Teach Yourself to Play Harmonica

Don't play an instrument? Learn the Harmonica, it's easy, cheap, portable, and sounds great.

Go to this guys webpage:
http://www.volcano.net/~jackmearl/index.html

he has excellent free online lessons, and songs to practice. The songs are written out in very easy to follow number system (#1 = hole 1 of harmonica, #2 = hole 2, etc), and for each song you can click a play button on the top right of the screen to hear the song played.

Therefore you need no musical background to learn, just start playing according to the numbers and according to the beat you hear when you play the audio sample.

I made a collection of the better songs and their respective audio files (I downloaded the audio files from other random places on the net) and saved it as a .rar file (use winzip or winrar, both free, to open it). So I have everything I need and don't need to connect to the internet to practice.

You can carry around your harmonica and practice it wherever if you put the audio on your ipod and print out the song numberings.

Download the .rar file I attached if you want it.

Enjoy.

Comments

[sonicviz]

Try Harmonica Software app HarpNinja which is designed for beginners/intermediate players. Bluestime has a good review of version 1.0.

[Pinkly]

Anyone interested in learning blues harmonica should also check out Adam Gussow's channel on youtube. youtube.com/user/KudzuRunner.

If I ever get decent with a diatonic, I might try a chromatic like the one in the picture up there. Don't want to make it more confusing than it is by mixing the two right now. LOL

[rchakraborty]

Does anyone know from which site can i learn how to play harmonica of 48 holes

[Pinkly]

Sounds like a tremolo harmonica. Don't know much about them, but I did find this:
http://www.tremoloharmonica.com/

[everyday im shuffling, except fridays, i got to get down on friday]

awesome harmonica, it it yours? i have a gold and green one but yours is classy

[tetsuxxx]

i just buy my self a harmonica. and thanks to you now i can learn to play it properly thanks..

[swiwiw]

the page you posted look great! thanks

[thepelton]

Something I discovered when I was in the Navy is that a clip for a standard issue 45 caliber pistol is almost exactly the same size as a Hohner Marine Band Harmonica. Two, one of each of two keys, would fit in the two pocket clip holder that goes on the web belt. You could have a whole string of them, one in each key, plus sharps, flats and minor keys in a Chewbacca-like bandolier.

[lemclaughlin119]

hey, anyone know how to change the format of the file so i put it on my ipod...it wont work as a .rar?

[leevonk]

a .rar file is like a .zip file: it's a compressed folder. It's not a music file. To open a .rar you'll need either a free demo version of winzip or winrar, look them up on google. When you use oen of these programs to open the .rar, you will see all of the lesson files (written music and sound files) within.

[maharg20]

Win RAR is good, because when the free trial runs out, you can still have the program. It may ask you to buy the Software, but the trial still works. I've had it for 5 years!

[fd93]

You can use "jZip it is free and the same as winzip

[shaunak]

Or you can use zipGenius or 7zip. Both are free, 7zip being opensource.

[Coliflower]

 make an account at www.pspiso.com , and you can download the full version free.

[James (pseudo-geek)]

I have a harmonica but it sounds aweful; is there any way to tune them?

[wackyvorlon]

It is possible to tune them. There is a whole field of harmonica hacking, changing the tuning and upgrading harmonicas. There are even vendors who buy stock Hohner Marine Band harmonicas and a replace the wooden comb with a plastic one.

I would pick up a Lee Oskar harmonica, they are excellent and bend very easily. Always watch the #2 draw - if you try it, and get nothing but wheezy squealing, this does not mean that your harmonica is dead. The #2 hole, when being drawn, requires a different embouchure from the rest of the holes. It'll take some practice, but you will get a hang of it.

[its a lion]

there may be, but since they only cost $20 its usually just easier to get a new one. it may not be tuning thats the problem. the reed could be bad, or it could be stuck, etc. or it could just be a bad harmonica...

[zikman]

I see no play button

[leevonk]

you have to click on the name of the song at the bottom of the lesson.

[gnargnar]

i don't see any way to play the song either. is it only certain songs?
http://www.volcano.net/~jackmearl/hymns/ohymns/o_to_be_like_thee.html
where on that page?

[dannyboy]

The beauty of the harmonica is its size. Keep one with ya at all times. Try playing to the radio when in the car (its tough cause ya only get two keys with one harp, straight/cross), when yer contemplating life, waitin' for friends at a concert, etc.... Trust me it'll pay off. I never did learn any songs but I can jam with anyone....and people don't run away or get pissed off anymore;) Just make sure ta get yer 'pucker' down pat.....single notes are the key....then work on accuracy and speed.

[Peter_Pansen]

The harmonica is the only instrument that I can play, and I learned it from your site and from Harmonicalessons (on this site only some things are free, other requires an membership :-( )

Peter Pansen

[WolvesOfWar]

nice, in 2 weeks, ill be getting 1 lesson from a pro. thank you

[SCrid2000]

Hey, I think I have that same harmonica. Does it say Marine Band on the other side?

[Sk8rDuck]

I got a harmonica a few weeks ago cus I wanted to have something I could take with me that is easy to play.