Instant Harmonica - play the Irish anthem Danny Boy today!

Today we are going to learn to play Danny Boy on the C harmonica - that's the 'diatonic' harmonica.

If you need a harmonica you can get one locally or if you would like one by post you are welcome to use my mail order shop - www.sonnyboysmusicstore.co.uk and I would recommend the Sonnyboys Special as a good harmonica of quality and value.

In this lecture I discuss the piece and we will sing along with it.

This lecture is all about singing through again and this time I'll also show you different ways to play it.

Hopefully you will now got the first few notes sorted out. Get this straight and then continue on to the next lecture.

Any course in my INSTANT HARMONICA series needs only two things:

a harmonica (key of C, 10 holes, diatonic)

and the ability to play single notes - but I'll show you how to do that now in this lecture

Make your mouth into the shape you might use if you whistle - it's known as the pucker, pursed lip or kiss shape. Allow your lower lip to drop and push the harmonica in a little; the further it goes in the better it will sound! Relax your lips to let the harmonica in and gradually try to get the shape that gives you a single note.

Some people use a pencil or straw to model the shape you need so try that as well.

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

The more complicated way is called 'tongue blocking' but I will not go into it here except to say you use your tongue to block the holes to the left (or sometimes the right) side of the hole you want to play. Here's another of my courses that explores the use of the tongue in harmonica playing - 'Killer Harmonica sounds using the tongue and bending notes'

I'll teach you the scale of C in one of the final lectures.

Working on the second line now.

The draw notes add tension so make sure you play them.

The third line is taught in this lecture

This lecture is all about the first line of the chorus.

This lecture is all about the chorus second line

This lecture is the central part of the chorus.

This lecture is all about the last part of the chorus.

In this lecture we play the entire tune through at the slow speed.

Here's a little bluesy improvisation on a Low F harmonica. Not sure if it really works well but if it sparks an idea that's fine.

Have a go at the scale of C. It's a brilliant little Doh Re Me tune and will be very helpful.

Extend it by missing out notes F and B (5draw and 7draw) and you will have a different scale remaining - this is called the C major Pentatonic Scale and is your favourite friend when you are improvising. CDEGA are the notes.

Start those exact same notes on A and go up to A and you have there the 'A minor Pentatonic Scale' - ACDEGA. This is even more useful than the previous scale for improvising.

If you can already play this scale give yourself a challenge and start it from hole 1 blow.

You will find the bending requirements are rather intriguing!

You will need a harmonica for this course.

Type - Diatonic

Number of holes - ten

Key - C

Model - I recommend the Sonnyboys Special as it is amazing value, high quality and low price.

Other harmonicas are also available.

See the independent review here: http://patmissin.com/reviews/sonnyboysspecial2.html

Where to get it? Locally or by post from my mail order shop www.sonnyboysmusicstore.co.uk.

I will benefit if you buy from this shop.