Share your favorite harmonica songs!

Wow, I love “Creedence”, this is a really long song, BUT I love the Harmonica in it! Thanks for sharing enjoyed listening to it. Its funny now, when I listen to all types of music, I really PERK UP when I hear a Harmonica in it. I really do love old country, Waylon Jennings has always been one of my favorites, and he has several songs that have Harmonica in them. I’m still learning and practicing, just love the Harmonica, wish I had discovered it along time ago, instead at 51!

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Well, hope this helps! You’re in luck because the song is in the key of C. It’s also at 96 BPM. There is a way to slow down the video on youtube for when you’re trying to figure out those notes. It’s a cool song that I’ve never heard before, but the harmonica has introduced me to many different songs, artists and genres that I might not have paid any attention to before taking it up.

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DJRickMendez, THANK YOU very much, I will try that about SLOWING it down on the youtube and listening to it. You are so correct with your statement, I TOO have discovered SO many different songs/artist, that I would of never paid attention too, but because of the Harmonica a WHOLE NEW world opened up for me! Thank you. Starr

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@Jerseys1, at 59, I have had a similar experience!

While I have always liked music like many people, it was always just nice to have around, not like it is for me now, a FASCINATING ADVENTURE.

Now each piece of music I hear, whether it be Classical, Rock, Pop, Country, Blues, or whatever; I am so much more aware of all the subtleties of each of the sounds, and of each instrument.

Just this morning I was listening to this song by Eric Clapton:

Though it does NOT have a harmonica in it, can you imagine the wailing guitar in the background being played on a harmonica? :thinking: :thought_balloon:

Clapton’s Bluesie sound makes me want to go down to 2nd position but not sure the key. G doesn’t seem to be the one, though maybe it’s just my lack of training.

I also am super in tune now to the sound of a harp in music and am surprised at how many songs do have a harmonica in them.

On the other hand, as is the case with this Clapton song, I imagine what a harp would do in place of one of the instruments, whether it be rhythm or lead.

While I’ve always been amazed at what lead guitars and other instruments can do to create a melody, I have new found respect for rhythm, bass and drums which each add to the music in their own ways.

I always thought the theory of music to be boring, but now find it fascinating how so many different elements come together to make a song.

Nice to find a kindred spirit @Jerseys1 :+1:

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Wow, couldnt agree with you more about all your statements. Yes, that is a cool song by Clapton, I have always loved many of his songs, but had never listened to this one. Yes, I could just hear a good Harmonica coming into play with this song!

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Hi @HarpinBobbyMcB,

I only had time to do a quick listen to this song and the song seems to have two parts: the first part seems to be in G minor. On a C diatonic harp you can then play, for example, the G minor blues scale:

-2 your root tone of G
-3’ the flat third that is characteristic of G minor
+4
-4’ the blues scale’s flat V (= Db)
-4 your “wailer” note (D)
-5 an F (which is the flat VII of the G major scale, again typical of songs in G minor)
+6 back to your root tone of G

On the lower end you can include these (as they are also in the G minor blues scale):

-2" which is also an F (flat VII of the G major, as mentioned above for -5)
-1 the low end “wailer” (D) that is like -4 (only an octave lower)
-1’ like -4’ this is the flat V (Db)
+1 which is the same as +4

The other part of the song (at least following part one) seems to be in F major but I do not have time to tell you more about this (and I might even be wrong). Either @Luke will jump in or (when I have more time) I will jump back in, but if it is F major then that can also be played on a C diatonic using 12th position.

Then the song seems to go back to G minor and then again F major.

That’s all for now – and I have only listened to the first half of the song, so there might be other changes that I have not listened to as of now.

Regards,
– Slim

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@Slim , this is great info!!

I knew going into 2nd position on a C harp takes us down into G, but I didn’t realize it is a G minor, now this makes much more sense. I practice my Blues scale to do a little “low dough” every now and then, but…

My -4 D has flattened out to where it’s starts way flat, completely out of the box and into the bend, then bending down a bit more to the bottom part of the flat range on the bending tool.

I’ve seen some videos to tune harps, but I don’t have an engraver and am a bit nervous about starting to tinker too much with the only harp I have for the moment, and living in the jungle, where ready purchase and delivery isn’t always possible, but… that’s a question for another thread…

Thanks for your help on this song! I would love to hear you @Slim , or @Luke , or @Vibe , or any of all you all who want to cover this song. I think the song of the harmonica where the lead guitar is would be incredible!!

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@HarpinBobbyMcB
I too like to find the subleties of instruments in songs, I listen to a lot of instrumental songs, and it’s really the detail of each instrument that makes the song

I have 2 other songs I want to cover once I feel I’m ready, but I agree harmonica would sound sick in Breaking Point, and I might attempt to jam along to it (when I’m alone haha)

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Well, you’re in luck! According to my research, the song is in the key of C#! Therefore, if you wanted to play it in 2nd position, you would need a harmonica in the key of G#/Ab! The BPM is at 99. Hope it helps!

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Hey super @DJRickMendez!

Thanks a million :sunglasses:

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Hi @DJRickMendez,

You have made an error about playing an Ab blues harp in 2nd position. The Ab harp in 2nd position is for playing the Eb minor pentatonic or the Eb minor blues scales. While it can also play the Eb Major scale, that requires an overblow on hole 5 to get the D (7th tone of the Eb Major scale), which is an advanced technique.

To play a C# minor pentatonic or the C# minor blues scale in second positiion requires using an F# blues harp.

Regardless of the above, when I play along with the linked video from @HarpinBobbyMcB I play my C blues harp in 2nd position (G minor pentatonic scale) for the first part of the recording and it is “in tune.”

For the second part, I am not sure, but it seems to be in F Major. Perhaps @Luke can give us his take on this?

Regards,
– Slim

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Hey @Vibe you might like this instrumental station out of Brazil called Radio Gold Instrumental.

They play great music 24/7 with no commercials and very few station identifiers.

Many of the tunes have been I have been learning to play on the harp come from their vast list of hits coming from many different genre and time periods.

GREAT MUSIC!!

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Hey @HarpinBobbyMcB , Thanks for the link, I will check it out :slight_smile:

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Not classic harmonica playing but a favorite of mine is “Midnight Rambler” Rolling Stones off the live album Get Ya Yah Yah’s out. Very effective use of the harp in a rock and roll song

Midnight Rambler (Live From Madison Square Garden, New York/1969) - YouTube

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Hi Guys,
Might be breaking the rules a bit for solo harmonica. But listen to this Australian artist Xavier Rudd.

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Bruce Springsteen She’s the One - Live at the Hammersmith Odeon London 1975. Awesome harmonica playing from The Boss - I was so disappointed that I didn’t get a ticket for this show - Springsteen’s first ever UK performance. Would be interested to know what key this is in so I could attempt to play along (minus the bends)!
(4) She’s the One (Live at the Hammersmith Odeon, London '75) - YouTube

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@jeffw, I’ll give it a try, but as you know, I don’t really have any knowledge about it yet. My tip would be C#? Our experts here are sure to know the right thing! The video, especially the harp, is really good and I wish you the best of luck!

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Thank you. I have the album on iTunes. An iconic performance!

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Hi @jeffw

After a short listen, my tip is that the song is in B minor played on an A blues harp in third position.

Regards,
– Slim

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Thank you. Will give it a try.

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