Learning Blues Harp ?

PeterSchroeder

Munich, Germany
I know this is all about Blues guitar, and the guitar is what I am trying to learn. Still working on beginner blues guitar course... but there are occasions where I simply can’t take a guitar with me. Now as a blues addict the obvious first thought would be a harp. My mom and dad both used to play the harp at the camp fires, simple German folk songs, not the blues, and on harps with much more holes...

Now, are there any harp players here among the guitar players ? My question is, how hard would it be to learn basic blues tunes on the harp and where would I go to for finding out how to start ? Or would that be too much of a distraction from the guitar ?
 

tommytubetone

Great Lakes
I have dabbled around with harps in the past and am competent enough to lay down a few licks to provide fills or string some basic phrases together for a solo. I took a couple lessons, but it was trial and error after that. I didn't find it too difficult to get to a basic level. I know @Elio on the forum plays harp and may have some insights. I never learned blues tunes per se. Mostly licks that would work in just about any blues tune. Go for it!
 

CaptainMoto

Blues Voyager
Man,
I wish I could do that!!
Two harps setting on my studio table, just collecting dust.

Send us an audio sample when you get going...........love to hear you!
 

MikeS

Student Of The Blues
Staff member
Man,
I wish I could do that!!
Two harps setting on my studio table, just collecting dust.

Send us an audio sample when you get going...........love to hear you!

I hear ya. I have a whole set of harps collecting dust.
 

Mickey Duane

Used To Be A Rock Star
I actually play my harps all the time

I have all the keys in harps -- self taught except from some time spent with big Bob Hite from Canned Heat in the early seventies playing around with the harp and such

backing tracks and such is a good way to get in the groove

Happy Harping

Peace
 

Elio

Student Of The Blues
I have dabbled around with harps in the past and am competent enough to lay down a few licks to provide fills or string some basic phrases together for a solo. I took a couple lessons, but it was trial and error after that. I didn't find it too difficult to get to a basic level. I know @Elio on the forum plays harp and may have some insights. I never learned blues tunes per se. Mostly licks that would work in just about any blues tune. Go for it!

I'm not sure how I missed this and I'm not sure how competent I am, but here are a few thoughts. I picked up the harp about 5 years ago and found it fairly easy, especially after having played guitar and having studied a little bit of music theory. The original online course that I did was by Ben Hewitt. I think it is one of the better ones out there in that much like Griff, he approaches it from a music theory standpoint and it has a very comprehensive scope that covers everything from square one, up to some advanced techniques. It is not specifically a blues course, but a large number of the examples are blues-based. You can watch a couple of the lessons on the preview page at: https://www.udemy.com/course/benhewlettharmonicatuitionultimate-harmonica-course/

Another good source is Adam Gussow's website at https://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/home.html. Adam is a literature professor in Mississippi, who has really studied delta blues, and is also an accomplished harp player and teacher. He does not have a comprehensive course like Ben Hewlitt's, but has really good resources for learning individual songs or techniques, as well as very good song transcriptions to harp tablature. There is also a Facebook group for Gussow students, which also has a number of pro players like Charlie Musselwhite and Rick Estrin who sometimes post.

The best thing about playing harp is that I can carry around a practice set in my car for impromptu practice in traffic jams, while waiting in parking lots, etc. Like guitar, there is a huge array of gear available and the predictable debates about harmonicas, amps, mic's and other gear. My best suggestion is to start with a reasonably good quality harp, which is typically in the $25 to $60 price range. One of the issues with new harp players is that there is a tendency to be a bit rough and blow a lot harder than necessary, which can result in broken reeds. I started out using a Seydel Session Steel ($50-$60) to learn on, since it is German-made and has stainless steel reeds, which can stand up to a lot of abuse, but sounds great. For comparison, Seydel Blues Session with bronze-phosphor reeds is in the $30 range). Regardless of choice, a good harp in the key of C is the first one to get. That will allow you to play in C in first position, G in 2nd position and D in 3rd position. Add more harp keys as needed.
 

