Skip to content
guitar and harmonic...
 
Notifications
Clear all

guitar and harmonica

20 Posts
12 Users
0 Likes
5,248 Views
(@reynold)
Estimable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 133
Topic starter  

hey guys, whts up? im a guitar player....still working on singing, recently i was listening to bob dylan and n young and i was blown away by their guitar and harmonica sounding together. the two instruments sounding together sound so good...and i believe every acoustic guitarist loves it. i was so insoired that a bought mu self a harmonica...its a lee Osker C harp. i cant wait to play it though i still need to learn it....so i would like to meet and talk to guitarists who play harmonica along with it...and guys i wont rest untill i learn it so please share your experience with me.

:D :D :D

" Take what you can from your dreams and make them real as anything " - Dave Matthews.


   
Quote
(@reynold)
Estimable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 133
Topic starter  

**inspired

" Take what you can from your dreams and make them real as anything " - Dave Matthews.


   
ReplyQuote
 Taso
(@taso)
Famed Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 2811
 

I bought a harmonica a year or so ago and never learnt it. I hope you do, good luck with that. One thing you will need is a neck brace type thing that holds the harmonica for you.

http://taso.dmusic.com/music/


   
ReplyQuote
(@dogbite)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6348
 

harps are great. besides Dylan you have Neil Young. there is a lot of footage with both those guys on harp and guitar.
I was into a Chicago duo well two Chicago duos at one time. Siegal/Scwhall band . acoustic blues and harp.
and then there is Buddy Guy and Junior Wells.

there is this thing about harmonica key and guitar key whee they are not the same. I forget, but if you have a C harp you play guitar in G or something.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=644552
http://www.soundclick.com/couleerockinvaders


   
ReplyQuote
(@causnorign)
Honorable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 554
 

The hardest thing to learn at first with a harp is how to blow just one note at a time and how to bend notes. From there on it gets to be just a matter of practice..practice and more practice. I played the harp for 2 years before starting on a guitar, now I need to get back into it again.


   
ReplyQuote
(@vic-lewis-vl)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 10264
 

There used to be an old joke about the most useless things in the world, but this is a family forum - but you could probably add to the list, "The instructions in the box on how to play harmonica." I've had mine about 2 years, I bought harps in A C and D - was thinking of getting some more in D, E F and G, but to be honest, the amount of time I'd be able to dedicate to them is minimal.

there is this thing about harmonica key and guitar key where they are not the same. I forget, but if you have a C harp you play guitar in G or something.

He's talking about playing crossharp - I can never figure that bit out myself, even though I know both Nick and Lars have posted about it in the past. Maybe one of these days someone'll give us the definitive answer and make it a sticky!

:D :D :D

Vic

"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)


   
ReplyQuote
(@oenyaw)
Reputable Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 395
 

I have a C, E-flat, G, and a big chinese made 3 octave C harmonicas. They're fun. I don't think I'll ever be good enough to play them in front of people, but my dogs enjoy them. Pink Floyd's "Seamus" features Steve Marriott's dog singing to a harmonica. He (SM) trained the dog to sing to the harmonica, and while Rick Wright was dog sitting, he brought the dog into the studio and they recorded "Seamus". "Pink Floyd at Pompeii" features another harmonica singing dog, Mademoiselle Nobs filmed in a studio in Paris. My dogs don't sing that well.

A really good harmonica guitar playing skit is on the movie "Monty Python meets Beyond th Fringe" or "Pleasure at Her Majesty's".
Starts with the line "I've suffered for my art, now it's your turn".

I once saw an old man on the streets of Washington, DC playing guitar and kazoo. I can still think of him. He was Great!

Brain-cleansing music for brain-numbing times in a brain dead world
http://www.oenyaw.com


   
ReplyQuote
(@riff-raff)
Reputable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 371
 

Neil Young and Dylan, for the most part, play straight harp. So if you were to play a Dylan song in the key of "C", then a "C" harmonica would work for you.

To put it simply (it isn't really this simple), when a harmonica player plays mostly "unbent" blow notes on a harmonica, he is playing "straight" harp, which is in
the key stamped on the harmonica. If they are playing mostly "draw" notes and is also bending notes, towards the lower end of the harmonica, he is playing "cross" harp or "blues" harp. Think of Little Walter, James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite...

Read this:
General Overview-2nd Position or "Cross Harp"

An easy shortcut to find the 2nd position key- If your thumb is the key of the harmonica (which is the same as the 1st position key), count through the alphabet and stop at your "little finger" for the 2nd position key. For example, your thumb is "C" and your little finger would be "G" (key of 2nd position on the "C" harmonica). Try it with a key of "D" harmonica, counting from thumb to little finger you should get the key of "A" for 2nd position. Please note, in music, "A" follows "G". There is no "H" note (C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C-D-E-F-G-A-B, etc.)

Most of the time, if you see a player using a neck rack and playing an acoustic guitar, they are playing straight harp.

I've been playing harp now and then for a few years. I like to play cross harp with a blues backing track. My favorite is a "D" harmonica played "cross" in the key of "A" with a 12 bar blues in "A" backing track.

