James Thurgood: Music: Harmonica Lessons

I play mainly diatonic harmonica (i.e., "short harp", "ten-hole", "blues harp"). I offer lessons in Celtic, old-time, & Blues harmonica. I try to fit my approach to what works for the individual student - everyone has a different combination of needs, goals, learning style, experience, musical background, innate ability, etc. Typically, a student will have a lesson once a week at a regular time, but I have some students who arrange a lesson whenever they feel the need or whenever they can fit one into their schedule. A beginner will start with simple melodies, move on to more challenging melodies, and, at some point, improvising and jamming. I like to teach 'by ear' as much as possible, although I use harmonica tablature as well. If you are interested in lessons, get in touch: thurgoodmusic@gmail.com!

Blues Harmonica
Below are samples of blues harmonica that I have recorded for students, along with 'tabs' that I've made up. A number of these samples are simplified melodies that avoid 'bending' of notes. Click on the title; when the new window opens, click play.

Can't Be Satisfied (Muddy Waters) (slow, then up-tempo)

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

-4 -4 -3 -3 -2

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

-2 2 -1 2 -2

-2 -2 -3 -2

-2 2 -2 2 -1 -2

6 -6 -6 -5 -5 -4

-2 -3 4 -4 -3 -2

Can’t Be Satisfied: Alternative (advanced):

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

-4 -4 -3 -3 -2

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

-2 --2 -1 --2 -2

-2 -2 -3 -2

-2 --2 2 -1 -2

---3 ---3 ---2 ---2 -1

-2 -3 4 -4 -3 -2

Catfish Blues (Muddy Waters)

-2 -2 -2

||: -3 4 -3 -2 -2 -2 :||

Checkin' Up on my Baby (Sonny Boy Williamson II) JT’s rough transcription/interpretation
(slow, then up-tempo)

-2 -2 -3 -3 4 -4

--4 -4 -5 --4 4 -3 -2

-3 4 -3 -2 2 4 alt (-3 4 -4 4 -3 -2)

--4 -4 -5 -4 4 -3 -2

-2 -2 -2 -2 --2 -1

-2 --3 -2 --3 -2

Ending

--4 -4 -5 --4 -4 -5 --4 -4 -5 -4 4 -3 --2 -2 wa wa wa

Harmonica Boogie JT (slow, then up-tempo)

-2 -3 -4 5 -5 5 -4 -3 :||

4 5 6 -6 7 -6 6 5

-2 -3 -4 5 -5 5 -4 -3

-4 5 -4 -5 -4 4 -3 -3 -2

2 -1 2 -2 2 -1 -1 :||

Mean Ol' Train intro. (Papa Lightfoot)

-3 … --3 …. (train horn effect)

-1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 ………….. (train chugging effect)

-2 2 -1 2 -2 -2 2 -1 -1 2 -2 -2 2 -1 -1 2

-2 --3 --3 -2 2 -2 --3 --3 -2 2

-1 2 2 -1 2 2 -1 2 2 -1 2

-1 -3 -3 --3 -3 1 -2 --3 -2 --3

-2 6 -2 --3 -2

Mean Ol' Train melody (slow, then up-tempo)

I IV I

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

Mean ol’ train done took my baby away,

I IV I

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

Mean ol’ train done took my baby away,

V IV I

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

Same ol’ train gonna bring her back some day.

Papa Lighfoot:

minor blues - based on As the Years Go Passing By by Albert King
-harp solo followed by guitar 'jam track'

-5--4 -4 4beats -5 -4 2b -1 2b -4--4 2b --6~~~~~~~ 6 2b 5 6 –6

4b -5 5 4 4b 1 -1 4b

-5 6 –6 4b 7 –6 6 4b -5 -4 4b -5 -4…..

One Way Out (Sonny Boy Williamson II) (JT's rough transcription/interpretation)
(slow, then up-tempo)

-2 -2 2 -1 -2 -2 -2 2 -1 -2 -2 2 -1 -2

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

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

--4 -4 -5 -4 -4 4 -2 -3 -2 -3 -2

Here are several recordings of this song by Sonny Boy - note how different they are from one another:

Here's a free lesson on One Way Out by one Luke Clebsch, on youtube; he's got a few licks that I didn't work into my transcription:

St. Louis Blues (W.C. Handy)

-7 -8 -7 6

5 6 -6 -6 6

5 6 -6

-6 6 -6 -6 6

-6 -6 -5 -4

-6 7 -8 -7 6

Stormy Monday (T-Bone Walker)

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

4 4 -4 4 -3 -2

4 4 4 -3 4 -4

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

4 4 4 -3 4 -4

-4 -5 -4 4 -3 -2

2 -1

Here's a 'backing track' for Stormy Monday, in G - use your C harp:

Here's a free forty-minute Blues-harp lesson from Alan 'Blind Owl' Wilson - audio only. (The first few seconds are distorted; it's okay after that).

