Anyone?
I'm getting one next week

smellmyfunk said:

Yes. I play the thing, half-way decent I spose. Any questions?

otan said:

hmm..cool. How did you learn to play it? And what kind of harmonica
do you have? oh and have you incorporated some harmonica in your songs/music?
Hope you don't mind me asking so much
By the way, your version of "Life Can Be So Nice" is fucking great!

smellmyfunk said:

go check out my magic at http://heavyweight.funkmusician.com - click on the song "She's Too Rich".

I learned the easy way - by playing and practicing constantly. Go buy three or four harps in different keys and a Little Walter CD. Put the harps and the CD in your car, and play the harps everytime you're in the car. You will suck really bad for the first few weeks and people will shiver in fear when your car is next to theirs.

Tips: The key on the harp is for major scales. For blues, the marked key is actually the IV -- meaning, a C will play over a blues (rock, funk, etc) in the key of G. A "D" harp plays over the key of A, etc. etc. THE ROOT NOTE for blues harp is the 3rd hole OUT (exhaling), and the 2nd hole, IN (inhaling).

The first thing you'll want to learn how to do is how to blow just a single note. yes yes, insert jokes here about blow and suck, because that's all i'll be talking about for the next three paragraphs.

You will need to get a single note out of the harmonica. It takes practice. That's all I can tell you. Sucking in as well as blowing out. Once you can nail that, the next thing is the warble, where you shake your head left and right really quick and alternate sucking between two holes (yes yes, oh the jokes are too easy now boys) usually the 3-4, 4-5 or 5-6 holes.

Lastly, the final tool you'll need to wail on harp is the BEND. The bend is the thing that you do and people drop their pants and say, "oh damn, this guy is good" when actually, you're sucking. HAHHAA. I kid.

To do a bend, imagine you're taking a pull on a cigarette and trying to say the word, "YOU" while inhaling, but keep the tip of your tongue curled to the bottom of your mouth the whole time. What you're doing is changing the way the air is being pulled over the reed in the harmonica. It takes some work - a LOT of work, but lucky you, you've got 4 different key harps in your car and a Little Walter CD, so you've got everything you need!

Best of luck. It's really easy to pick up if you have the patience to really suck (and I mean talent-wise) for awhile.

(As far as, "No no, I mean, how do I play like John Popper from Blues Traveller" just don't. The harp player in my old band plays like him, and he's been trying to teach me for 5 years. I can't do it, and I never will. I think it requires a lot of speed and no need to actually use oxygen in your system over long periods of time.)

"She's Too Rich"
Thank you so much for all the info!
I'll keep on sucking!