The harmonica is a versatile small instrument that is played in almost every musical genre and in various cultures around the world. At first, this instrument may seem confusing to learn. However, the harmonica is actually a musical instrument that is easy and fun to play. Check out the following steps to learn how to play the harmonica.
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Method 1 of 5: Getting Started
Step 1. Select the harmonica you want to use
There are various types of harmonica that you can buy tents with various uses and prices. For now, you can choose diatonic or chromatic harmonics. Both are commonly used in popular music genres such as blues or folk.
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Diatonic harmonicas are the most commonly available type of harmonica and, of course, the most affordable. Usually this harmonica has been tuned to a certain basic note and cannot be changed. Most diatonic harmonicas are tuned to a C major chord. Some types of diatonic harmonica include: "blues harmonica", "tremolo harmonica", and "octave harmonica".
The blues harmonica is more popular in western countries, while the tremolo harmonica is more commonly used in East Asia
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A chromatic harmonica uses a mechanical device to control the holes that produce sound. A standard 10-note chromatic harmonica can only be played in one complete basic note (such as a diatonic harmonica), but a 12-16-hole chromatic harmonica can be tuned to a different basic note. Chromatic harmonicas are indeed more expensive than most diatonic harmonicas. Quality instruments from trusted brands can be sold at prices up to millions of rupiah.
Due to its versatility, 12-note (or more) chromatic harmonicas are commonly used for jazz music
- In English, the shortened term for harmonica is “harp”. The term is taken from other traditional names for the harmonica, including "French harp" and "blues harp". Harmonica is also known as the "mouth organ".
Step 2. Learn about your harmonica
Harmonica is a reed instrument that uses brass reeds. This reed functions to separate the air you blow or draw through the holes to produce sound. The reed is attached to a plate called a “reed plate” or “reed plate” (according to its construction). Meanwhile, the part of the harmonica to which the reed plate is attached is called the “comb” or “comb” and is usually made of plastic or metal. Harmonica "pipes" or "nozzles" are sometimes integrated with the comb or, in chromatic harmonicas, installed separately. Meanwhile, "cover plates" or "cover plates" function to cover the instrument as a whole and are made of wood, metal, or plastic.
- The sliding bar on the chromatic harmonica is also usually made of metal.
- Different notes are produced by the reed, depending on whether you inhale or exhale. Typically, a diatonic harmonica that produces a C note when the air is blown will produce a G note when the air is drawn in. These two scales complement each other well and complement each other, without any additional holes.
- The reeds in the harmonica are very easily damaged and will wear out over time. Therefore, play the harmonica carefully and maintain it regularly so that the resulting tone is always beautiful.
Step 3. Learn how to read the harmonica tablature
Like the guitar, the harmonica can be played following tablature, a medium that simplifies scores into an easy-to-follow system of hole and breath patterns. Tablature is useful for larger chromatic harmonics, but differs from diatonic harmonic tablature and is not used very often.
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The breathing pattern is indicated by arrows. For example, the up arrow indicates exhalation, while the down arrow indicates inhaled.
Most holes in a diatonic harmonica produce two "neighboring" notes on the scale. Therefore, to play notes C and D on a scale, you need to blow air into the right holes, then draw air from the same holes
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The holes on the harmonica are marked with numbers, from the lowest note (leftmost hole) to the highest. The two lowest notes are (up arrow) “1” and (down arrow) “1”. On a 10-hole harmonica, the highest note is indicated by (down arrow) “10”.
Several notes on a standard 10-hole harmonica are produced from the same hole, namely (down arrow) “2” and (up arrow) “3”. This pattern is needed so that you get the right distance to play the scales
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More complicated harmonica playing techniques are marked with a slash or other small mark. The slash or diagonal line that goes through the arrow indicates the pitch twisting (discussed in another method) that must be done in order for you to get the right note. The chevron symbol or slash in the chromatic tablature indicates whether the button needs to be held down or not.
There is no standard tablature system followed by all harmonica players. However, once you practice and become familiar with one type of tablature system, you can quickly understand some of the other types of tablature systems
Method 2 of 5: Learning Basic Harmonica Techniques
Step 1. Inhale using your stomach
Breath control is a very important factor when playing the harmonica, and it is important that you practice breathing techniques from the start. Try to inhale using your stomach, lie down, and place your hands on your stomach. Take a deep breath and feel your belly start to expand, but don't allow your chest to move or expand. After that, slowly exhale.