Dr. Ron

Nuthin’ But The Blues!
Peter...Elio is the guy for good blues harp advice. He has become a helluva good harpist over the
last few years. Besides that...he knows Charlie Musselwhite!
 

tommytubetone

Great Lakes
Peter...Elio is the guy for good blues harp advice. He has become a helluva good harpist over the
last few years. Besides that...he knows Charlie Musselwhite!
Yeah, Elio knows a little theory. I just grab the harp for the 4th interval of the key and try to make some meaningful noise. Positions? Above my pay grade. LOL
 

ChrisGSP

Blues Journeyman
I just grab the harp for the 4th interval of the key and try to make some meaningful noise.
That's interesting - I thought it was based on the Relative-key idea, i.e. A minor = C Major, so if you want to play Blues harp in A, choose a C harp. My contemporaries, back in the day, used to call it "crossed harp". Have I had it wrong all these years (and consequently never been able to make a mouth harp sound any good)?
 

Paleo

Student Of The Blues
As @Elio and @tommytubetone taken together have suggested, a C Harp will allow you to play in C (straight harp) in 1st Position, G in 2nd and D in 3rd, each an interval of a 4th above the previous (cross harp).

These are 3 closely related keys. C is a 5th below G and differs by only 1 note (F), while D is a 5th above G and differs by only 1 note (C#). C & D therefore differ by only 2 (F# & C#).

As chords they are the I, IV and V in G.

As with everything, these relationships can be easily seen using the Circle of 5ths.

Different positions will have their own advantages regarding notes you can play together as chords and the ease with which you can bend the desired notes.

Playing in 2nd position appears to be the ticket in blues.

Playing in relative minor gets a bit more involved, i.e. 4th position.:confused:

Elio may wish to elaborate.:)
 
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Elio

Student Of The Blues
That's interesting - I thought it was based on the Relative-key idea, i.e. A minor = C Major, so if you want to play Blues harp in A, choose a C harp. My contemporaries, back in the day, used to call it "crossed harp". Have I had it wrong all these years (and consequently never been able to make a mouth harp sound any good)?

It's based on modal scales. Cross-harp is 2nd position, which starting from the root at the 4th hole is the mixolydian mode. It's an interval of a fifth from the harp key, so a C harp would be used to play in the key of G (or a 4th counting from the key of the song to the harp key). As @Paleo pointed out, the advantage of 2nd position is that that there are relatively more draw notes with bends, which have a blusier sound. The downside to cross-harp is that the 3-hole draw must be bent down a 1/2 step to avoid a major 3rd and the fact that bending notes is a bit of an acquired skill.

3rd position is one interval (use a C harp to play in the key of D) and is the dorian mode. It actually has a very bluesy sound as well. I love to use that one for the Thrill is Gone, particularly the Paul Butterfield version. For that, I use an A harp to play in the key of B.
 

MikeS

Student Of The Blues
Staff member
I'm not sure how I missed this and I'm not sure how competent I am, but here are a few thoughts. I picked up the harp about 5 years ago and found it fairly easy, especially after having played guitar and having studied a little bit of music theory. The original online course that I did was by Ben Hewitt. I think it is one of the better ones out there in that much like Griff, he approaches it from a music theory standpoint and it has a very comprehensive scope that covers everything from square one, up to some advanced techniques. It is not specifically a blues course, but a large number of the examples are blues-based. You can watch a couple of the lessons on the preview page at: https://www.udemy.com/course/benhewlettharmonicatuitionultimate-harmonica-course/

Another good source is Adam Gussow's website at https://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/home.html. Adam is a literature professor in Mississippi, who has really studied delta blues, and is also an accomplished harp player and teacher. He does not have a comprehensive course like Ben Hewlitt's, but has really good resources for learning individual songs or techniques, as well as very good song transcriptions to harp tablature. There is also a Facebook group for Gussow students, which also has a number of pro players like Charlie Musselwhite and Rick Estrin who sometimes post.

