I've loved the sound of harmonicas since childhood, played chorded songs on and off, but finally at 76 years old I am starting to learn how to play it the way I should!
Your videos are excellent, because you explain exactly what to do in easily understood language.
After watching your videos there's actually hope that I might even succeed in playing single notes and learn how to bend! Thank you!
Supertramp song 'take the long way home' harmonica player, I was hooked !!
I have tried to copy this harmonica musician without success 😢
Another excellent lesson. Your like the perfect teacher. Thanks so much!
I am glad you are not like the other teachers, you give away the awesome formulas so people can succeed in harmonica. Thanks dude.😊
Amazing advice! I used this for my acting lessons, and I improved a lot! Now I record myself and try to put on the hat teacher and wow! What a difference. Thank you!!!
You are a great teacher. I know it’s not related to harmonica, but you have helped me get better at guitar. In the way you were talking about in this video. I was struggling with palm muting and kept practicing it and now I’ve improved at least 50 percent so far
Here is something interesting.....you listen to a harmonica instruction video for ways to improve your guitar work. I have often watched guitar videos for tips on improvement on the harmonica. (scales, arppeggios, exercises, etc) It goes both ways and tips on becoming a better musician can come from all directions. Jolly good.
@@MrSpanky2001 Yes, also learning another instrument a little bit, especially singing, seem to help musicality, e.g. develop ear, rhythmic sense, or give ideas for playing.
You're a wonderful teacher❣🎶🎵👍😁
This is awesome really logical information thank you for this.
Thanks for your very good and practical self taught advice the find-found-practice-practice method....cheers! 👍👍👍
Solid advice, for any instrument, really.✨
Good stuff Jonah. You confirmed I’m on the right track. Thanks!
One helluva teacher kudos JF!!!
Thanks!
Great stuff Jonah! I appreciate you!
I was having a lot of trouble with single notes, I learned a couple easy riffs using single notes exclusively and played those over and over again, soon I found out that I became able to get clean single notes pretty easily and with minimal effort.
Thank you
Great teaching
Thank you for this great lesson, l am totally new in harmonica. What are the harmonica brand model you can recommend that l can play for a longer time in a mid price from USD 50 to USD 100?
Practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice hardwork hardwork work work and so on . Mistakes are good you do alot then eventually you rarely do it. Forget everything you learn when you learn the basics and play by feel from the heart always. Everything magic starts there.
Very helpful, thank you
Hi Jonah I can’t find the cheat sheat. Please could you help? Thanks. Love the lessons and content!
Very useful. Cleaver. Fundamental basics of ‘how to learn better from the internet’. Like it. Tnx
Great lesson.
thank you Jonah!
Cool man. 👏👏
Ok you got my attention. Great
I need to start over. I am 62 and haven't played the harp since I was 14. I have a music degree. So I should be able to play arp again.
EXCELLENT TEACHER👍
I find a good way to practice bends, got the idea from another TH-cam tutor (sorry Jonah), is to practice blues bass lines. I should have thought of it before as I play a little bass. Generally the first chord needs to be played on the higher reeds dropping to the lower ones for the other two.
interesting exercises and content! thanks for sharing!
Definitely had to save this one, Jonah! There are no harmonica teachers in Reno, NV so it's out to the web I went to find an online teacher. I have no complaints with my training but without the consistency of weekly in-person lessons, I feel like I'm more my own teacher which leads to some of the problems you mentioned.
Yeah, it’s way more common on harmonica; there’s almost no chance people can find a good local teacher in most of the world.
very very helpful thank you
The best lesson I ever got was to listen to other players, and just accept it, I am self taught, and I find that playing what I feel is best, btw I have written 400+ blues tunes, btw awesome video, subbed 😎👍
So, in short: Repetition / building muscle memory?
Been playing for 30 years been tongue blocking without realizing it😅 I'm a big blues fan and learned by listening records ( these big vinyl black things that used to put music on😅) weird thing was I picked it up right out the box and could play it instinctively. I did have a bit of help with the basics from a mate but once I got that and I was away, I do however like watching these vids as it names the technical terms for stuff and its really useful to know what the hell it is your doing 😅😅 I started off listening to the main blues guys then I listened to the more obscure guys then I started listening to sax and trumpet players and even guitar players. I steal bits off everybody basically which is what most musicians do.
i’ve been looking for that outro music for quite some time. Any help?
The closest I got was Mend by Jincheng Jang looks like he just talked over the melody.
This old broad has decided to take up the harmonica and I appreciate your all round information. Subscribed and sharing.
Me too, I'm 61 yrs old from Glasgow & I have early onset Alzheimer's & I'm hoping to be able to play it before I die, blessings from Glasgow in Scotland X
Practice makes perfect but fun makes it better. It took me three years to get a clean single note and bends and I played guitar for almost 30years use practice ten hours . I'm Old now so I slow down because of health issues.
