More Simple Songs With One Note Per Beat
The following songs can all be notated so that no more than one note occurs per beat, although other timing versions may be more commonly used, as demonstrated at the end of Lesson Twelve.
These songs will sound correct if played using chords centered on the single note that is written, but continue to work on obtaining single notes as well as possible. You may wish to practice using the hand vibrato on the notes that are held for multiple beats, as described at the end of this lesson.
Some Tonal Variations
Please note that although the following songs are all notated entirely with single notes, it is sometimes acceptable to use a combination of single notes as well as chords when playing them.
Some songs may sound better when played with a greater number of chords in place of single notes, others may sound better when played with more single notes. Thus if a song uses the single note 4e, it may also be played as the chord 345e, or as 34e or 45e. This choice is up to you.
When a song "jumps" from one note to a distant note (as with the jump from 4e to 6e in Twinkle Twinkle Little Star), it is acceptable to jump directly from the 4 to the 6 hole, or to "slide" the harmonica, briefly hitting upon the 5 hole. However, the slide must not interfere with the correct timing of the song. It is also acceptable either to use, or not to use, a tonguing effect on any note or chord. Unless notated, this is entirely left to your discretion, depending on whether you prefer a "flowing" (not tongued) or "sharp" version of the song. All of these variations are demonstrated on the recording, used appropriately depending on the song.
This good-natured song, like On Top Of Old Smoky which follows, is usually notated so that each beat has up to three notes, as it has been presented at the end of Lesson Fourteen. But it is easier to read when written like this.
The Hand Vibrato
By using the right hand to form an enclosure around the left hand and the harmonica, an effect known as the hand vibrato is made possible by opening and closing the right hand. Harmonica players sometimes refer to this effect as the "wah wah" or "hand wah wah".
Hold the harmonica in the left hand as described at the beginning of Lesson Two, with the fingers of the left hand straight and pressed together, with no visible gaps between them. Place the heel of the right hand against the heel of the left hand, so that the flattened right palm covers the" cup" formed by the left hand as it holds the harmonica.
The hand position, with the cup closed, is somewhat like one that could be used to carry water in the absence of a glass, with the fingers of the left hand curled inside the fingers of the right, and the left pinky pushed against the right hand where the fingers join the palm.
The point of this hand position is to be able to block and unblock the flow of air through the harmonica. As hands come in varying shapes and sizes, experiment with the right hand position that will most comfortably block the air flow. It may be useful to look into a mirror, to see how well the right hand closes about the left.
Practicing the Hand Vibrato
Begin in closed hand position. Keeping the heels of the hands together, bend the right hand back from the wrist so that the "cup" opens, then close it. You need only open the "cup" an inch or less to change the sound.
Experiment with both inhaled and exhaled single notes and chords, on the high, middle, and low parts of the harmonica. The lower or middle notes will generally produce a more pronounced wah wah, at first. Practice opening and closing the "cup" once per beat, as in this pattern.
Practice also opening and closing the cup in a smooth, fluttering motion, as swiftly as possible.
Using the Hand Vibrato
The hand vibrato can be used in many ways. Opening and closing once per note, on notes that are held for one beat, will emphasize the clarity of each note. Doing a continuous fast (fluttering) hand vibrato throughout a song, or portion of a song, will provide a pleasant tonal effect that is easily over-used.
It is wiser to use a fluttering hand vibrato only on selected notes that are held for multiple beats, such as the long note or notes at the end of each line of On Top Of Old Smoky. When using this faster wah wah during a song, it is important not to lose the beat.
