Learning the Blues Harp?

[PMatt]

I have recently been wrapped up with Blues Harmonica and have been trying to learn how to play and Its much harder then I first thought. I have come accross a few youtube guys that really have made it a little easier to undertake.

http://www.youtube.com/user/JamCamp06

http://www.youtube.com/user/KudzuRunner

They both have some Really, good lessons for begginners all the way up to advanced players. Plus they offer a lot of insight and history behind the instrument and music.

Thought I would share. Anyone else out there tyring to learn this instrument or have any other resources for me?

[Jaimoe]

Thanks for the link. My dad bought my me a Lee Oskar E harp before he died back in 1996 but I found playing the thing quite frustrating. I'll do my best now to make him proud.

[can-o-phish]

Ya gotta have the blues if you wanna play the blues...

[SaggyBalls]

you gotta play WITH PEOPLE.

[zero]

Jaimoe I bet you got one of those Lee Oskar Pro Harp's - there not really good for beginners at all because they have notes transposed etc. so that experienced players can play certain scales.

To learn you want a basic C harp with no transpositions and alot of the learn to play books are actually quite useful.

[Jaimoe]

Jaimoe I bet you got one of those Lee Oskar Pro Harp's - there not really good for beginners at all because they have notes transposed etc. so that experienced players can play certain scales.

To learn you want a basic C harp with no transpositions and alot of the learn to play books are actually quite useful.

I haven't dug out my harp in a number of years, but I remember my dad dropping a decent amount of cash when buying it. I've messed around with it and remember that it sounded rich and full and not that hard to play. I never learned how to bend notes though; that's next.

[geomouse]

My wife gave me nice set of beginner Hohner Blues harps this year...C thru Bb, all in a case so I don't scatter them around, I suppose Such a great instrument! Fits in your pocket...one for the house, one for the cottage, one for the glove box, one for your wallet..I'm already spreading them around! Can't wait to try them on!

[zero]

Bending notes is actually really easy. I consider myself a non-musician but can play blues harp passably. Generally the instruction revolves around drawing in air through your mouth and dropping your tongue to the floor of your mouth then to normal. This is easily accomplished by drawing in and imagining yourself making the sound 'wheeeeeeee' then 'ooooooooh'. Just try going whee oooh whee oooh wheee oooh and your basically bending notes which is the core of blues harp. Learning scales and how to just hit the whee or the ooh independent of one another is trickier.

[bouche]

I can only bend on the mid-range to higher holes. I tried doing the first few holes and pull off some notes that would make up a scale, but my mouth just won't pull it off.

http://www.harmonicaclub.com/common/note_bending_for_harmonica.htm