Introduction in Plain Text --- Dave's Harmonica Lessons -- page 1 of 2 (c)2006 David Raleigh Arnold 20060622 Free for all under GNU license. To continue, go to openguitar.com --> handout.html and get the harmonica files indicated. The FC library charges 15 cts/page in case you have no access. These first two pages, harp1.txt and harp2.txt, are a quick start but not an especially gentle one. No 10 hole 20 reed harp in "C"? Get one. Cover the 3rd and 5th holes with your fingers and blow into the 4th hole. That is the sound of one note. You must learn to play one note. If you can blow one note, without the help of fingers, you can surely play the harmonica--but you *must* get one note first! When you get it once, build on that. Always blow or draw gently. There are four ways to play the harmonica. There is much more to be said of advantages and disadvantages so none of these is 100 pct the best. The first and only priority is to be able to play a single note. 1. The Pucker Method -- You find this recommended in books all the time, but I don't think it's the way to go for very many beginners. You are supposed to form you lips to make an "O" shaped opening and be able to play one note. Fat chance. 2. Pucker Upper, Not Lower -- Use the upper lip both to make the opening and to cover the adjacent holes. The back of the harp is tilted downward somewhat. 3. Pucker Lower, Not Upper -- The same as 2., upside down. 4. Tongue Curl -- This is best to start with, but only if you are among the 80 pct of people who are able to curl their tongues. The opening is made with the tongue on three sides of the hole and the upper lip along the top. 1234567890 = holes 1-10; 4 = blow 4th hole; (4) = draw 4th hole. | = Bar or bar line. First count must follow; || = Double bar, the end. * = Quarter note has stem "|" gets one count; o = Half note 2 counts. * = Eighth notes have their stems spanned by beams: ---. ||: repeat :|| O = Whole note or semibreve, gets 4 counts, has no stem, nor do rests. [] = half rest looks like black box on top of line, 2 counts of nothing. [[]] = Whole rest looks like black box under line, 4 counts of nothing. [0.1] Count: 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 Stop the sound on "1" Hole: 4 (4) 4 Notes:| O | [[]] | O | O || = Double bar marks end. [0.2] Count: 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 Stop on "1". Hole: 4 (4) 4 4 (4) 4 Note: | o o | o [] | o o | O || Count out all of the | | | | | | || whole note's time. [0.3] Scale [a] and Octave [b] exercises. Too hard for now? Maybe. It's not necessarily fast because it's 8th notes. & = 'and' [a] Hole: 4 (4) 5 (5) 6 (6) (7) 7 7 (7) (6) 6 (5) 5 (4) 4 Note: ||: * * * * * * * * :||: * * * * * * * * :|| || | | | | | | | | || | | | | | | | | || ---------- ---------- ----------- ---------- Count: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 etc....