Practice makes permanent.
Being really good at your instrument will take you years. I think it´s more important to be patient and to simply continue for years. Greetings from Germany. 🤠
Beautiful Gretsch hanging on the wall.
Very good lesson. Thank you.
Thanks for the AAP
Love these videos. Your demeanor is just great for teaching.
Thanks!
Dear Sir, please advice which key is for jazz playing? Thx in advance
When it comes to playing jazz on the harmonica, the choice of key depends largely on the song's key, your skill level, and your preferred approach to jazz playing. While diatonic harmonicas can be used for jazz, many advanced players opt for chromatic harmonicas because they allow for greater flexibility in hitting all notes, including sharps and flats, which are common in jazz.
For diatonic harmonicas, here’s how key choice relates to playing jazz:
---
Keys of Harmonica for Jazz
1. C Harmonica:
The C key is the most versatile and common for jazz players.
Jazz standards are often written in concert key C or G (for horn sections), so starting with a C harmonica can help you get familiar with the genre.
In third position (D minor), you can play minor scales that are common in jazz.
2. Bb Harmonica:
Bb is popular for jazz because it complements the keys played by brass instruments (like trumpets and saxophones), which often play in Bb or Eb.
It’s great for playing melodies in second position (F) or third position (G minor).
3. G Harmonica:
Lower-pitched harmonicas, like the G, can add warmth to jazz solos and fit well in relaxed or slower jazz styles.
Works well for playing in second position (D) or third position (A minor).
4. D Harmonica:
The D harmonica is useful for brighter, sharper jazz arrangements and solos.
It's great for playing in third position (E minor) or second position (A).
5. Chromatic Harmonica in C:
Most jazz players prefer a chromatic harmonica in C because it allows full access to all 12 notes in the chromatic scale.
Common for bebop, swing, and complex jazz melodies where sharps and flats are integral.
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How to Play Jazz on Diatonic Harmonica
Jazz requires more than just choosing the right key. It also involves using advanced techniques and positions:
1. Second Position (Cross Harp):
Works well for bluesy or modal jazz pieces.
Play in the key that’s a perfect fourth above the harmonica’s labeled key (e.g., play a C harmonica for G major or G mixolydian).
2. Third Position:
Ideal for minor keys, which are prevalent in jazz.
Play in the key a whole step above the harmonica’s labeled key (e.g., play a C harmonica for D minor).
3. Overblows:
Essential for hitting missing notes in jazz scales on a diatonic harmonica.
These allow you to play chromatic passages on a diatonic harmonica.
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Examples of Jazz Harmonicas and Players
Harmonicas: Chromatic harmonicas like the Hohner CX-12, Suzuki SCX-64, or Seydel Saxony are preferred by jazz players.
Famous Jazz Players:
Toots Thielemans: A master of the chromatic harmonica in jazz.
Howard Levy: Known for playing jazz on diatonic harmonicas using overblows and advanced positions.
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Conclusion
For a beginner or intermediate player looking to experiment with jazz, a diatonic harmonica in C or Bb can be a good starting point.
If you're serious about playing jazz, consider investing in a chromatic harmonica in C, as it offers the flexibility needed for jazz's complex melodies and improvisations.
Your key choice will also depend on the song's key and your ability to use different positions or techniques like overblows to access missing notes.
Great video J.
My problem is that I keep messing up when I either play in front of people or when I go to try and record myself,
I've taught myself over the last couple of years and I love playing but I want to be able to play without messing up .
I've learnt about 20 / 30 tunes ( mainly irish folk ) and would love play on stage with a band , but this performance anxiety ruins it for me
I would say first of all (1) practice builds confidence, (and if you're messing up, that usually means you need more practice). (2)When preforming don't worry about messing up. The audience won't notice if you make one or two mistakes and they wont really care either way, and its fine to make little mistakes. It's also likely that worrying about making mistakes makes you make more mistakes.
Lastly, as far as recording goes, remember that you have as many takes as you want to record. I almost always do 5 or so takes and it's usually the 2nd or 3rd thats the best. You can also try again the next day and the next day (assuming you are recording yourself). I wouldn't take many more than 5 takes because after that you usually get diminishing returns.
I'm saying this as a multi-instrumentalist and a music teacher who has been preforming music since I was 8.
Remember as well that music isn't about playing perfectly, it's about having fun and expressing yourself.
Also, John Lennon made TONS of little mistakes with his recorded harmonica performances with the Beatles (it's how some harmonica players were able to identify which type of harmonicas (and keys) he was using) and no one noticed that he made mistakes! You can also hear Paul McCartney saying "f@#$ing hell at the 2:58 mark on the recording of "Hey Jude" when he messed up on the piano.
So if two of the best musicians of our time made mistakes when recording instruments, so can you!
Good luck on your future performances and recordings, and keep having fun!
Sam
Also great video and great advice Johnathan! And not just for harmonica but for any instrument or skill. Thanks!
