Learn To Play Single Harmonica Notes In 3 Easy Steps

Ask any seasoned harp player what you need to master first before getting good at playing and most will tell you it is the art of playing single harmonica notes. Without this skill you will struggle to produce consistent and clear sounds necessary for correct interpretation of the tune you want to play.

Of course, much of harmonica play is based around chords but without this ability your versatility will be limited. Read on for some massive tips to quickly master playing the single notes.

1) When we talk about single notes we simply mean playing through an individual hole without creating a sound through the surrounding holes. Sounds easy right? In theory, yes.

But as the holes are so close together and, as you improve, your speed around the harmonica increases you will also increase the risk of playing other holes. So, to reduce this risk your first drill is to reduce the ’size’ of your mouth. By doing this you’re limiting the area through which air can be expelled.

This means that when you put your lips to the instrument you have a much greater chance of isolating one hole. Do this by using the same technique as you would when trying to whistle. You have now created a small hole in your mouth to blow through.

2) When playing single harmonica notes you want to ensure that you create a seal over the harmonica hole you are playing. This removes the possibility of loss of air as you play and is known to produce are far more pleasing sound.

You already have your lips in the whistle position – now, extend your lips out as far as you can without being uncomfortable. This set up will make sure that your lips are in the correct position when you place the harmonica to your mouth.

3) Bring the harmonica to your mouth so that your lips rest on the upper and lower casing. Your seal has been created and you should have a small blow hole. Adjust the harmonica so that you can play through one of the middle notes – these tend to be the easiest to play.

Blow gently from your belly and see if you can make a clear single note. If you get continued interference from other notes try adjusting your mouth so that the hole is even smaller. It is not a given that you will be able to do this right away so don’t worry if it takes a bit of time.

Practise this often and also introduce drawing air through single holes so that you are able to play all of the single notes available on the harmonica.

Playing single harmonica notes is key to your development. When this has been mastered your ability to learn will accelerate at a very quick rate. This is why it is so important to put the time in at the beginning to get this technique down.