I also have a neck rack. I try to play acoustic guitar and sing and play the harp at the same time. It's not easy for me. It's like rubbing your head with one hand, patting your tummy with the other hand, and trying to dial a telephone with your tongue. :x


   
ReplyQuote
(@poorpetebest)
Trusted Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 38
 

I also have a neck rack. I try to play acoustic guitar and sing and play the harp at the same time. It's not easy for me. It's like rubbing your head with one hand, patting your tummy with the other hand, and trying to dial a telephone with your tongue. :x

I think this may be your problem :lol:

In all seriousness though, the harmonica and guitar are perfect natural compliments to one another. I think the key to learning is just playing around with it. I had no idea what I was doing at first, but the harmonica feels more like an extension of your voice than another instrument to me. In no time at all I was able to pick out the notes to most of the songs I was learning. Bending notes starts to make things a bit tricky but as Riff Raff mentioned, most Bob Dylan and Neil Young songs are straight harp. If your harmonica is in the right key, you'll find it difficult to sound awkward. Another great song for learning is Mary Jane's Last Dance. Easy key of C song with a very recognizable harmonica part.


   
ReplyQuote
(@citizennoir)
Noble Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 1247
 

I find the Harmonica a terribly difficult thing to master.

Just starting out - expect your lips to swell and puff and tingle....
and your toungue to get cramped (especially in regard to bends).
And your jaws to ache (from laughing yourself silly at all of it :D )

Yeah, straight harp is very melodic.
It can be very pleasing.
The key is learning to hit single notes only/all the time.
Practice that a lot.

If you have an automatic transmission in your vehicle - I find that a good place to practice is in your car (yes, while driving.
Hopefully alone)
You can even pop in an instructional tape or CD to guide you.
Or just practice forming your mouth correctly and hitting single notes.

Vic - try this -
Think of the harp actual key being the Movable A Barre chord and the crossharp Key to be the same fret's corresponding
moveable E Barre chord.

That is to say that a C harp played in cross harp would be G.
D = A / E = B/ B = F#

Or look at it with just the E and A strings and what the notes are on that same fret.
Harp = A string
Guitar plays in E string on same fret.

Hope that made it a mental sticky for ya :D

Ken

"The man who has begun to live more seriously within
begins to live more simply without"
-Ernest Hemingway

"A genuine individual is an outright nuisance in a factory"
-Orson Welles


   
ReplyQuote
(@reynold)
Estimable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 133
Topic starter  

thank u so much for sharing your info. guys :D glad to hear from u all...now im facing 1 problem and that is blowing a single note....is it necessary to play by only blowing on single notes? ( i dont have much idea about the instrument but i am crazy abt learning it ).....another thing is can straight harp ( C - harp ) be played in songs set in the other keys like E circle or G circle??? :?:

pls some give some tips on blowing the single notes :!:

" Take what you can from your dreams and make them real as anything " - Dave Matthews.


   
ReplyQuote
(@reynold)
Estimable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 133
Topic starter  

???

" Take what you can from your dreams and make them real as anything " - Dave Matthews.


   
ReplyQuote
(@colin-rp)
Eminent Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 37
 

To single note on the harmonica you want to hold your mouth shape so that air does not escape into the holes next to the hole you are trying to sound. If you pucker your lips in the mirror you see that your lips shape a small round hole. Play around with puckering when you sound notes. Learn the shape you hold your mouth when you are hitting clean single notes that's what you want.
That being said you don't have to single note a harmonica. Your C harp is set to play C chords on all its blow notes. if you are playing an E and G that gives you an E minor double stop. Those are the 2 and 3 blow, 5 and 6 blow, and 8 and 9 blow.
The chords available on the draw notes are - 1234 draw is the G chord, 456 draw is D minor, 56 drw is a F major double stop 8,9, 10 draw is a D minor chord and 9, 10 is another F major double stop. You can play major and blues scales from the E note but you need to be able to bend. The place on the harp where you can play a major scale without bending is btween 4 blow and 7 blow in C. You can play a blues scale without bending in D between 4 draw and 8 draw. I personally found a really easy way to learn is by picking out melodies in these two positions and while learning bending in the other positions.


   
ReplyQuote
(@jasonrunguitar)
Reputable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 273
 

There are two general ways to get a clear single note out of the harmonica:

1) Pucker: Shape your mouth like you're going to whistle, only just blow (or draw, depending on what note you want!). This will get the air into a single focus column which will be easier to put through just one hole.

2) Tongue Action!: Put your whole mouth on the harmonica. This means top lip on top, bottom lip on the bottom - I know, it gets a little messy and slobbery at times, but it's worth it! Aim for 3 holes. That is, when you put your mouth on the harmonica and blow, it should play 3 notes at once. Now comes the tricky part. To play a single hole, use your tongue to cover up the other 2. This is easiest for the outside holes, where this involves covering the other two which are right next to each other. For the center hole, this involves making your tongue into a 'U"-shape to cover the two outside holes while leaving the middle whole open.

Hope this helps!

-Jason
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To those about to rock, we salute you!
http://www.soundclick.com/jasonwittenbach


   
ReplyQuote
(@citizennoir)
Noble Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 1247
 

Hey :)

Well, it's true that you don't have to ONLY play single notes on a harmonica.

As you can easily see, it's not too hard to play a chord (although a sloppy one) on the harmonica.

While it's not so easy to play a single note.
Especially one with good intonation.

IMO - the cornerstone to playing the harmonica is to learn the single note first.
This teaches you how to use your mouth and strengthens your mouth muscles.

You will also then find it easier to control your chords.

Regardless of what anyone says - single notes are used a lot in straight and cross harp.

I personally like the pucker method.... the tongue method needs to be learned as well (or vice versa depending on which
you like best).
They both have their place.

Ken

"The man who has begun to live more seriously within
begins to live more simply without"
-Ernest Hemingway

"A genuine individual is an outright nuisance in a factory"
-Orson Welles


   
ReplyQuote
Page 1 / 2