Blues Harp Greats Worth listening to (in no particular order):

Sonny Boy Williamson II (aka Rice Miller; Alec Miller)

Little Walter Jacobs

Big Walter Horton

Sonny Terry

Sonny Boy Williamson I (John Lee Williamson)

Paul Butterfield

Papa Lightfoot

James Cotton

Charlie Musselwhite

Jimmy Reed

Junior Wells

Howlin’ Wolf

King Biscuit Boy (Richard Newell)

Deford Bailey

Celtic & Old-Time Harmonica
'Tabs' (Many of these tunes are on my CDs).

Blue Bonnets Over the Border (air)

5 -4 4 4 5 6 7 -8 8 -8 7 -6 6

7 -6 -6 -6 9 -10 9 8 -8

8 4 4 5 6 7 -8 8 -8 7 -6 6

-6 6 5 6 -6 6 5 -4 :||

||: 8 -8 7 8 -8 7 8 9 -10 9 8 8

-8 8 7 -8 8 9 -10 10 7 -8 8 -8

8 -8 7 8 -8 7 8 9 -10 9 8 7

-8 8 -6 6 5 6 -6 6 5 -4 :||

Boys of Bluehill

6 -6 6 5 6 4

5 -5 6 -6 6 -6 7 -8

7 -8 8 9 -9 8

-8 -9 8 -8

7 8 -8 7 -6

7 -6 -6 6 5 6 4

5 -5 6 -6 6 -6 7 -8

7 -8 8 9 -9 8

-8 -9 8 -8 7 8 7 :||

||: 8 9 8 7 8 9

-9 8 -9 8 -9 9 -10

9 -9 8 9 -9 8

-8 -9 8 -8

7 8 -8 7 -6

7 -6 -6 6 5 6 4

5 -5 6 -6 6 -6 7 -8

7 -8 8 9 -9 8

-8 -9 8 -8 7 8 7 :||

Camptown Races

6 6 5 6 -6 6 5

5 -4 5 -4

6 6 5 6 -6 6 5

-4 -5 5 -4 4

4 4 5 6 7

-6 -6 7 -6 6

6 6 5 6 -6 6 5

-4 -5 5 -4 4

Cawdor Fair

-6 -7 | 7 -7 -6 6 -6 7 5 | 6 -6 6 5 6 6 -6 -7 |

7 -7 -6 6 -6 7 5 | -4 4 -4 6 -6 -6 :||

||: 6 | -6 7 7 -7 7 -8 7 6 | -6 -8 -8 7 -8 -8 8 |

-6 -7 7 -8 8 -10 9 -9 8 -8 | 7 -6 -7 6 -6 -6 :||

Cock o’ the North

6 7 6 -6 6 7 6 -6 6

5 5 5 -4 4 -4 -4 -4

6 7 6 -6 6 7 6 -6 6

5 -5 5 -4 -3 -4 4 4 4 :||

||: -4 5 5 5 -4 3 5 6 -6 6

5 5 5 -4 4 -4 -4 -4

4 -4 5 5 5 -4 3 5 6 -6 6

5 -5 5 -4 -3 -4 4 4 4 :||

As played by Felix Rowe:

