Instant Harmonica - play Summertime + Drunken Sailor now!

Let's start with one note - hole 6 breathing in.

Now keep breathing in and drop down to hole 5 and back up to hole 6

Most of this tune uses breathing IN notes

Practice this after a count-in of two beats

Hold the long note for a count of four beats and then stop playing

Bending the note a little sounds great so let it happen if you like it

The first three notes sounds like the Charles Bronson 'Man with Harmonica' theme from 'Once Upon a Time in the West' (1968) "C'era una volta il West" (original title) It's the epic story of a mysterious stranger with a harmonica who joins forces with a notorious desperado to protect a beautiful widow from a ruthless assassin working for the railroad. Director: Sergio Leone.

But it's not that tune so let's move on

'And the living is easy' is our next bit so let's play it now

Starting with the two pickup notes at the end of the first line, let's look at the second line.

But first can we play it through from the top.

Note the phrase 'and the cotton is' uses only draw notes and the the holes are next to each other so it's a nice fluid phrase for you to play.

Let's play from the top and listen to the piano chords.

Because of the repetition that you always get in music the third line is the same as the second line - it's easier than you thought!

Now play the piece from the top please.

That's 75% done!

Let's start the last line now.

We have modified the tune slightly to avoid having to bend notes here but if you want to study this technique take a look at one of my courses called 'Play tunes on harmonica and learn how to bend some notes' where I go into it all quite deeply.

Or forget that for now and do it as I suggest!

Take this next part at a swing and sing the words in your head as you play it.

Welcome back - let's play from the top.

You can use the backing tracks if you like to get you engaged with the rhythmic feel.

Just four more notes to learn and we've finished the tune.

The words are 'Do-n't you cry'

If you are repeating the tune use the two pick-up notes as written

Now we've learnt the tune let's look at a few variations in the way you play Summertime:

• glissando up to the starting note
• bending the 6 draw like in the movie Charles Bronson soundtrack we mentioned earlier
• adding vibrato of many different types on long notes
• adding fill in notes
• impro notes - use all breathing in notes (less good are holes 3 or 7)
• bending other notes
• play tongue blocked
• playing it an octave above or below

This lecture explains what all the notes are and where they are

Here you will learn the scale of C which is a very useful tune for playing tunes

If you aldeady know this stuff you can skim or skip it

Like I said earlier, I have a bigger course with five lectures on this subject if you want to go deeper - it's called 'INSTANT HARMONICA - how to get single notes in 5 easy steps' so dive in and take that one if you like

I hope you've enjoyed learning this tune, and come back for another tune when you are ready!

Here is the original promotional video when Drunken Sailor was a stand-alone course.

You will see what you are about to learn and find out how you will learn it.

This is a brilliant tune and I really hope you enjoy playing it with me.

Hopefully you will want to play it with others and maybe even in public some time.

I have added three versions of the backing track to this lecture - slow medium and fast.

You will find these in the download section on the right of the main screen, look for the download arrow icon.

Let's go - enjoy, and make sure you get right to the end and write a review please.

If you enjoy it please tell your pals and make sure you put some comments and links on your social media.

First few notes.

The first 7 notes are all played on hole 6.

Breathing in.

I told you it was easy!

Just remember to exhale before playing to avoid exploding (like that guy in the Bond movie).

I see from the photo that I wrote it out wrongly and as it's also in every frame of the whole course I can't change it now.

It should read:

What shall we do with the drunken sailor

6 6 6 6 6 6 6 4 5 6

So the mistake is that there are not enough 6 draws and the word 'drunk' should also be a 6 followed by 4 then 5 then 6.

Apart from that it's perfect!

I see from the photo that I wrote it out wrongly and as it's also in every frame of the whole course I can't change it now.

It should read:

What shall we do with the drunken sailor

6 6 6 6 6 6 6 4 5 6

So the mistake is that there are not enough 6 draws and the word 'drunk' should also be a 6 followed by 4 then 5 then 6.

Apart from that it's perfect!

Except for the sound - I'm trying to make that better.

The second line is also easy as it's the same notes but breathing out.

Here comes the third line.

The last part is new but the first part is the same as line one.

7blow to 8draw is a bit tricky so zoom in and practice it.

Now try the last 4 notes on this line.

Now play along with me for the whole song to where we have learnt.

Repeat.

Repetition is good.

Repetition is good.

Repetition is good.

Now we'll learn the last line.

It's a falling pattern as it 'comes home'.

Early in the morning - how many sylables? 6.

How many notes? 6.

Learn them a note at a time.

Now play the whole line and then the the whole song.

Now you have the tune sorted out you can start to play it in other ways:

Use a different key of harmonica

Play it in another octave

Use chords

Use the tongue to create rhythms

Vibrato

Many ways!

I hope you have enjoyed this course, please come back to other INSTANT HARMONICA courses that I've made for you - tunes are great!

Please leave a Udemy review, tell your pals and make sure you put some comments and links on your social media.