Abdominal breathing provides greater control over your breath. In addition, you can breathe more
Step 2. Generate sounds or notes by blowing air
The first thing you need to practice with the harmonica is to generate notes. Select one or more holes in the cross section and blow air into them. The holes next to the hole of your choice are usually designed to automatically harmonize with each other so you can produce beautiful sound by blowing air into all three holes at once. Practice going from one note (one hole) to one chord (multiple holes).
- This pattern of play is known as “straight-harp” or “first position” (“first position”).
- As you might expect, the number of holes blown is controlled by the lips. To control the notes played more effectively, you need to learn to use your tongue to seal holes. This technique will be discussed later.
- Try not to exhale through your nose. Exhale all the breaths through your mouth to play the complete note.
Step 3. Inhale to change notes
Inhale through the reed gently to raise the note one note. By inhaling and exhaling through the cross section of the reed, you can produce all the notes that have been tuned on the harmonica.
- This pattern of play is known as "cross-harp" or "second position". The notes resulting from this pattern are often suitable for blues accompaniment.
- If you're using a chromatic harmonica, practice pressing and holding the buttons on the side of the instrument to further control the notes you produce.
- So that you can exhale more easily, try saying "hah!". Push air firmly from the diaphragm for full tone.
Step 4. Play the scales
On a basic C major diatonic harmonica, the C scale starts from the note (up arrow) “4” to (up arrow) “7”. This standard exhalation-inhalation pattern is repeated, except for the seventh hole. For this hole, the pattern followed must be reversed (you need to inhale first, then exhale). This scale is the only complete scale on a basic C major harmonica. However, you can sometimes play songs on other scales, as long as the song doesn't require notes that aren't available on a scale on the harmonica.
Step 5. Practice
Keep practicing playing the scales and notes separately until you can play one note at a time smoothly. Once you are able to control the harmonica well, choose simple songs and practice them. If you're having trouble, try searching the internet for tablatures of simple songs like "Mary Had a Little Lamb" or "Oh, Susanna."
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Add texture by playing multiple notes at once. The next step in practice is to relax your control and add chords of two or three notes to the rehearsed song by blowing/pulling air into two or three adjacent holes at the same time. This will allow you to develop greater control over your mouth and breathing, and make the song more interesting to listen to.
Don't play the song until it's finished with just the chords. Insert a chord at the end of a stanza or phrase. What's more important is that you can feel comfortable switching from one note to several notes (and vice versa)
Method 3 of 5: Trying Advanced Techniques
Step 1. Take a paid course
From this point on, you can produce better sounds more quickly if you practice with an experienced harmonica player, although you can still learn on your own. Harmonica courses are offered at various prices and schedules. Feel free to try several free course sessions from one teacher, then look for other teachers until you find one that fits your needs.
While taking the course, stick to guides and books to develop your skills. There is no reason to “get rid of” other learning resources just because you are taking a course with an expert
Step 2. Skip the no-play holes
Of course, it's hard not to constantly blow or draw air on the harmonica, but as you start playing more difficult songs, you'll need to practice going through a few holes to get to the holes you need. Play songs that require you to skip a hole or two (e.g. the traditional American song, “Shenandoah” which requires you to jump from the fourth hole to the sixth hole at the end of the second phrase, on a standard diatonic harmonica with a base note of C major).
Practice going through the holes by slightly moving the harmonica away from your mouth, and returning it to its proper position (so you get to know the position of each hole better) and stopping the airflow without removing the harmonica from your mouth (so you can practice breathing control)
Step 3. Play the harmonica by holding it with both hands
At first, you may hold the harmonica with the index and thumb of your left hand (non-dominant hand) and slide the instrument as you play. Develop your skills by using your right hand (dominant hand). Stack the bottom of your palm under your left thumb, and press the center of your right palm to your left side so that the fingers of your right hand can be bent near the ring finger of your left hand. This position creates a kind of "earpiece" that can be used to influence the sound output of the harmonica.
