Natural Minor Will Explode Your Harp Game (+ Natural Mystic on Am w/Tabs)

[Luke]

Standard tuned harps are awesome. MOST of the time I play standard 10-hole diatonic harmonicas.

When we say “Standard tuned harp” we are referring to the Richter tuning, named after the 19th century harmonica maker Joseph Richter:

Blow holes play the chord in the key of the harmonica, and draw holes 1-4 play the dominant V7 chord (a G chord on a C harmonica). The major scale in the key of the harmonica is played between holes 4 and 7.

They are GREAT for folk music (which is what they were originally designed for in early 19th century Europe) in FIRST POSITION - playing in the key of the harmonica (Key of C on a C harmonica).

And they are GREAT for the blues (which the Americans discovered/innovated in the early 20th century) in SECOND POSITION - playing up 5 note names from the key of the harmonica (Key of G on a C harmonica).

But they also limit the genres you can play.

Even for players who master the other positions and advanced techniques necessary to play certain melodies, we still don’t have the chords that the Natural Minor harmonicas provide.

This is where a Natural Minor harp can step up to the plate.

Natural Minor harmonicas are labeled and designed to be played in 2nd position.

So a G Natural Minor is just like a C Harmonica:

C Diatonic Harmonica = Draw chord G, Blow chord C

G Natural Minor = Draw chord G minor, Blow chord C minor

1st position our most important notes are blows

2nd position our most important notes are draws

The benefit that can explode your harp game? Natural Minor harps have a very bluesy, soulful sound that’s perfect for playing Minor Blues, Reggae, Ska, Latin, Funk, R & B, Hip Hop. (You can hear me soloing on a Natural Minor harmonica on this hip hop track.)

You can play minor melodies in 3rd, 4th, and 5th position on a standard tuned harmonica. But the awesome thing about the Natural Minor is you can play everything you normally play in 2nd position, just now it sounds minor.

For example, the Bob Marley song Natural Mystic in A minor could be played in 3rd position on a G harmonica, but using an A Natural Minor harp, WE CAN PLAY THE CHORDS and also, all of our fun 2nd position licks, like the -45 trill. Check out this vid.

Here’s how I’m playing the chords

The i Chord, A minor, -123

The iv Chord, D minor, 1234

The v Chord, E minor, I’m playing -145 (covering holes -23 with my tongue, but you could just play -45 for the v Chord.)

Here’s the tabs for Natural Mystic by Bob Marley on an Am Natural Minor:

-2 -3 4 4 4 -4 -3 -2 -2 -2" -2 (repeat)

-2 -3 4 -3 4 -3 -2

-4 -5 5 -3 4 -4

-2 -3 4 -3 4 -4 -3 -2

-2 -3 4 -3 -4’ -4 -3’ -3

-3 -3’ 4 -3

-2 -3 4 4 4 -4 -3 -2 -2 -2" -2

As you can see in this video, I’m taking advantage of all of the things I love about playing in 2nd position, like the -45 trill. I LOVE playing Lee Oskar Natural Minor Harmonicas!

Natural Mystic Lee Oskar Am Natural Minor Harmonica

[pakehall]

Awesome! This is so great, I have just never thought of harmonica in reggae before. Now new wonderful opportunities open up.
When I am a bit up to speed on my harping and can isolate notes a bit better, I’ll come back to this!

[Luke]

Right on @pakehall I thought you would dig this! Yeah the Natural Minor harps are great fun because you can play any kind of 2nd position groove you’d play on a standard tuning, and everything translates over exactly, now it just sounds minor. Great for playing reggae, even just reggae chords/rhythms!

[Luke]

Here’s some footage from a recent gig playing I Shot the Sheriff on a Natural Minor harmonica. Using a key of Gm here:

I Shot the Sheriff Harmonica Solo

[BlindFarmer]

I will get there at some point. Still rocking module 2 of the B2B course. LOL

[HarpinBobbyMcB]

Nice article brah

[Luke]

You get yours yet?

[HarpinBobbyMcB]

I’m getting close to pulling the trigger. I go to the states in two weeks. I have a Harmo in Gm in my cart which looks so purty. It’s red comb differentiates it from standard D tuning black combs. . I really like my Harmo in B, so I think I’ll go that route.

I’m excited to play it… I never thought about something you said in the video. Anything played on the standard tuning can be played on the minor harmonica with a minor feel.

I can sense an Am in my future as well. I foresee a Lee Oskar perhaps for Christmas . Also Am is such an easy key to play on the piano

[Jim3Mix]

Wow, @Luke this article blew my mind! I had no idea that natural minor key tuning was essentially the same as major key tuning for 2nd position! A game changer! I’m getting a natural minor Lee Oskar soon!

[Jim3Mix]

@Luke,

Question: What do you think of Will Wilde’s harps for the blues? I recently saw that his online store has minor key harmonicas in his own special tuning. He says they are tuned for rock music (I play both blues and rock). but I just saw a YouTube video of Wilde’s performance of Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Help Me,” and he used his own C major tuning on a Seydel 1847 Classic harp (https://youtu.be/abkT5XQ6xkA?is=xDYMAIglavJ2ViW2).. Sounds bluesy to me (though it seems more “clean” than “dirty” or distorted). He sells the minor-tuned harps in Seydel Session Steel.

What do you think about Wilde’s tuning for classic blues?

Thanks very much!