More Train Time
A more interesting train rendition can be performed with the addition of a whistle, to break up the chord sounds that mimic the noise of the wheels.
The Train Whistle
The hand vibrato can provide a fine whistle to go along with the train rhythm. Place your mouth over the single hole number 1, and inhale. Open and close your hands once per beat, with a beat of silence on the fourth beat. Repeat once for a two measure, or eight beat, train whistle.
When you can play the above whistle, experiment with using three beats of fluttered hand vibrato for each measure of the whistle, then one silent beat.
Or you may like to use the doublet style rhythm from Lesson Seven, with two double "wahs" and one single "wah" for each beat of whistle, as follows.
The Train With Whistle
The only hard thing about playing the Train With Whistle is going directly and with no break from the 456e chord to the single note 1e. Perhaps it is a bit like jumping onto a moving train — it takes determination and commitment without a great deal of thought.
It is easy to return to the 456i chord from the second measure of 1e whistle because you have a silent beat during which to breathe and locate the next chord. Begin slowly and carefully, without tonguing. Add the tonguing to the rhythm after you have mastered the move from the train to the whistle, and from the whistle to the train. Repeat the train for as long as you like before going to the whistle.
If you like use a higher whistle for the train.
Experiment with this train. Play the train for a longer or shorter time before going to the whistle, or play the whistle for twice as long before returning to the train. Use tonguing on all or some of the beats, or don’t, as you prefer. Vary the speed, and the loudness, and create your own interpretation of this classic harmonica piece.
This train uses some additional chords, and also varies the rhythm patterns. It is meant to be an example of a train, not one to be adhered to slavishly. It starts without any tonguing, then adds more complex tonguing rhythms. You may wish to practice each line separately before combining them. Play each line for as long as you wish, before going on to the next line. Note the use of the high chord 56i for a whistle. Raising the pitch of the whistle adds a sense of urgency, as though the train is approaching the listener. Use the whistle in between the lines, or whenever it seems appropriate.
Combine the lines, to form mixed rhythmic lines such as the following.