Here Comes a Young Man

6/8 time

4 | -4 4 -4 -5 6 | -6 6 -5 5 -4 |

4 -2 4 5 4 5 | 6 7 -6 6 5 4 |

-4 4 -4 -5 6 | -6 6 -5 5 -5 6 |

-6 -4 5 -4 4 | -4 -4 :||

||: 5 | -5 -6 7 -7 | 7 -7 7 -6 -5 |

4 5 6 -6 | 6 7 -6 6 5 4 |

-5 -6 7 -7 | 7 -7 7 -6 7 |

-7 -4 5 -4 4 | -4 -4 :||

I Lost My Love

4 -4 5 -4 -4 4 -4 -5 -5

6 -6 -7 -6 -6 6 5 7

-6 7 -8 7 -6 6 -5

6 -6 6 5 -4 4

-4 5 -5 5 -4 5 -4 4 -4 -4 :||

||: 7 -8 8 -8 -8 7 -6

7 -8 7 7 -7 -6

-8 8 -8 -8 7 -6 7

-6 7 -8 7 -6 6 -5

6 -6 6 5 -4 4

-4 5 -5 5 -4 5 -4 4 -4 -4 :||

King of the Fairies

Rhythm: 4/4 hornpipe

-6 | -4 4 -4 5 -5 5 -5 6 | -6 -6 -4 -5 6 |

-6 -4 -4 5 -5 -4 | 5 -5 5 -4 4 5 |

-4 4 -4 5 -5 5 -5 6 | -6 6 -5 -6 7 -7 |

-6 -4 5 -5 5 -4 4 | -4 -4 :||

||: -6 -7 7 | -8 8 -8 7 -6 7 -8 8 | -9 9 -9 8 -8 7 -8 8 |

-8 -6 -6 6 -5 -6 7 -8 | 7 -7 -6 -7 7 -6 |

-8 -6 -6 7 -8 8 | -9 9 -9 8 -8 8 -8 7 | -6 -7 7 -8 -9 8 -8 7 8 |

-8 -8 7 -8 8 | -9 9 -9 8 -8 7 8 | -8 7 -6 -7 7 -8 |

7 -7 -6 6 5 -5 6 -6 -7 | 7 -7 -6 6 5 -5 5 -4 4 |

-6 -4 -4 5 -5 6 | -6 6 -5 -6 7 -7 | -6 -4 5 -5 5 -4 4 |

-4 -4 :||

Mary Had a Little Lamb

5 5- 4 4- 5 5 5

B D B D B B B

4- 4- 4-

D D D

5 6 6

B B B

5 5- 4 4- 5 5 5 5

B D B D B B B B

4- 4- 5 4- 4

D D B D B

Mussels in the Corner

7 -7 -6 6 5 6 -6

6 5 4 -4 5 -4 -4

7 -7 -6 6 5 6 -6

6 5 -4 5 4 4 :||

||: 5 5 -4 4 5 6 -6

6 5 4 -4 5 -4 -4

5 5 -4 4 5 6 -6

6 5 -4 5 4 4 :||

Oh, Susannah

4 4- 5 6 6 6- 6 5 4

B D B B B D B B B

4 4- 5 5 4- 4 4-

B D B B D B D

4 4- 5 6 6 6- 6 5 4

B D B B B D B B B

4 4- 5 5 4- 4- 4

B D B B D D B

Chorus:

5- 5- 6- 6-

D D D D

6- 6 6 5 4 4-

D B B B B D

4 4- 5 6 6 6- 6 5 4

B D B B B D B B B

4 4- 5 5 4- 4- 4

B D B B D D B

Road to Boston

8 8 -8 8 -9 8 -8 7

-7 6 -6 -7 7 6 5 6

8 8 -8 8 -9 8 -8 7

-7 6 -6 -7 7 7 :||

9 9 -9 9 -10 9 -9 8

-9 -9 8 -9 9 -9 8 -8

8 8 -8 8 -9 8 -8 7

-7 6 -6 -7 7 6 5 6

9 9 -9 9 -10 9 -9 8

-9 -9 8 -9 9 -9 8 -8

8 8 -8 8 -9 8 -8 7

-7 6 -6 -7 7 7 :||

She Said She Couldn’t Dance

6 5 4 -4 5

5 -5 6 5 4 -4 5 -4 -4

6 5 4 -4 5

5 -5 6 -6 6 5 -4 4 4 :||

||: 6 6 -6 -7 7 7

6 6 -6 -7 -6 6 6

6 6 -6 -7 7 7

6 -6 6 5 -4 4 4 :||

Si Beag, Si Mhor

7 -8 8 8 -8 7 7 -8 7 -6 6 5

6 -6 6 -6 -7 7 -8 7 -8 8 -8 7

8 -6 -8 6 7 5 -4 5 4

8 -6 -8 6 -7 7 -8 7 :||

||: 7 -8 8 8 -8 7 -8 7 -8 8 9 -10 9 8

-8 7 -8 9 8 -8 7 7 -6 6 -6 6 5 -4 5 4

8 -6 -8 6 7 8 9 -10 9 -9 8 -8 7 -8

7 -7 7 :||

Here's Felix Rowe playing John Ryan's Polka (which I don't have tabbed out):

Beginner Harmonicas - note to a parent
Most any music store will have a few cheap harmonicas that are little more than toys - but they are somewhat playable - for around $15. One of these is okay if you just want to see if your child actually has any interest in harmonica. However, if the child is to take lessons, something better would be needed. A harmonica that is half-way between toy and real instrument is the Hohner 'Blues Band' (not to be confused with the Hohner 'Blues Harp'), which costs around $25, I believe. It is all right as a 'beginner' instrument. Harmonicas do need to be replaced from time to time, and eventually a player needs more than one, to be able to play in different keys.

A good all-round harmonica is the Hohner 'Special 20', which runs around $55-$65. It's what I use. Most music stores carry them.

To play Classical music, if that is what you have in mind, a 'chromatic' harmonica is the best bet (the one with the little 'button' on one end). These start around $90 or so, but rarely need to be replaced. However, they might need to be worked on professionally once in a long while.
If you are a harmonica-player with opinions on this or other matters, please add a comment.

Harmonica (Re-)Tuning
Here's an instructional video:

James Thurgood: Music

Harmonica Lessons

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