Harmonica beginner

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Day 6-practise till..

SORE!!

yesterday after the late jammin..Today woke up with a cranky tired throat.Felt like I was singing all nite.But I was just huffing and puffing...hehe!

But Im so into it , I cannot stop furthermore, the row your boat song is getting better and yesterday song is making me more intrigued cos I experiment the first line again and again this time with opening and closing of the palms and so SHIOK!!

U can hear the wah-wah effect and the sadness od the tone really gets into my heart...so bad that I felt pain inside. (whereas Im feeling chirpy in the morning!)Hmm...this is weird...

Anyway,its good that today is SILENCE day (Iamsilent.com) then I can rest my vocal cords...but the practice goes on (HOW?!)I must make use while I am still excited, u never know when my boredom will sets it.I need to espand that enthusiasm while I still can!!! Yeah,I am those who gets bored easily and whose motivation is short-lived.

Ok,gonna practise YESTERDAY song by the beatles again.If u wanna music accompaniment, refer to previous post...and see my "teacher"(I called her my teacher cos she is the one who ignite me with so much curiousity and open the world of harmonica to me but we have never met nor speak nor know of each other existence, I adore her in silence hehe!)

Ok,take care of ur vocal...

Drink lots of water,ok?
Dont get dehydrated...dont get too carried away that u forget to breathe and drink!

Love..

Jamming along with songs..

Right now..nearing bedtime...

I have no blues album...but perhaps I should try out with fast songs like black eyed peas or something like that hehe!Its a new technology...hehe!One day, I wanna play cotton eye joe,that is one catchy song!

Anyway, I think if u just jam along without tabs to look at, u relax and enjoy urself and assimilate urself as a musician, i think it is cool.Imagine that unimaginable dream....u got to make it possible, u got to believe in it...before anyone does..so just jam in, no matter how criss cross the sounds may seems, have fun! Dont be scared to get acquainted with the harmonica...

im jammin to have fun.
have fun!

p.s:erm, how come my front row top teeth is aching as though it felt like jutting out, am i blowing wrongly? But I did not even hurt or touch it, are the winds pushing it to be jutted out? Hmm..then I will bebugs bunny? heheh!

11.53pm-3hours of jammin.YIKES?!I let myself get carried away..imagine Im on stage playing with some band hehe!And its FUN!! At first I tried sitting down then I stand up and BOOGIE!Its better and u can practise with ur diaphragm too!Breathing up and down.And this long duration can make me have a feel on how those performances that stretches an hour or two.How they actually do that in full vigour? With lots of stamina and endurance.Determination and passion is the key..

Hmm, so tomorrow another jamming session?U bet?!! heheh!

I was actually jamming quite soft...cos the neighbours here have mouse ears.They are particular about noises and also being considerate cos Im the only one not working so early in the morning like them.Thus have to practise consideration and hopefully my kindness will pay off,one day insya-Allah.

Well,that's it, Im gonna sleep now..

Remember,practice and practise but have FUN too!!

p.s:oh by the way, let's play by ear...
http://www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/18/27406930/Weve-Got-the-Whole-Tune-in-Our-Hands

just in case u want to learn the music notes:
http://www.ezfolk.com/harp/howtoread/howtoread.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Read-Music
http://www.notationmachine.com/how_to_read_sheetmusic/readingmusic.htm
http://datadragon.com/education/reading/
http://www.learn4good.com/kids/how_to_read_musical_notes.htm

Sight reading http://martypapa.blogspot.com/2009/06/fast-keys.html (game)
11.58pm...12.56am (Oh my,when am i sleeping?This is too interesting...)

12 bar blues?What the....

heck is that??? (12 bar blues)
http://www.coast2coastmusic.com/diatonic/12_bar_blues.shtml
fyi-Im using the diatonic HOHNER #C (as recommended for many beginners)

For more info on others...
http://www.coast2coastmusic.com/diatonic/ToDoList.shtml

8.46pm 19.11.09

Oh wow, I kept reading about harmonica playing from the heart and been searching for that "IT" song that can cultivate my emotions so that I can put my heart out.And there are songs that meant the world to me,either they are too hard,no tabs or mainly too hard hehe!And so as suggested in previous post, I decided to try out YESTERDAY by beatles.But it seems that I had not finish my country road by John denver.I just finish row,row,row ur boat and i beginning to escalate too high.hehe! Anyway, I tried puckering for the yesterday song for the whole song cos the tongue blocking will need more practise and I felt so in tune, so heartfelt that although i stammered the whole yesterday song, I felt it affect me.I want that FEELING!!!

I love it!

I felt that way when I heard others play but this is the first time I felt it...wow! It really provoke the thin walls of ur heart...seriously. I think it kinda motivates me even more...insya-Allah.

