I recently picked up my mom’s harmonica (a 24 hole echo harp says the box) and started toying with it. I’ve figured out how it basically works, and I’m now trying to play the Beatles’ Love Me Do on it. The intro is fine, it’s in C, but the bridge (the bigger harmonica part) is in G. I’d like to hit an F#, but all the harmonica will naturally produce is an F. John Lennon seems to have no trouble.
I googled it and most harmonica sites mentioned bending notes, but they weren’t totally clear on it, or I had to pay money to find out. Any good players want to help out a beginner?
An F# on a C diatonic is an extremely advanced technique. I would wager that most diatonic players don’t even know it’s possible, but there’s a technique called “overblowing” in which you can hit the F#. It’s an overblow on the fifth hole.
I’m absolutely positive John is not playing a C harp if he’s hitting an F#. Also, those 24-hole echo harps are a bitch for bends. Even if you could overblow, you’d be hard pressed to do it on that particular harmonica. I’m pretty sure it’s a G harp.
Harmonicas only have the scale of the key it’s in, and F# is not in the C scale. (see http://www.michael-thomas.com/music/class/harmonica_notes.htm for a complete chart of blow and draw notes)
HOWEVER there are what they call “bend” notes, where you can do a little trick on draw to lower the note and play a half step lower. It’s easy to do but hard to explain. You could do a draw bend on the second hole for an F#. Bending notes also sounds cool. John does a lot of bending on that song, and his other (better) harmonica song “I should have known better.”
On a quick google I came up with this (http://www.webterrace.com/harmonica/bending.htm) but you can probably find more.
Pulykamell says F# on a C diatonic is extremely advanced – nah. It’s not hat hard. And it’s not “overblowing,” it’s a draw-bend, it’s quite easy really, once you get it, it’s just hard to teach.
I’ve never played a 24-hole harp – I don’t know if those are harder for bending. They aren’t made for blues, I don’t think.
Usually rock/blues harp players play what is called “cross harp.” However, you would actually need an F Harmonica to play cross harp if the song is in C.
http://www.coast2coastmusic.com/diatonic/cross_harp.shtml
But you know, come to think of it… I think “Love Me Do” is in G.
Sorry. I had a total brain fart. Christmas wine, and all that. I was thinking of an F# in the middle register. Of course you can get an F# on the draw 2 bend. Argh. I could be such a moron when I answer a question in a hurry. In fact, now that I’m thinking of “Love Me Do” in my head, that is what John must be playing, a 2 draw bend.
But there is also an F# an octave up on the overblow 5.
Anyhow, bending on an Echo Harp (which are double-holed) is pretty much impossible. Get yourself a standard 10-hole Hohner or Lee Oskar. A Hohner Special 20 or Marine Band harp is a good place to start. Bends are extremely important to get that “bluesy” sound typically associated with harmonicas.
This thread has made me want to go out and buy a new harmonica.
A good friend of mine is one of the world’s top harmonica players. He carries one harmonica to every gig and plays in any key.
How does he do it?
He valves his diatonic. :eek:
Get your mind out of the gutter.
All right, thanks guys. I understand what I need to do, but I still can’t figure out how to do it. All the sites I’ve found mention what bent notes I can play, and what key cross harp playing changes to, but they’re all unclear as to how exactly I do it.
Anyone care to describe it?
You have to try and draw the air a bit lower. Start with a regular draw note, then see if you can lower the direction of the air by pulling your tongue back a bit.
Get a 10-hole harp to practice on, and just play draw notes on holes 1-6, trying different shapes of your lips and tongue to see if you can get a different sound. Once you do, you’ll just “get it”.