Blues Harmonica for Dummies

by Yerxa, Winslow

• ISBN13: 9781118252697
• ISBN10: 1118252691
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-08-14
• Publisher: For Dummies

Summary

The fun and easy way to play blues on the harmonica Blues harmonica is the most popular and influential style of harmonica playing, and it forms the basis for playing harmonica in other styles such as rock and country. Blues Harmonica for Dummies gives you a wealth of content devoted to the blues approach-specific techniques and applications, including bending and making your notes sound richer and fuller with tongue-blocked enhancements; use of amplification to develop a blues sound; blues licks and riffs; constructing a blues harmonica solo; accompanying singers; historical development of blues styles; and important blues players and recordings. The accompanying audio CD features all the musical examples from the book, plus play-along exercises and songs that let you hear the sound youre striving for. In-depth coverage of major blues harmonica techniques Blues song forms, improvisation, and accompanying singers Information on blues history and personalities If youre intrigued by the idea of understanding and mastering the compelling (yet mysterious) art of playing blues on the harmonica, Blues Harmonica For Dummies has you covered.

Author Biography

Winslow Yerxa is a widely known and respected harmonica player, teacher, and author. He has written, produced, and starred in many harmonica book and video projects, and provides harmonica instruction worldwide. In addition to teaching privately, he currently teaches at the Jazzschool in Berkeley, California.

Table of Contents

Introduction  1

Part I: So You Wanna Play Blues Harmonica?  7

Chapter 1: Connecting with the Blues 9

Chapter 2: Getting Your Harmonicas Together 17

Chapter 3: Deciphering the Code: A Blues Guide to Music Symbols 31

Part II: Doin’ the Crawl: Your First Harmonica Moves  55

Chapter 4: Breathing Life into the Harmonica 57

Chapter 5: Moving Around with Single Notes 73

Chapter 6: Creating Blues Harmonica Licks and Riffs 87

Chapter 7: Progressing Through the 12-Bar Blues 99

Part III: Beyond the Basics: Getting Bluesy  121

Chapter 8: Working with the Low and High Registers of the Harmonica 123

Chapter 9: Modulating and Punctuating Your Sound 137

Chapter 10: Enriching Your Sound with Textures 149

Chapter 11: Bending Notes: A Classic Part of the Blues Sound 169

Part IV: Developing Your Style  207

Chapter 12: Playing in Different Keys on a Single Harmonica 209

Chapter 13: Working Your Blues Chops in First Position 217

Chapter 14: Accelerating the Blues with Third Position 229

Chapter 15: Playing Blues Chromatic Harmonica in Third and First Positions 241

Chapter 16: Playing Blues in Minor Keys 259

Chapter 17: Groovin’ with Non-12-Bar Blues 271

Part V: Taking It to the Streets: Sharing Your Music  281

Chapter 18: Developing Your Blues Repertoire 283

Chapter 19: Blues Harmonica Amplification: Making a Big Noise with a Tiny Little Thang 297

Part VI: The Part of Tens  313

Chapter 20: Ten Things to Know about Sharing Your Music with Others 315

Chapter 21: Ten Important Periods and Styles in Blues Harmonica History 325

Part VII: Appendixes  333

Appendix A: Tuning Layouts for All Keys 335

Appendix B: About the CD 341

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. End-User License Agreement  349

Index  351