[Harp-L] Program

[donk...@verizon.net]

I've been asked to provide harmonica entertainment at an upcoming senior
citizens meeting. I want to provide the group with harmonicas, and "try" to
teach them to play a simple song. Does anyone have a suggestion for a "fun"
song that could be learned in a short amount of time?

[Vern]

There is no way that beginners will learn to play a melody in the first session. You are not teaching a class that came to learn the harmonica, you are soliciting spontaneous participation. You want something so simple that almost anyone can “get it” within a few seconds.

I suggest “Down in the Valley" because It has only two chords, C (blow) and G (draw) on a C diatonic. “Wheels” is more up-beat and has only two beats of the bridge on the F chord. Perhaps Harp-l correspondents can suggest other two-chord songs that you may like better.

Amplified, you sing and play the melody on your harmonica with many repeats.

Tell them to blow when you point towards yourself and draw when you point towards them. Tell them to use the left end of their harmonicas. Practice a little before you start the song.

This will be simple for them, they will be playing the correct chords, it will give them a sense of participation, and it hopefully won’t sound too bad musically.

Good luck,

Vern

[Dennis Michael Montgomery via Harp-L]

Perhaps these harmonica lessons for children via youtube can help you. I found these while searching for songs for a family with three small boys.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjckHe_8CzwHow toPlay Happy Birthday on the Harmonicahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlhYkhz9TNUHow toPlay Star Wars on the Harmonicahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUgnG7C-JYcThreeBlind Micehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raeMK5aXtUkBingo Was His Name Ohhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jt36qaUrfYLondonBridge is Falling Down https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGxj7g_xA24
Oh Susanna' on harmonica (beginner lesson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hnz9O-0uQ8Mary Had a Little Lambhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKwLQ40ZzsY

[Tin Lizzie]

Joe Filisko teaches “Skip to my Lou” in the kids’ program at SPAH. No emphasis on single note melodies. Just aim to have the melody note be the top one when you play a chord, and have fun. Gestures help with breath direction.

I respectfully disagree with Vern’s advice about which gestures to use for breath direction. Point away from yourself for blow (the direction that air is going through your harmonica (rather than theirs)) and towards yourself for draw. It will be fine, either way, of course, as long as you state it clearly, gesture consistently, and don’t let conflicting bits of advice trip you up.

Tin Lizzie


On Oct 3, 2018, at 5:02 PM, harp-l-...@harp-l.org wrote:

> Date: Mon, 1 Oct 2018 20:54:01 -0400
> From: <donk...@verizon.net>
> To: <har...@harp-l.org>
> Subject: [Harp-L] Program
> Message-ID: <043a01d459ea$69135140$3b39f3c0$@verizon.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"