Blues Harp Tutorial
- 1). Identify the key of the blues harp you should use. In blues, the harmonica you will choose will be in "crossed" position. This means the key of the blues harp should be in a different key of the song. First identify the key of the song you are playing by identifying each note in the song. Choose the blues harp key five half tones above the key of the song. For example, if the song is in the key of C, you would count up five half steps to use a harmonica in the key of F.
- 2). Learn to hold the blues harp. Make a "C" shape with your non-dominant hand and cup the harmonica on its side with the holes facing you. Use your dominant hand to cup around the front of the harmonica. When the dominant hand is over the holes, it is a closed cup. When the dominant hand is open, it is an open cup. You will close and open the cup to add dynamic sounds and vibratos to the harmonica.
- 3). Practice the scale on the blues harp. Exhale into the first hole. Inhale from the first hole. Then move on to the second hole, the third hole and so on. This will play the scale.
- 4). Learn to bend a note. Bending a note is a technique to change a pitch of a single note and is a signature sound in blues. For example, you can draw a D note from the C hole. Bending a note is done by using a combination of your tongue, throat and lungs to vary pressure across the reed. Bending is one of the more difficult techniques to master. As you draw a note, lower your tongue to create more space in your mouth. It is similar to changing the tone of a note as you whistle. This will take some practice, but with time it can be mastered.
- 5). Play along to a blues song. Practice is essential for learning blues harp. Once you have identified the correct key, practice improvisation and playing along to the melody of a blues song.