WOW! Now I understand how it felt to play from the heart cos I really open my heart and wanted so much to play from the heart and this tune kinda strum my genuine feelings...hopefully it motivates me even further.

And after checking out the internet, I cannot find any secret tips from professionals or any that has rose to fame from scratch. I bet there are many wonderful stories out there...

I want to start this blog so it can motivate those budding musicians out there not to give up and start even though u are 100 years old, who knows it might be ur niche, right?

I was searching my whole life for many things ,only now, it seems to fall into pieces into places..alhamdulillah. I thought guitar was my thing, cos it look kinda cool.

Then I thought violin too cos I wanted to do it since childhood then I wanted to backpack to India thus Sitar came into mind and then sarod and then when I travel to Morocco , I thought the oud arbi ..then i went to Europe, I saw my uncle perform using the harmonica.He showed us and then he showed me his instrument,classy...the thought came to mind but I never give it a serious thought cos I took harmonica like a toy.In my mind, harmonica is associated with kids playing,toy and not a serious musical instrument to be taken into consideration..my bad.

now its open its vast skills and knowledge to let me see with wide open eyes and be in awe...Alhamdulillah.Dont ever underestimate the power of harmonica..ok?

Love,love,love.....the harmonica.

I can be the best harpist!! *affirmation to myself so that I can succeed.
(If u can visualise those who hate ur guts and those who look down on u as a positive motivation for u to excel further, that is even better!" Picture those faces laughing at u ,holding out the harmonica and then their faces changes as u WOwed them with ur magical breath and skills...

*got to picture a powerful dream,for powerful motivation,for powerful affirmation...

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Let it be...YESTERDAY (online lessons)

Let's practise with one good song...with my teacher..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gn6TbNyzIdQ

the tabs:
http://www.harmonicacountry.com/beatles/yesterday.html

I know it sounds different from the tabs cos she improvised it, hopefully one day we,the beginners can do it!Insya-Allah we can!

Ok,this is what the tab sounds like....try it for beginners like ME!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z5ibGp3hgY&feature=related

More video lessons..
http://www.ehow.com/videos-on_2810_play-harmonica.html

Ok move on,bend...

Im still practising the single note to make it as clear and crisp as possible but it seems that everywhere I go, it says about bending thus the curiousity sets in.

Just fyi, Im not that good yet to do bending but sometimes, boredom sets in, and u are in need of new techniques perhaps, this will toggle ur mind...

http://www.harmonicaclub.com/common/note_bending_for_harmonica.htm

The rest of it ..well, there's GOOGLE..

http://www.google.com.sg/search?q=how+to+bend+harmonica&hl=en&rlz=1R2SUNA_enSG329&sa=2

My intention...

I had to start on a clean slate..with a real clean intention..

I've checked it out and learn more and more each day.Im beginning to fall in love with the harmonica.I need to set a long term and short term goals.

I want to be able to create tabs and play P.Ramlee songs and re-live his songs again (he is a LEGEND in my country/region) Not even a single tab on his songs(?!!) can be found for harmonica? How can that be? I also wanna be one of the greatest harmonica girl players in my region and possibly world-wide.If u hear his sad songs or watch his sad movies, u can cry buckets even if u dont understand his language.Try this youtube and feel it...

More music sheets but for piano..
http://www.pianofiles.com/search/music/sheets/p+ramlee

Wanna hear him sing...superb!!! ALhamdulillah May God bless him!

Short term is to play the basics well and learn to play by ear in all genre,classical, blues...and others...

I know I can and I will!!
Love..

Motivations...

the harmonica newbies....especially to my dear self who has no knowledge in music whatsoever..

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/columns/general_music/revival_of_the_harmonica.html

Erm, this is a video on chugging for beginners..from : http://www.freeharmonicalessons.com/ (gosh those curly hair is drivin me nuts..*sidetracked for a moment)

JOn Bon Jovi with HARMONICA!! COOL!!

blues links..beginners
http://www.jt30.com/jt30page/instruct1-0.html
Oh wow!Women harmonica players: http://www.myspace.com/mulheresgaitistas

Day 5-Woo-hoo!I completed...

Row,row row ur boat.....

Alhamdulillah.

It's small but to me, it s BIG!! COs got to memorize the numbers at first as u go along, u go with the flow.The numbers kinda became invisible as u became use dto the sequence of the blowing..and drawing, u tend to follow the tunes by ear....YIPEE! Woo-Hoo! My first musical accomplishments since.....the first time was when I was young, I got an electronic keyboard.I just follow the lighted colours to play.

fyi-My mom is a percussionist...in her hey days performing with large groups in events and weddings!Woo-hoo!Im cultivating musical tunes in my blood....erm, is it too late? NEVER!