@@samuelhaney2560 Wow 👌 greatly appreciated my friend, that is a brilliant answer 👏.
I also play Irish mandolin as part of an Irish band but I don't tend to worry when i get things wrong as I'm part of a collective and not out in the open much as when I'm soloing on the harp.
Whats the name of the app thet show you note
Honestly. Spending the Time playing is it. Play till your blue in the face. You will get so used to the instrument You're playing you will master it. You have to put the time in.
I don't know what to do to figure out how to consistently play a song that everyone will recognize I mean I could jam easy enough but if you ask me to reproduce my jam or play an actual song I might mess it up
Have faith. Der
im on utube look 4 steve venegas playing harmonica i would luv ur opion THX
Great video
Jonah w jakiej tonacji harmonijka minor jest najbardziej użyteczna, d-minor, a-minor czy e-minor?
W jakiej tonacji najczęściej się gra?
When to inhale and exhale
I have trouble with the high notes .
What ap at 12min 47 seconds?
Harmonica bending trainer
Natural ability you can practice as much and how long you like and there is always going be some young punk to come and kick your ass.
The good news... Once you learn the discipline any instrument becomes easier... Also, it's actually easier to learn several instruments at one time... Why??? Because many instruments should be practiced in short sessions... If the other ones use different body parts you just switch up...😁🎵🎶
Thanks for the video, does it really need to be 20 minutes long though?
Its not true that techers would go out of job. Even pro musicians have teachers when theyre better than their teacher. Most valuable thing teacher can give is inspiration and different perspective what you cant see on your own. Theres no price tag on that value
Trying to figure out if you or Tomlin are the right paid lessons for me 😳🙀🧐🙄🤔
Why don’t you check out my new Harmonica Accelerator class, which will give you a few lessons, and it taste of some of the songs and riffs that I provide in the main course: theharmonicarevolution.newzenler.com/f/the-harmonica-accelerator
@@HarmonicaRevolution sounds a great idea 💡. Thanks 😊
To call your teaching methodologies refreshing, is like calling water wet!
because people make 20 minutes Videos, for two minute content. 😁
The only thing i know for sure
When you pick that harmonica up
Develop your own style
Play what you feel
Follow the melody
Cause I'm blind… 0:37
In short, record yourself, find an issue, work on fixing that. Move on to the next issue.
In a lot of cases that should work.
Now here is my problem with it... You might not have the skills to detect something is wrong and when you do, it's not clear what actually it is you are doing wrong.
So it would be something like "It just doesn't sound good...", getting that more specific to "the tones aren't at the right pitch", and why is that? Are you bending by accident, are you blowing/sucking to hard? is the harmonica itself broken? Maybe the entire harmonica is in the wrong key....
And now I'm already filling in a lot of details that might help with troubleshooting it.
While an experienced player might immediately spot what you are doing wrong.
What I'm saying is, you might lack the skills to detect there is a problem, accurately describe the problem and then find the cause of the problem.
You might be able to find help on the internet, if you are capable of at least detecting and accurately describing the problem.
WHAT YOUR SAYING IS TRUE TO THE EXTENT THAT IT WILL TAKE YOU LONGER TO FIGURE OUT YOUR PROBLEM THAN A TEACHER WATCHING, HOWEVER YOU ALSO PROVED HIS POINT IN THE TROUBLESHOOTING. TEACHERS ARE NOT ALWAYS EXCESSABLE, ECPECIALLY FOR HARMONICA, SO SELF TAUGHT IS THE ONLY OPTION FOR MANY PEOPLE AND HE IS GUILDING THEM INTO THOSE TROUBLESHOOTING STEPS TO HELP THEM MOVE FORWARD. ITS SOMETHING SELDOM TALKED ABOUT AND TO HAVE THE SKILL TO TROUBLESSHOOT IS INCREDIBLY VALUABLE! IM SELF TAUGHT, I COULD NEVER FIND A TEACHER TO HELP ME OUT SO IVE ALWAYS HAD TO FIGURE IT OUT MYSELF, HE IS GIVING CRITICAL INFORMATION ON STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO DO THAT. DONT BE BITTER THAT HE DIDNT GIVE SOME MAGIC KEY TO BECOME A PRO OVER NIGHT. YES, SELF TAUGHT MEANS ALOT MORE WORK!
Click bait titles can be a turn off🤔🤔
Evil birds fly together. Just like good birds fly together
So guess wat goove on leavee alone. Go do wat u evil bords do best go do evil. Cuz dis good bird which is me u tfyin makeeeh fly. I goin make u evil birds wate time.
WTF is this guy rabbiting on about? Doesn't make any sense.
so many words to say pastis what your not good at
like
Algorithm comment.
I wanted to learn something on here, but I couldn't pay attention to anything he said, because of the flailing fingernails.
Play the instrument, talk less, and quit flapping your hands!
BS!