An archive of harmonica lessons on YouTube
An introduction to a series of lessons and philosophies concerning playing vs. practice and how we are all equals at music.
A lesson about basic music theory by explaining the white notes on a keyboard.
A lesson explaining there are no black keys between E and F as well as between B and C. It is also about how to name the black keys as sharps and names all 12 keyboard notes.
A lesson explaining enharmonics, how each black key on a keyboard has two names, a sharp and a flat name.
A lesson explaining the notes that are built into a C diatonic harmonica.
A lesson explaining the blow notes on a C diatonic harmonica.
A lesson explaining the draw notes in holes 1 through 4 on a C diatonic harmonica and the basics of cross harp.
A lesson explaining the draw notes holes 1 through 10 on a C harp. It includes a way to remember them. It also explains what chords they create.
A lesson explaining bending logic that uses the note location information found in previous lessons to find a C major scale in the second octave of the harmonica.
A lesson explaining that the low end of the harmonica holes 1 through 6 has blow notes that are lower in pitch than the draw notes and holes 7 through 10 has draw notes that are lower than the blow notes.
A lesson explaining how to use the two rules of bending to discover that you can only bend on the draw notes from holes 1 through 6 and only bend on the blow holes from holes 7 through 10.
A lesson using the two rules of bending to find the names of the bent notes in holes 1 through 3 on a C diatonic harmonica.
A lesson explaining the bends in holes 4 through 6 draw on a C harmonica and how you can bend to get quarter tones, notes in between two consecutive keyboard notes.
A lesson explaining high note bends.
A lesson explaining the two rules of overblows.
A lesson explaining which notes are created by overblowing holes 1,2 and 3 on a C diatonic harmonica.
A lesson explaining how to find the names of the overblows in holes four through six on a C diatonic harmonica.
A lesson explaining overdraws.
A lesson explaining half steps and whole steps.
A lesson explaining how to use the C major scale to find the major scale formula for any key.
A lesson explaining how to find the C, C# and D major scales.
A lesson explaining the pitfalls of creating the twelve major scales.
A lesson explaining the importance of learning all twelve major scales.
A lesson explaining the key of C chromatic harmonica layout.
A lesson explaining the notes on a C chromatic harp when the button is in.
A lesson explaining how to write out the tablature for the 12 major scales on the C chromatic.
A lesson explaining how to write out the circle of fifths.
A lesson explaining a rule for using the circle of fifths to remember a major scale.
A lesson explaining how to use the circle of fifths rule to remember the names of the notes in the major scales that have sharps in them.
A lesson explaining how by using the rule of the circle of fifths you can prove that the Ab major scale contains 8 sharps.
A lesson explaining the rule of the circle of fourths.
A lesson explaining what positions are and how they relate to the circle of fifths.
A lesson explaining positions.
A lesson explaining how the circle of fifths relates to positions.
A lesson explaining how to use the circle of fifths to choose the right harp for the right key while playing cross harp aka second position. It explains how to use the circle of fifths to find 1 4 and 5 chords.
A lesson explaining how to find the C major scale on a C diatonic.
A lesson explaining how to find the C major scale on the C diatonic harmonica that pontificates on which G to use, 2 draw or 3 blow.
A lesson explaining how to find the C major scale in the first octave of the C harmonica and my take on when to tongue articulate a note.
A lesson explaining how to find a C major scale on a C diatonic harmonica.
A lesson explaining what a progression is.
A lesson explaining progressions.
A lesson explaining how to take inventory to know which holes will sound good when using a scale and gives some tips on jamming in 1st position major.
A lesson explaining how to locate the G major scale on a C diatonic harmonica.
A lesson explaining the G major scale on a C harmonica, or cross harp aka second position major scale. It also explains the three things to think about while learning a scale.
A lesson explaining finding the G major scale on the C diatonic harp and how to play it.
A lesson explaining how to jam using the G major scale on a C harp.
A lesson explaining how to transpose a song from C major to G major while remaining on a C harp.
A lesson explaining how to find the D major scale, or third position, on a C harp and begins to explain minor music.
A lesson explaining how to find the D major scale in the second octave of a C diatonic harmonica.
A lesson explaining the D major scale and how to jam with it.
A lesson explaining modes.
A lesson explaining modes.
A lesson explaining about Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian and Lydian modes.
A lesson explaining Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian modes.
A lesson explaining how modes and harmonica positions are related. I jam in first position Ionian.
A lesson explaining how the 2nd position Mixolydian scale lays out easily on a diatonic harmonica.
A lesson explaining how the Dorian mode and third position are a good fit.
A lesson explaining how 4th position and the Aeolian mode are a good fit.
A lesson explaining how to take the G major scale on a C harp and play in 2nd position major and 4th position Dorian.
A lesson explaining how to use the second position major scale, G on a C harp, to play in 3rd and 5th position by using the Mixolydian and Aeolian modes.
A lesson explaining that there are as many modes as there are notes in all of the scales in the world.
A lesson describing how to find a mode in any key.
A lesson explaining how to create the Mixolydian numbers pattern that will turn any major scale into a Mixolydian scale in the same key. Then I show the layout of the 1st position Mixolydian scale.
A lesson describing how to use the circle of fifths to know the name of any note in a major scale in any key.
A lesson demonstrating the four dialects of blues harmonica.
A lesson explaining how two licks define playing blues in first position in the first octave.
A lesson explaining second position Mixolydian.
A lesson explaining how to use the third position Mixolydian scale as a way to begin playing blues in third position.
A lesson explaining how to play blues using the first position Dorian scale.
A lesson explaining the difference between playing major and minor. I begin to explain playing diatonically.
A lesson explaining how to find the chords that are diatonic to the major scale.
A lesson explaining how to find the chords that are diatonic to the Dorian scale and jam in first position Dorian.
A lesson explaining how to play cross harp Dorian. In this video I discuss Canned Heat's On the Road Again. I do not have the rights to this song and discuss it purely for educational purposes.
A lesson explaining how 3rd position Dorian is one of the easiest ways to play harp for blues or minor music.
A lesson pointing out important aspects of the Blues scale.
A lesson explaining the advantages of the first position blues scale.
A lesson explaining the cross harp blues scale.
A lesson explaining the third position blues scale.
A lesson deconstructing a blues solo. I have no rights to the song used, Slim Harpo Baby Scratch My Back. This video is for educational purposes only.
A lesson explaining how to find the harp and position that Slim Harpo uses in Baby Scratch My Back. I have no rights to the song, this is purely for educational purposes.
A lesson explaining that in order to find notes another musician is playing, move chromatically from low to high and you will always hit the right note. It then explains the low to high rules of a diatonic.
A lesson explaining how to use spidey sense to figure out what notes Slim Harpo is playing in Baby Scratch My Back. I have no rights to the song, this is purely for educational purposes.
A lesson continuing to transcribe Slim Harpo's Baby Scratch My Back. I have no rights to this song and am using it for educational purposes only.
A lesson explaining what horizontal and vertical playing is about.
A lesson explaining how to use the blues scale to make educated guesses as to what notes are being played and how to pay special attention to notes that aren't in the blues scale.
A lesson explaining how to know the names of any note on any harp.
A lesson explaining how to use chromatic scale degrees to know the names of the notes on any harp.
A lesson explaining the straight harp numbers template.
A lesson using the straight harp numbers template to fill out the names on the notes on a Bb harmonica.
A lesson explaining how to create the cross harp numbers template.
A lesson explaining how to find the names of the notes on any harmonica using the cross harp numbers template.
A lesson analyzing the first verse of Baby Scratch My Back.
A lesson discussing when Slim Harpo played the notes he chose.
