Hello all! I’m currently going through the (awesome) harmonica happy birthday tutrorial from harmonica dot com, and I can now do clean notes, however it’s only if I’m super careful - any deviation (adding “personality” ) causes it to become messy again.
Here is the “clean notes” version:
as soon as I try to play it with any sort of “character”, it all falls apart
is it my technique? is it the harmonica that needs tuning? I thought it would be more productive to ask before of devoting more time to this
the biggest challenge is the to “…youuu” (reed 7) part when you are supposed to make it sound warm and uplifting as your breath “expands”, it just falls apart if I try it
Please tell us what brand and model and key harmonica you are using.
Without knowing more, my impressions are as follows:
I’m sorry to say this, but in the “clean notes” version it is difficult to even recognize that the melody is Happy Birthday. Are you certain that you are reading the tab symbols correctly?
It sounds very much as though you are not using the “relaxed, deep mouth” embouchure. The airy, “pinched” and thin sounding notes indicate that you are using an overly tense, tight lip pursing that does not allow the harp to rest deeper within your mouth, and also permits air to leak past the “mouth-harp interface” (in other words: there is not a good seal between your lips and the harp, and this allows air to flow by audibly and without any effect on the reeds – totally inefficient air flow is the result).
If the harp that you are using is a really cheap one (it sounds like a $5 toy harmonica), this could also result in poor tonal quality, because such harps are notoriously “leaky” with respect to air flow. My advice is that a harmonica should at least be in the $20 or higher price range – and it should be from a reputable company.
As far as the 2nd recorded version goes: forget it. You need to first get the “clean notes” version to sound like Happy Birthday – and with much less air sounds – before trying to play the melody in a more “advanced” way.
I am sorry to have such a negative “review” but honesty is the best policy – otherwise you will only be fooling yourself and improvements will not follow. Take these criticisms seriously and give us the requested information so that we can better assist you.
Thanks Slim!
I think you hit the nail on the head - I just found
based on your advice - will be doing more practicing, as I was doing exactly the “wrong” thing described in the video (tight lips like a chicken’s bottom, and not doing the “lips on the harmonica” thing)
You’ve got it now !! And I’m sure that you will notice vastly improved tone when you get into the “deep relaxed mouth position” while playing.
But I still also wonder about the harmonica you are using: make, brand key. And also if you are reading the tabs for Happy Birthday correctly – because it did not sound at all like it should.
Hi! Sorry it took a few days to answer - wanted to get some more practice in beforehand.
I get you about not using something too cheap: in my case I’m using a Seydel Session Standard C
(finally - an excuse to use my macro lens for a cool shot!)
for the “messy” version, it now sounds way more like happy birthday
however, with the clean version, while I’m making ‘some’ progress in that I started doing the tips from the video and trying to tongue block, after I practice for a few minutes every time, the draw reeds become stuck (presumably from saliva) - outwardly to me it doesn’t appear as though I’m salivating, and I tried the thing where I point the harmonica upward at a 45 degree angle but same thing, Here is a recording where this occurs, maybe you’ll be able to gague what’s wrong:
(it’s a real stumbling block cause I get like a “Demo trial period” for a few minutes where the harmonica works then I need to take a break)
thanks in advance!
sorry, but both versions are far from the right notes.
The problem with the reeds getting stuck seems to be your too much air. You are not playing the individual notes cleanly, but blowing improperly into the channels. You can hear it in the loud air flow when you make a note.
If you use too much air, lots of water drops will collect on the tongues. Saliva doesn’t necessarily have to be the problem, the effect is similar.
Rinse the harp every evening under lukewarm water. Just shake it out, don’t tap it. Place it at an angle on a cloth overnight with the holes facing downwards.
If you play without food residue in your mouth, the harp shouldn’t be blocked inside. If it is, open it and hold the reed plates up to a light source. Here you can see whether one or more reeds are blocked. At the same time you can see whether the reeds are in a good position. They shouldn’t be twisted or touching on the right and left. A sensitive correction would be necessary here. There are videos on YouTube about this.
YEss! After a bit more practice and the preceding advice from Astrid, I think I’ve cracked the code!
(towards the end one of the reeds got stuck but otherwise I’m super stoked!)
I was indeed playing by 1 note off. doing the “1 2 3 4 5” before the “6” helped me locate it better - I had to shift one hole to the right and then it worked!
it really helped to put my inner lips over the “curb” immediately above/below the square holes. for some reason, that made all the difference
it’s slightly better. Sorry for being so honest. But I notice how hard it is for you to play. You have to play lovingly and with feeling . As if you’re newly in love or are stroking a cat very lovingly.
You’re trying too hard and using too much air!
That may work halfway in the lower notes. But unfortunately not in the higher notes and the reeds get jammed.
Brief explanation: The notes on channels 1 and -1 have the longest reeds and vibrate finely. They get shorter as you go up. The reeds (top and bottom) on channels 10 and -10 are only about 0,5 cm long.
That’s difficult with the song, as the high notes are also played far.
I can’t tell if it’s not a good harmonica or your lips are too tight but your already improving. I’ve never had a sydel. Ive heard they good but all brands have good and bad harps.
The audio must be stored somewhere that is available to you (such as DropBox, or your own website) and then you copy the link to the file and publish that link here.
my biggest hurdle right now is that after 5 mins of practice, the reeds become harder and harder to play due to my spit/saliva, and some reeds become silent, and I have to wait for it to dry and return to normal, greatly limiting practice time (I usually practice once or twice a day for 5 minutes because of this). How do you all deal with this? How do you avoid harmonicas constantly becoming unplayable due to spit? thanks in advance!
Also, this only occurs when I try to play “cleanly”, with messy notes this isn’t really an issue
thanks man!
Yup, I never play after eating and always make sure my mouth is clean/rinse it with water. As for rinsing the actual harmonica, is that really a good idea? Right now I just occasionally rub the outer casing with hand sanitizer. I’ll try to use less air when blowing - it’s always a balancing act when getting the notes to play
first you play the right notes, except for the little slip-up at the end.
Your recording is very short at 5 seconds and it is difficult to assess it further.
What I notice, however, is that you don’t take the time to play the notes. You rush through the beginning like it’s a tedious job. Take your time and stick to the tempo of the original and you will notice that it becomes easier and you will automatically feel more.
As for your excessive salivation, that will also gradually improve and your mouth will get used to the harp. At the beginning your mouth thinks there is something to chew and the salivation reflex occurs.
It is enough if you wipe your harp dry every day with the included cloth without disinfectant. Then several times a week use a damp microfiber cloth without extras with good ventilation.
Just made a full version today - the thing that’s hampering me is inability to sing it in a “relaxed” way, since when I play I feel resistance and that it’s like “pushing air through a tight straw” - if I reduce the air pressure I won’t get much sound at all. I tried the tips with forming the tight seal - is it my technique or should I adjust the harmonica a bit more to make it more relaxed? (I have experience now opening it up, but I don’t want to “overdo” it in case it’s just my technique)
the topic has been explained in more than detail by me.
I don’t know if you’re playing games here or are simply resistant, impatient or I don’t know what, I don’t care. This has nothing to do with the usual beginner problems and I’ll devote myself to other things. I’ve just expressed myself politely!
Today I’ve been able to achieve something really difficult for me - to slow down. I’m a fast talker which makes people think I’m “anxious” even though I’m not, and I think this carried over to my harmonica playing.
I know it may be frustrating where people just keep repeating the same mistakes, which may seem “obvious” - but I wanted to get this correct first before doing the more advanced stuff.
. As if you’re newly in love or are stroking a cat 
very lovingly.
.