@Andy2 The way I got to grips with chromatics is to initially treat them as two solo tuned diatonics separated by a slide. so try something in the key of the chromatic and leave the slide alone, that way you’ll get used to solo tuning which is different from Richter tuning in that you have all of the notes. Then use the slide for incidentals but remember slide in is a half step up. Once you’ve mastered solo tuning you’re 3/4 of the way to mastering chromatic. If you want to play blues the Dm blues scale for a C chromatic is -1 -2 +3 <+3 -3 +4 -5 That’s D F G Ab A C D <= slide in. Jay1 As an add-on playing blues in a minor key does give that moody blues sound (pun totally intended).
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I’ve had another crack at this today, but I think I need a more responsive harp as the one I’m using is old, and not great. Although maybe ok for learning each of the things you mentioned
Andy, there’s probably nothing wrong with the harp except possibly some valve/windsaver issues which is why I use non-valve chromatics. I suspect you know how to sort valves out or even 1/2 valve the instrument, do some gaps etc. I assume your chromatic is in C?
Here’s something easy that will work with no use of the slide, no bends, just simple stuff; a couple of verses of Gershwin’s Summertime with tabs for a C chromatic just to get you used to solo tuning. OK it’s tabbed for the wrong key but it’s just to get the feel.
Sum-mer-time,
6 5 6
And the liv-in’ is eas-y
-5 5 -5 6 5 -3 2
Fish are jump-in’
6 5 -5 -5
And the cot-ton is high
4 -3 4 -3 4 -4
Oh your dad-dy’s rich
6 5 6 6 6
And your mam-a’s good
look-in’
-5 5 -5 6 5 -3 2
So hush lit-tle ba-by
2 3 2 3 -3 4
Don’t you cry
6-5 4 -3
One of these morn-ings
6 6 5 6 6
You’re goin to rise up singin
6 -5 5 -56 5 -3 2
Then you’ll spread your wings
6 5 -5 -5 -5
And you’ll take to the sky
4 -3 4 -3 4 -4
But till that morn-in
6 6 5 6 6
There’s a 'noth-in can harm you
-5 5 -5 6 5 -3 2
With dad-dy and mam-my stand-in by
2 3 2 3 -3 4 6-5 4 -3
Why not give it a try Jay1
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Hi Jay, I’m really terrible at reading Tab, it’s something to do with my autism when I was younger I had very little trouble with numbers now I’m older they tend to confuse me. I’ve been playing a long with backing tracks and I’ve sort of got the gist of harp one playing it as a diatonic with using the slide to do incidental notes. It’s really having the time to do it. So far I’ve figured out C&G using backing tracks on the kind of music I’d play it on. Which is sort of 40’s and 50’s swing jazz blues. I’m a huge fan of guys like William Clarke and Paul De lay, Rick Estrin and Kim Wilson, That’s the style I want to try and have a go at. I will probably buy one of those East Top harps, and take this fella apart and clean him
@Andy2 and @Flandrach Andy I sort of feel for you, I’m doing my tax return today (and probably Saturday and Sunday as well 
). I don’t use tabs except keeping a notebook with the first few notes as an memory aid as to how a piece of music goes. Hopefully someone can make use of the tabs, There does seem to be some interest in the East:Top NV harmonicas, they are good and cheap enough to give chromatics a go. There are quite a number of youtube on half valving chromatics, just be careful about how the slide works cross or straight to determine which plate is being used. Jay1
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:: Anyone remeber the “what do you call someone who hangs out with musicians?” joke? (all respect to the rhythm section)
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@Piglet Ah, the old ones are the best FIRST TIME AROUND 
Jay 1 (ex drummer)
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I actually love East Top harps I think for the price the quality is amazing! I was turned onto them by a fellow harp player called Eduardo, an amazing player from Portugal ( we have a mutual administration society going, I absolutely love his 1930’s/40’s style harp playing and he loves my 50’s style playing) he had a clean East top diatonic and asked me if I wanted a go, so I did he was smiling when I finished and he said dude you’ve got to play with us. I felt very honored. I bought some East Tops and have been blown away by them the power bender in particular which gives me a great Sonny Boy Williamson 2 sound. So I will definitely be getting one.
Ahhh drummer Jokes yes when I first got into music I was a drummer vocalist (I was very young) in a punk band, it was soon decided that my place was at the front, sold my kit to a lad who used to help us set up, he became our drummer. I took up guitar played it very badly power chords only, but eventually I got better moved into rock music. Then I grew up got into Blues
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@Andy2 @Piglet @Flandrach When I started it was as a trad jazz drummer then went to sea as a cadet and couldn’t take drums so took a couple of harmonicas. learned blues from various crew members especially when working with the oil industry. After a career change to the law tried chromatic, didn’t get on with them and had a long gap from playing and even listening to music until the UK Covid lock down when I had nothing else to do. Now in the studio where I only play chromatics it’s for any genre I’m asked to play (just to save anyone else saying it that includes **can you play far far away?!) . I’ve had a lot of help and encouragement over the years so if I can pass anything on to others I’m happy to do so but I’m no teacher and certainly no more than an amateur. Jay1
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@Jay1 you were a sea cadet? I was in the Royal Marines commando brigade for 9 years!
@Andy2 Not a Sea Cadet, a cadet in the Merchant Navy serving my sea time before taking a 2nd mate ticket, then went on to take 1st mate and master eventually getting command. I still talk to bootknecks though 
We get a lot in the west country. Were you at Plymouth? Jay1
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Yes, Lympston, for training the Plymouth. Then a lot of various training bases worldwide, and I was on a ship for a bit, (all Marines have to do it) and deployment in several theaters of operations. I was a dumb kid. It’s a case of if I knew then what I know now. I was in for 9 years mainly because the job situation in the UK for someone with my background was very sparse. And I thought I might get a trade but being wounded took that from me. But if there’s one thing they did teach me was how to adapt