Important tip Ive learnt today:

You need to play from a place inside yourself. Some enthusiasts call this "true playing." Your chords, notes and licks need to resonate within yourself, because if you can play what you feel inside, then others around you will feel it just the same!
http://www.helium.com/items/246326-tips-for-learning-how-to-play-the-harmonica

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Today is day 4....

Wow! Time passes so fast.

Im still learning http://www.harmonicacountry.com/Denver/TakeMeHomeCountryRoads.html

Im at the 4th sentence.Still practising the single tone thru lipping and tongue blocking.I prefer tongue blocking in the beginning but tougher.Then as I tried lipping,it gets easier as u practise.Ur mouth is like a tiny "O" so tiny that only the Yakult straw can be inserted.

I went to the field where construction was just beside.With all that piling sounds, on an open field, I sat and blow my harmonica away.It seems so peaceful.hmmm....

I was motivated but Im afraid cos Im easily get bored type of person and so I dare not put my hopes high.But Im getting to like this humble instrument.At first it felt like a joke but as I keep it in my fingers all day long,kinda like a company, sort of a bosom friend, Im beginning to understand it.

Im beginning to like it.I tried the wah-wah effects.It felt so shiok...so wonderful. And then I realised that this harmonica can mimick almost any songs.It is unique,it can be classical and modern at the same time without much changes or retrofitting.

Its like fated...I never give this instrument much thought..i felt like a kid again..having fun.

Today I heard "Sorry seems to be the hardest word" (http://www.harptabs.com/song.php?ID=3819) on the radio and there is this part, where I think either they use violin or harmonica but that part ,insya-Allah if I am good one day, I wanna do it.Cos this song hold something special for me,perhaps I can assimilate my feelings into it... one day insya-Allah like my idol... (previous post)

Im feeling better, but impatience is getting on my nerves cos im playing the same old song every day..and I have not reached the chorus yet....patience is a virtue-Im reminding myself...

Im also trying out row,row,row ur boat... http://www.harmonica4kids.com/songs.html

Still have not finish it yet.

Im also trying to remember the numbering without looking at the notes... so that I can memorise...so perhaps that takes time.

Also at first Ive wondered why there is no difference in cupping or not,the sound seems the same.But then I read somewhere that I need to listen carefully and put ur heart and soul and listen to everything ,every lil details,every change and I can hear it.Its true, I heard the difference, the echoing soort of magnifying the sound more as u cupped it...

try playing with and without cupping and feel the difference.Then also try recording ur own while u practise so that u can hear ur own playing...its much better to hear ur own recording then u can detect the mistakes easily.

Happy learning!!

My Idol..Christelle Berthon

She is from France and her popularity rose when she did her harmonica thru youtube.

I love this one especially....U can feel the harpist out her heart and soul into it.
http://www.youtube.com/user/christellester#p/u/52/JCapiyzc_AA

Want to know more about her? This is her interview.It seems that she has musical background with the...

http://dfwhoot.blogspot.com/2009/05/harping-on-christelle-berthon.html

When I watched her play, I felt more motivated that such a humble instrument not recognised by many as a legitimate musical instrument can produce such soulful voice.I hope one day I can be as good or even better, insya-Allah!

Monday, November 16, 2009

My lips are like...

Angelina Jolie as I practised for hours on my first day.

Oh I did not tell you how I started.

I was searching for the harmonica in my country and found only 2 musical stores have it.But then I decided to take a look at a nearby 24hours shoping centre cos that sells everything and anything.Yeah, Mustafa Centre sells everything...and anything u can think of.

And I found it at the guitar section.Hohner ocean star only cost $16.90.I think there is another one but I think that is the 25 chromatic harmonica from hohner $19+.There are also made in China brands cost from $6.90 onwards...

Immediately I bought it and my eyes gleam at the thought of practising it that day itself.

Immediately I look at the links (previous post) and read them again (Cos I already did when I was researching) and search for interesting tabs to motivate me.Something easy to learn.

And I love John Denver's songs and the beatles..Hey Jude.Jason Mraz Im yours (http://www.harptabs.com/song.php?ID=8723) are too complicated, perhaps when Im good enough...

Then I found out that the chinese locals do have an organisation (http://www.harmonica.org.sg/) and courses but in mandarin and next year they are gonna host the http://www.aphf2010.org/Spnrs_Prosp.pdf And so... will I be able to be as good by then and participate it? heheh! I like a challenge but perhaps this is too fast!!! YIKES!!!

Oh by the way if u think harmonica is not that glamourised....http://www.ausgelassen.com/04gallery_aphf2008.html think again....so cOOL!

http://www.ausgelassen.com/11video.html

oh wow-a gal harpist http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=US_4q5Iwy8M

Great links for beginners....

http://www.harmonica4kids.com/tips.html - is a harminica for kids and there are songs tabs for simple songs that adults (newbie) can try out too!Why not make it into a family hobby and practise together? Cool,huh...time bonding...

