Playing the Blues

Playing A Twelve Bar Blues Structure in Second Position

Since your harmonica is in the key of C, the first blues that you will learn is in the key of G. The chart below describes the how the G chord, C chord, and D chord are used to playa Twelve Bar Chord Structure in the key of G. Each "bar", or four beat segment, is separated by a "bar line".

Notice that four beats of D chord are played at the end of the verse. These final beats of D chord are known as the "turnaround", for they are used in order to indicate that a verse is about to come to an end, and the next verse is about to begin. The turnaround may be only two or three beats of D instead of four, or it may be omitted entirely. If the (D) turnaround is less than four beats long, G chord beats will replace the "missing" D beats, so that the entire verse remains 48 beats, or 12 bars, long.

This structure can be written out with a letter representing one bar of a chord. So if the turnaround were to be composed of an entire four beats, or one bar, of D chord, the structure would be written as G-G-G-G-C-C-G-G-D- C-G-D.

An extremely common variation on the twelve bar blues structure involves substituting an extra bar of D chord for the C chord that usually follows the D chord. This is especially prevalent in rock and roll or in blues-rock music. This structure could be written out as follows: G-G-G-G-C-C-G-G- D-D-G-G — notice the extra bar of D replacing one bar of C, in the third bar from the end.

This is the simplest way to play a Twelve Bar Chord Structure in the key of G. Play it over and over, as per the repeat sign at the end of the entire twelve bars, until you can change chords at the correct time without looking at the notation.

The partial chord 45i has been used for the D chord. It sounds crisper than the 345i. You may find it worthwhile to practice the jump from the 123i to the 45i for a moment, before playing the entire piece.

Remember that one bar equals four beats, so that the term Twelve Bar refers to the length of one verse of this structure, as you can clearly see below. Whenever possible in the twelve bar examples in the rest of the book, each bar will be separated slightly from the following bar.

Instead of only indicating where the chords change, as has been done with the other songs in the book, in this piece the chord used in each bar has been indicated. This will help you to relate this piece to the chart of Exercise 14, bar by bar. Notice the three beat turnaround, which includes two beats of D chord and one silent beat.

A Suggestion On Note Bending Preparation

Although the bending of notes is the most technically demanding element of playing blues harmonica, and only touched upon in the latter lessons of this book.

You may wish to begin to prepare yourself for bending by learning to apply the "Easiest Bends" instruction in Lesson Twenty Two to the above verse. This can be done simply by adding the "yo" sound to each of the three 45i notes of the verse, as described on page 79.

Other Positions: First and Third Positions

It is possible, although not as easy, to play blues on a C harmonica in keys other than G. Less convenient and popular but still common is the playing of C blues on a C harmonica.

This is known as playing in "First" Position, or "Straight Harp", and probably accounts for approximately five percent of all blues harmonica playing. The least common way to play blues that is still occasionally heard is to play D blues on a C harmonica. This is known as playing in "Third" Position, also occasionally called "slant" harp. It probably accounts for less than two percent of all blues played. Both first and third position blues songs and structures will be presented in later lessons since, although less used than second position, they are satisfying ways to play blues harmonica. Unless otherwise mentioned, all of the musical examples in this book will be in second or cross position.

A Bit About the Blues Scales: First, Second, and Third Position Versions

Just as the Major Scale contains the notes most often used in folk and classical music, the Blues Scale contains the notes most often used in playing blues music.

And just as there are three most commonly used positions for playing harmonica, first, second, and third, there are also three most commonly used Blues Scales – the first position Blues Scale, the second position or cross Blues Scale, and the third position Blues Scale. As you might expect, the first position Blues Scale is used (by advanced players) when improvising in first position, the second position Blues Scale is used (by advanced players) when improvising in second position, and the third position Blues Scale is used (by advanced players) when improvising in third position.

Not Much About The Minor Scale

With the addition of the Minor Scale to the Major Scale (described in the Appendices) and the Blues Scale (examined in great detail in Part Three), you will be able to play most of the music in the American and European musical traditions.

Somewhat similar to the Dorian Scale presented in Lesson Nineteen, the Minor Scale contains the notes used in some of the world’s most haunting melodies, like Greensleeves and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. It has somewhat limited blues applications for beginning harmonica players, and is thus covered not in this volume but in Progressive Harmonica Method.

One Last Hint for Boggled Beginners

If this mass of key information, and position information, and Blues Scale information, and more position information, seems confusing — don’t worry.

There are some simple ways of making sure that, at minimum, you don’t sound wrong, especially when playing with other musicians. These are covered in the Appendices in the section entitled Safety First, on page 102.

Using Progressive Blues Harmonica Licks Volume One

• You are now ready to begin playing the additional Blues and Rock chord structures in Part One of Progressive Blues Harmonica Licks Volume One. They are different from, but no harder than, the exercises in Lesson 9 of this book.