The best thing about playing harp is that I can carry around a practice set in my car for impromptu practice in traffic jams, while waiting in parking lots, etc. Like guitar, there is a huge array of gear available and the predictable debates about harmonicas, amps, mic's and other gear. My best suggestion is to start with a reasonably good quality harp, which is typically in the $25 to $60 price range. One of the issues with new harp players is that there is a tendency to be a bit rough and blow a lot harder than necessary, which can result in broken reeds. I started out using a Seydel Session Steel ($50-$60) to learn on, since it is German-made and has stainless steel reeds, which can stand up to a lot of abuse, but sounds great. For comparison, Seydel Blues Session with bronze-phosphor reeds is in the $30 range). Regardless of choice, a good harp in the key of C is the first one to get. That will allow you to play in C in first position, G in 2nd position and D in 3rd position. Add more harp keys as needed.


Be sure that you get some royalties from Ben Hewlitt... I just bought two courses.
I've had a harp sitting on my desk for 40 years and about 10 years ago I bought a cheap set (Honer Piedmont Blues).
I've tried learning from a book (40 years ago) and another random YouTube guy (10 years ago) and I never went past the first lesson or two. I've already gotten more from Ben's introduction video than I have from the others.
 

matonanjin

Chubby, old guy trying to play some blues.
Check this out
https://truefire.com/techniques-guitar-lessons/blues-harmonica-blueprint/c162

This has gotten great reviews and might be really helpful to getting a good star to learning blues harp.

Good luck!
Chris beat me to it. I bought this course for a friend who is wanting to learn. I went to a two course on harmonica here in town put on by our local blues society and then bought this for myself as a follow up. Unfortunately, I have been putting what little effort I have into guitar for now.
 

Elio

Student Of The Blues
Be sure that you get some royalties from Ben Hewlitt... I just bought two courses.
I've had a harp sitting on my desk for 40 years and about 10 years ago I bought a cheap set (Honer Piedmont Blues).
I've tried learning from a book (40 years ago) and another random YouTube guy (10 years ago) and I never went past the first lesson or two. I've already gotten more from Ben's introduction video than I have from the others.

I'm glad you like him! I have exchanged a number of emails with him several times over the years and find myself really liking his approach. He takes a lot of pride in his courses. Much like Griff, at the slightest hint of a problem or complaint he jumps all over it to fix the issue. Let me know if you have any problems playing single notes as I have a really good resource for that.

Also, make sure to start off with a good quality harp as there is a huge difference in playability between a cheap one and a moderately priced one. If you don't want to spend much and don't mind buying from China, these are the best budget harps I've ever seen: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000054733027.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.1bba4c4dflwbS4. I have a complete practice/backup set, and they sound and play very well (the price on Amazon is about double). Otherwise, any of the German or Japanese made $25+ harps will generally be reasonably good.
 

Paleo

Student Of The Blues
A Little Paleo History.

In the early ‘70s I was out in California doing my solo acoustic thing.

One day in a moment of inspiration (?) I was sitting in my bedroom playing my Harmony Sovereign when I picked up a harmonica, opened a drawer in the dresser next to me and closed it just enough to hold the harmonica, like it was being held in a vice.

I had to bend sideways, but I just started "blowing" and "drawing" along to the chords I was playing on guitar and suddenly out came “Out On The Weekend” by Neil Young. ("Harvest" had just come out on cassette.:cool:) Then I started playing “Heart Of Gold”. Note for note. Like Neil.

I couldn’t believe it. It was just happening without any effort. I started playing Dylan songs. I started writing my own songs. I got a holder and started using it in my “act”. That went on for a couple more years.

I haven’t played in public or touched another harmonica since.

Until today. Woo Hoo!!!

You guys have inspired me.

We'll see how long that lasts.:whistle:


Point being that playing in 1st position in the key of the harp is pretty intuitive. All the notes of the Major scale are “pretty much in order” and no bending is required to play it.

So that might be one way to go just to get “oriented” and used to playing before you move into other positions.

Just a thought.

And a bit of a sentimental journey.


I dug out my copy of "Tommy Morgan Blues Harmonica" copyright 1971.

It's got all kinds of notes I wrote in it, but I don't remember ever even opening it up.o_O

300.jpg
 
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Dr. Ron

Nuthin’ But The Blues!
Paleo...Good memories about Dylan and the harmonica holder around the neck. I even did the cigarette in the holder
until my allergies got the best of me. Those were the days. Good luck with your new endeavor Paleo!
 
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