Ok this is important,how to hold the harmonica:
-http://www.hoerl.com/Music/harmon2.html
- http://www.harmonicaclub.com/common/lessons.htm
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AxkcDej3rk

eh but then this one teaches differently,it does not stick to the cup but the flap instead..flap those fingers,newbies... http://www.harmonica.com/How_to_Hold_Harmonicas.html

hOW TO BLOW SINGLE NOTE:
http://www.harmonica.com/How_to_Play_the_Harmonica_single_notes.html

pucker or the tongue?
http://members.ziggo.nl/jhm.vangastel/Harmonica/tongue.htm
I think after all these, I should be a great kisser...dont u think?hehe!

Basics of playing with harmonica
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Harmonica/Basic_Holding_and_Playing_a_Harmonica

There are many harmonica tabs here:
http://www.harmonicacountry.com/
http://www.harptabs.com/ is a compilation of tabs from worldwide players...who knows once u are good enough u can contribute your favourite pop songs too!!

http://www.harmonicacountry.com/Denver/TakeMeHomeCountryRoads.html this is my favourite childhood song and I use it as my first attempt song.I practise my single note thru this song.1st day I can do the first sentence already YIPEE!!

http://www.harmonica.com/blog/114-bending-notes-on-a-harmonica.html -how to bend the notes once u get the hang of it...

This is very interesting,basic but indepth...teach u how to read musical notes too http://books.google.com.sg/books?id=d1M4lYnQTREC&pg=PA4&lpg=PA4&dq=now+and+forever+harmonica+tabs&source=bl&ots=YfM4LN3dCn&sig=iCOIuvYUkbXiN_qCCyBvQZgZe2Q&hl=en&ei=RXL_SpyGG4uXkQWeu_HzCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CBsQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=&f=false

Another indepth way of holding and breathing for newbies or dummies (me especially hehe!) ..Hey,Harmonica players are cool,so act cool,be cool...http://books.google.com.sg/books?id=WsBaX9ymfYIC&pg=PA50&lpg=PA50&dq=how+to+play+harmonica+with+stand&source=bl&ots=E63QCnLNQ9&sig=7uKAcePBxi4hPfdTv8zWbDucAEg&hl=en&ei=p8oES_XqLsyQkQXRkZG5Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBQQ6AEwAzgK#v=onepage&q=how%20to%20play%20harmonica%20with%20stand&f=false

children's musical sheets: http://musiced.about.com/od/freesheetmusic/a/kidssheetmusic.htm

Tips and benefits of learning harmonica : http://www.helium.com/items/248230-tips-for-learning-how-to-play-the-harmonica

For future reference-advance learners,playing with the holder/rack:
http://www.harmonicatunes.com/harmonicaholder.shtml

Happy learning!!!

With love from me....
to all harmonica harpists...
be it beginners or professional...
everyone...

Hey everyone...

Hi there!
I wanted to learn the harmonica.Is it too late? Is it too late to harness that musical ability in me? Nope.Its never too late to learn anything even in ur last breath.And so Im going to start learning the harmonica and Im gonna share my lil steps with you....

Why Harmonica?
The truth is I am interested to learn violin when I was young but at that time, violin and its lessons are quite costly thus the idea was pushed aside.And then I wanted to learn the guitar but was too busy with school and activities that I push that aside too.And then in my teens, a friend brought a handmade guitar for me from the Philippines but sad to say,it was broken few months later as I was learning the basics due to my carelessness of my brother.(Yeah, what are u gonna do? brothers..)

Then in my adult life, time sped so fast without u knowing,I wanted to instil some sort of musical happiness in me.Thus I check out the music lessons and wonder what are the courses that are easy to learn and create satisfaction within players almost instantaneously.Cos being a kid, u want to be always motivated right?So do adults like me who felt that their learning capabilities are reaching its expire date soon.

Hmm, and so I went travelling and met my distant uncle who is learning the harmonica.I was intrigued that he can play the blues.Quite amazing actually...and so I thought but I never think about trying it. I thought harmonica is not that glamour hehe!!

Anyway...since I am so excited to embark on a lil musical career path..I research and was intrigued to find out that there are not many who are good at this in my country. I meant the blues...And most who are good at it are those who learnt themselves....and the famous singer that incorporate harmonica in the music is Bob Dylan. Thus that increase the motivations.

And as I research more, there are many harmonica tabs for songs from people worldwide thus i have the interest but not much of the money, I thought why not? And here I am. I bought for myself Hohner's diatonic ocean star...from Germany.

So come join me as I embark in this exciting musical career for my own pleasure...

Who knows I might be great at it...right?