- Create a soft chirping or screeching sound by opening and closing the earpiece. Apply this “effect” at the end of the verse to add some more emotion to it, or practice this effect on any part of the song you want.
- Create a train whistle effect by opening the earpiece, then closing it and opening it again.
- Produce subdued, subdued sound by closing the earpiece.
- With this position, you may need to hold the harmonica at an angle, with the left end pointing down and in (closer to the body). This position itself actually makes it easier for you to try other techniques, so try to enjoy it.
Step 4. Learn how to block harmonica holes with your tongue (tongue blocking)
This technique is suitable for stringing separate notes into beautiful chords, without destroying the main or original notes. Use the sides of your tongue to cover some notes on a chord, then in the middle of playing, slide or lift your tongue to add previously “closed” notes. Mastering this technique takes practice, but the "earhole" position of the hand can help adjust the side of the tongue to the hole's cross section naturally.
- Start by opening your mouth and covering the first four holes on the harmonica. Use your tongue to cover holes “1” through “3” and play notes in a “straight-position” pattern on hole “4”. If you play it right, you only hear the sound from the fourth hole. Once you can do this easily, play the notes continuously, then lift or slide your tongue to produce complete harmony using the first through third holes.
- Tongue blocking techniques can be used to add a touch of wals or polka to a song by alternating it with playing separate notes (or a variety of other techniques). This technique is very flexible. Practice using it until you feel comfortable improvising using the technique from song to song.
Step 5. Learn the pitch bending technique
The advanced technique that may be the most complicated when viewed from the number of exercises required is the note bending technique. This technique is the art of changing the notes produced by the harmonica by tightening and sharpening the airflow. Harmonica experts can turn a diatonic harmonica into a de facto chromatic harmonica only through this technique. For now, you can practice producing “flat” notes to complement your musical repertoire.
- In the basic tone-bending technique, you should minimize the opening in your lips and sharply draw air from the hole with the pitch you want to bend. Use a cross-harp pattern and gradually tighten or move your lips until you hear a change in pitch. By tightening and relaxing your lips, you can further control the tone they produce.
- Be careful when you practice this technique. Because air passes through the reeds quickly and “sharply”, the airflow can loosen or bend the reeds thereby damaging the instrument. Patience and instrument care are needed to find a balance between notes that are too "flat" or notes that are bent too "far".
Method 4 of 5: Playing the “Happy Birthday” Song
Step 1. Blow hole “6” twice
The holes on the harmonica are marked with the numbers 1-10, from left to right. To start the song, draw air from hole “6” twice. These two notes signify the word "Happy" in the first line of the song "Happy Birthday".
- Ideally, your harmonica should be tuned to a C major chord (on most standard harmonicas). Otherwise, you can still play the song “Happy Birthday”, but the song will play in a different basic note. If you want to get a harmonica in a C major chord, you can buy a new harmonic or take it to a music store for a professional tuning.
- "Happy Birthday" is usually played or sung in a tempo of 100 BPM (beats per minute or beats per minute). Each note is played on a single beat, and the tempo doesn't change throughout the song.
Step 2. Inhale the air, then exhaust it back into hole “6”
This procedure is not the same as simply blowing air into the hole. As you inhale, press your mouth against the opening, then inhale instead of exhaling. First draw in the air from the “6” hole, then let it out again.
- These two notes make up the word “Birthday” on the first line of the song.
- Inhalation is usually indicated by a minus sign. If written, the note might look something like this: “-6”.
Step 3. Draw air from hole “7”, then exhaust it into the same hole
Place your mouth on hole “7”, then draw in air. Right after that, blow the air back into the same hole.
These two notes form the phrase “to you” in the line “Happy birthday to you”
Step 4. Repeat the first four notes
Since the second line of the song repeats the first line, the first four notes of this line are exactly the same. Play the notes “6”, “6”, “-6”, “6” to sing the phrase “Happy birthday”.
Step 5. Inhale from hole “8”, then exhale air into hole “7”
The last part of the phrase in the second line is slightly different. To sing “to you”, inhale from the “8” hole, then exhale into the “7” hole. The last part of “Happy birthday to you” on the second line of the song has been completed.
