On Harmonica for Beginners Lesson 1 you’ll learn:

• The basics on the 10 hole diatonic harmonica
• How to hold the harmonica
• How to play a single harmonica note

10 hole Diatonic Harmonica

So now you have decided why you want to learn to play harmonica and what kind is the best harmonica for beginners you can get a harmonica and start to lean to play it. Once you have a harmonica you need to get to know it. On the face of the harmonica are the numbers 1-10 for a ten hole diatonic harmonica.  These are the position numbers for the holes.  Each hole has 2 reeds one on top and one on the bottom that each produce a different note. On a blow (exhaling) the lower note is produced. On a Draw (inhaling) the next higher note is played.  On a diatonic harmonica in the key of C a blow on the #1 hole position corresponds to middle C on piano.  The layout of a key of C diatonic harmonica is below.

There are different ways to hold the harmonica but the most common standard way to hold it is like this:

• Hold with first hand with the thumb along the bottom and the index finger across the top (flat parallel to where the numbers are stamped) with the other fingers relaxed but straight and closed together.
• The second hand is placed across the back of the harmonica with the heal of the hand along the bottom of the harmonica and the thumb of the first hand with the second hand cupping around the back of the harmonica laying the fingers across the side of the first hands little finger and can be over the top of it and other fingers of the first hand if needed.
• This way by opening and closing the fingers on the second “cupped” hand you can produce a vibrato or wah-wah effect.  Remember to leave an open space between the back of the harmonica and your hands to get the best tone and the most control.

The pic on the Aug 18 blog: “Why Learn to Play Harmonica Anyway” (below) shows an example of a man holding the harmonica. Also on the cover of the book Aboslute Beginner: Harmonica are some great pictures demonstrating how to hold your harmonica. The most important thing is to find the way that works best for you and what your trying to do at the time.  The standard way works and gives you a lot of control and options for different techniques but you need to find what’s comfortable and usefull for you.  Many of us play often using a Harmonica holder so that we can play without even using our hands. This will allow you to play guitar (Bob Dylan Harmonica style) or piano (Billy Joel “Piano man” harmonica style) or other instruments.  This is part of the allure and versitility of the harmonica.

How to Play Single Harmonica Notes

One technique that should be worked on first is to blow or draw on only one single harmonica note at a time.  There are different ways of doing this including tongue blocking or the pucker method.  The pucker method is a good way to start for beginner harmonica. You will hear the word embouchure a lot when people are explaining how to learn to play harmonica.  This is a word that describes the position and use of the lips, tongue, and teeth in playing harmonica.  Because everyone’s mouth is different this is something you will have to experiment with on your own.  It is difficult to describe in words but generally I will try to describe here:

For the pucker method the mouth is open pulling the sides of the mouth close together.  The front of the harmonica is level with the airflow going straight into the hole.  The bottom lip should be close to the bottom of the hole you are playing and moved to a position centered in front of the opening of the hole.  I curl the sides of my lower lip up on my teeth slightly while allowing the center if the lip in front of the hole being played to hang down in front of the teeth being pushed down by the edge of the harmonica at the bottom of the hole. This is where the air passes.  The top lip relaxed and opened across 0n the top of the harp well over the numbered area.

Experiment a little with this. Once you successfully get a single note on the draw try to blow the note for that hole then move to an adjacent hole. Note: the lower notes (smaller numbered holes) are easier to work with and require less air to create the sounds making it easier for the beginner to work with.

Have Fun With It!

All of this information is just to help you get started.  To really learn the best thing to do is pick a song you like and work on it for a while.  It helps to have the song recorded on some sort of media that can be played back after your attempts so you can compare with the original. The most important thing is play a little as often as possible. Have fun with it!  Work on the single note and don’t get impatient if it doesn’t come at first. Work on it and trust me it will come.  It’s like when I was visiting New York City and I asked this lady if she knew how to get to Carnegie Hall and without a pause she answered “Practice, practice, practice!”   It is also ok at first to learn to play some songs with 2 or 3 note chords at first. This is the Bob Dylan harmonica style that he started his career with. It didn’t seem to slow his success down at all. Play around with it and enjoy yourself.  Just don’t quit.

Future lessons will include breathing and timing exercises, different blues and rock techniques like over blowing or over drawing, note bending and playing in “cross harp” position. You will also learn about reading tabulature notation or “harmonica tabs” to help learn songs and lots more. I just hope you enjoy this and remember to keep your eyes and ears open to songs and sounds you would like to master and try it! There are lots books cds and videos and sites on the web including YouTube.

Life is meant to be lived -Enjoy it!

A great beginner harmonica song. Neil Young “Heart of Gold”

One of my favorites: Whammer Jammer from Richard “Magic Dick” Swalwitz formerly of the J. Giles Band.

Check out other harmonica sites on the Links and Info page or

look at WebRing (below)

Powered by WebRing.