Harmonica Melody Study Songs

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Melody Study

These are songs that have a catchy melody that is heard numerous times and in numerous different ways throughout the songs. Being able to play a melody and play numerous variations of it is an underappreciated blues playing skill. The "Q Boogie" uses numerous recognizable melodies for its catch.

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4-H Blues Download

This song is a melodic blues with four variations and one solo tht is a detailed study in playing all the available notes on hole 4 of your "C" and "F" harps. While many people would agree that hole 4 is the easiest to bend, my experiences is that not enough players can bend it consistently with skill and confidence. When you can play this on "C," try it on the notorious "F" harp. Please note that the individual pages are only played on the "C" harp. Instruction set includes 30 tracks and 7 instruction sheets.

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5-Hole Instrumental 2 Download

The goal with this LEVELII instrumental is to continue to build upon the Level I & Level II “mini” . . .

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5-Hole Instrumental 2s Download

The goal with this LEVEL instrumental is to continue to build upon the Level I & Level II “mini” songs with an added harp solo. I suggest 4 months of experience before attempting this. Everything except the chords should be played using tongue blocking and tongue switch to play hole #1 without moving your jaw if you can. Memorize the key, tempo and groove of the song . . .

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5-Hole Instrumental 3 Download

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5-Hole Instrumental 3-Plus Download

The goal with this LEVEL III plus instrumental is to continue to build upon the previous versions of this song. It’s quite likely that you will need about two years of experience before attempting this. The new things you will be introduced to are quarter note triplets, more advanced bending, ghost chords used in between the vamping/slapping, more advanced breathing challenges, and more advanced phrases. . .

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5-P Blues Download

This song will help you to play in what is know to most harp players as 5th position. Instead of having the 2 hole inhale as your root, it is now your 2 hole exhale. This "position" is great for minor keys as the flat 3rd, flat 6th and flat 7th are readily available. . .

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E-Z Instrumental 2 Download

The goal with this LEVEL II instrumental is to build upon Level 1 “Beginning Chicago Blues Harmonica” and “Level 2 Mini Instrumentals.” I suggest 4 months of experience before attempting this. Everything except the chords should be played using tongue blocking and tongue switch to play hole #1 without moving your jaw if you can. Memorize the key , tempo and groove of the song. There are four different types of practice tracks and each has 4 tempos. Even though the track has the counting already recorded, you MUST practice counting and signaling in unison with the voice on the recordings! It is always better to say the name of the soloist if you know it. Don’t say “guitar” if the soloist is another harp player or if the

guitar player doesn’t want to solo!

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E-Z Instrumental 2s Download

The "E-Z" Instrumental #2 (s version has a harmonica solo) is a very common and "must know" melody in blues. It was inspired by Big Walter's 1953 recording on SUN records and he seemed to get his inspiration from a hit song by Ivory Joe Hunter. This builds on the Level II mini Instrumental.

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E-Z Instrumental 3 Download

The goal with this LEVEL III instrumental is to continue to build upon the Level I & Level II versions of this song that you have memorized. It’s quite likely that you will need a minimum of a year of experience before attempting this. The new techniques you will use are dirty notes, ornamental bending, vamping, rapid vamping and the split-4 block . . .

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E-Z Instrumental 3-Plus Download

The goal with this LEVEL III plus instrumental is to continue to build upon the previous versions of this song that you have memorized. It’s quite likely that you will need about two years of experience before attempting this. The new things you will be introduced to are quarter note triplets, more advanced breathing challenges, more advanced bending and more advanced phrases.

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Jerry's Cajun Blues Download

This is a study of the Cajun approach to playing the harmonica which seems to have first been recorded by Arteleus Mistric on November 7, 1929 and later by players like Isom Fontenot and my dear brother Mr. Jerry Devillier, for whom this song is named. Key to the Cajun approach is playing lots of splits that outline the chord changes and keep the rhythm pumping accurately with the breath pulse. This is exactly what the single row Cajun accordion is doing. It is basically tuned just like the harmonica. Check out the Filisko Tongue Block Trainer if you need help developing accuracy with your splits.

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Key to the High Weigh Download (Archive)

This song is a detailed study in playing over the popular 8-bar blues associated with the song "Key to the Highway." Goals are learning to improvise over the 8-bar form and to imrpovise around the melody.

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Keys to the Highway Download

This is a study of the very common blues melody known as “Key To The Highway.” It’s an easier arrangement of the older FiliskoStore study song, “Key To The High Weigh.” The song is associated with Big Bill Broonzy and Jazz Gillum and was first recorded in 1941 . . .

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Need More Walter Download

This LEVEL III instrumental is another in the style of Big Walter “Shakey” Horton. It’s also a simplified and refined version of an earlier study song called “I Need My Baby Blues.” . . .

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Nine Bar Blues Download

This is a study of the extremely common blues melody most often known as "Sitting On Top of The World," "Come On In My Kitchen," "You Got go Move" or "Worst Enemy." The song is sometimes played as an 8-bar blues by leaving off bar 8 after the hook and going straight to the turnaround.

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Q Boogie Download

This song is a study in playing FAST and using musical quotes. Playing the quotes will also sharpen your bending skills . . .

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Skip to My Lou Download

This is a great song to help comprehend many aspects of the intricate playing styles of DeFord Bailey, Kyle Woote,n and other solo players. All the notes are easily available in two octaves and the chords fit and support the melody perfectly in the low octave. This will touch on some of the most obvious ways to ornament what happens underneath and around the melody. . .