Step 6. Blow holes “6”, “6”, “9”, “8”, and “7”
These notes form the phrase “Happy birthday dear”. Take a deep breath beforehand so you have enough air to blow all the holes and play all the notes!
Step 7. Inhale air from hole “7”, then exhale air to “6”
If you're singing the song "Happy Birthday" in person, you're usually mentioning the birthday person's name in this section. Inhale from the “7” hole, then exhale the air into the “6” hole.
Step 8. Play the notes “-9”, “-9”, “8”, “7”, “-8”, “7”
This section is the last line of the song "Happy Birthday". Draw air from hole “9” twice. Bleed air into holes “8” and “7”. Inhale air from hole “8”, then exhale air to “7” to finish the song.
Method 5 of 5: Playing the “Hallelujah” Song
Step 1. Start by playing the notes “5”, “6”, “6”, “6”, “6”, “-6”, “-6”, “-6”
Keep in mind that a negative number indicates an inhale, while a positive number indicates an exhale. For the first row, blow air into hole “5”, then “6”, “6”, “6”, and “6”. Draw air from hole “6” three times after that.
- The notes sing the line “I've heard there was a secret chord.”
- While blowing air into hole “6” three times, increase the tempo of play. The tempo of the song becomes faster on the word "secret".
Step 2. Play the notes “5”, “6”, “6”, “6”, “6”, “6”, “-6”, “-6”, “-6”
You need to repeat the same phrase, as previously played. The notes sing the line “That David played, and it pleased the Lord”.
Unlike the first line, don't speed up the tempo near the last part of this line. Play all notes in one tap
Step 3. Switch to the notes “6”, “-6”, “-6”, “-6”, “-6”, “-6”, “6”, “6”, “-5”, “6”, “6”
Exhale air through hole “6”, then draw in air through hole “6” five times. Blow air into hole “6” twice, draw air from hole “5”, then exhale into hole “6” twice.
These notes make up the line “But you don't really care for music, do you? " Each note is played in a single beat
Step 4. Play the notes “5”, “6”, “6”, “6”, “6”, “-6”, “-6”, “-7”
Bleed air into hole “5”, then blow air back into hole “6” four times. Draw air from hole “6” twice, then draw air from hole “7”.
These notes form the line “It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth”
Step 5. Play the notes “6”, “7”, “7”, “-6”, “7”, “7”, “-8”
Blow air into hole “6”, then blow air into hole “7” twice. Inhale air from hole “6”, then exhale through hole “7” twice. Finally, draw air from hole “8”.
The notes form the line “The minor fall, the major lift”
Step 6. Emphasize the notes “7”, “-8”, “-8”, “-8”, “-8”, “8”, “8”, “8”, “-8”, “- 8”, “7”, “7”
At this point, the music becomes louder. Blow air into hole “7”, then draw air from hole “8” four times. Bleed air into hole “8” three times, then draw air from the same hole twice. Blow hole “7” twice after that.
These notes form the line “The baffled king composing Hallelujah”
Step 7. Start the chorus with the notes “5”, “6”, “-6”, “-6”, “-6”, “6”, “5”, “5”
Blow hole “5”, then blow hole “6”. Inhale air from hole “6” three times, then exhale air into the same hole. Blow hole “5” again twice.
In this section, you sing the line “Hallelujah, Hallelujah”
Step 8. End the song with “5”, “6”, “-6”, “-6”, “-6”, “6”, “5”, “-5”, “5”, “-4”, “4”, “4”
Blow air into hole “5”, then hole “6”. Inhale air from hole “6” three times, then exhale through the same hole. Blow through hole “5”, draw air from the same hole, then exhale again. Inhale air from hole “4”, then exhale into the same hole twice.
This passage repeats the phrase “Hallelujah, Hallelujah”. However, the second “Hallelujah” line tends to be longer so there are more notes to play. Speed up the last few notes to fit into the lyrics
Tips
- As is the case with most instruments, at first everyone cannot produce beautiful sounds or notes when playing the harmonica. Some people take longer to develop their talents and produce a more beautiful tone. Practice every day, and don't give up.
- As you bend notes, take a deep breath. Turning notes on the harmonica requires good tone stability, and strong lungs to accommodate a lot of air.
