Harmonica for Beginners
Ever picked up a harmonica - but found all you can do is puff and blow? Or dreamed of adding a blues harp to a guitar jam with friends? This course is for absolute beginners to learn the fundamentals of blues harmonica.
Neil will take you through simple harmonica rhythms and blues structures, learn how to hold and breathe with a harmonica, and play single notes, scales and tunes.
By the end of the week, you’ll have moved to blues techniques such as bending notes, playing licks, chugs, and hand wah- wah. Neil will have you improvising – jamming with the blues – playing to backing tracks – and finally – playing a solo!
AGE: Suitable for ages 16 to adult
SKILL LEVEL: Beginner - Suited to those who are new to the course area or may have little or no experience
SCHEDULE: Half Days - Monday 13 to Friday 17 January 2025 - 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
VENUE: Bellingen High School
Check out the courses below that could be paired with this half-day course…
Ever picked up a harmonica - but found all you can do is puff and blow? Or dreamed of adding a blues harp to a guitar jam with friends? This course is for absolute beginners to learn the fundamentals of blues harmonica.
Neil will take you through simple harmonica rhythms and blues structures, learn how to hold and breathe with a harmonica, and play single notes, scales and tunes.
By the end of the week, you’ll have moved to blues techniques such as bending notes, playing licks, chugs, and hand wah- wah. Neil will have you improvising – jamming with the blues – playing to backing tracks – and finally – playing a solo!
AGE: Suitable for ages 16 to adult
SKILL LEVEL: Beginner - Suited to those who are new to the course area or may have little or no experience
SCHEDULE: Half Days - Monday 13 to Friday 17 January 2025 - 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
VENUE: Bellingen High School
Check out the courses below that could be paired with this half-day course…
Ever picked up a harmonica - but found all you can do is puff and blow? Or dreamed of adding a blues harp to a guitar jam with friends? This course is for absolute beginners to learn the fundamentals of blues harmonica.
Neil will take you through simple harmonica rhythms and blues structures, learn how to hold and breathe with a harmonica, and play single notes, scales and tunes.
By the end of the week, you’ll have moved to blues techniques such as bending notes, playing licks, chugs, and hand wah- wah. Neil will have you improvising – jamming with the blues – playing to backing tracks – and finally – playing a solo!
AGE: Suitable for ages 16 to adult
SKILL LEVEL: Beginner - Suited to those who are new to the course area or may have little or no experience
SCHEDULE: Half Days - Monday 13 to Friday 17 January 2025 - 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
VENUE: Bellingen High School
Check out the courses below that could be paired with this half-day course…
course info
Please read all course information below before purchasing tickets for this event.
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By the end of the week, you’ll be able to:
Blow a single note
Play a C scale and a tune
Play a few different chugs
Use a YouTube or Spotify blues backing track
Cross harp on the first six holes
Jam along to blues in G
Improve your tone such as bending notes
Play a solo
DAY ONE
Explore the blues harp – understand the holes and notes on your C harp
Practice playing a single note – tongue block or pucker
Develop and practice the best hand position for you
Play a shuffle rhythm in 2nd position
Practice a basic improvisation
DAY TWO
Learn the blues scale in 2nd position on first six holes
Learn a vibrato technique
More minor pentatonic scale work
Practice playing an F on hole 2, a Bb and A on hole 3, and a Db on hole 4 (bending)
DAY THREE
Recap and practice what’s been learnt so far
Learn to improvise using different three notes
Understand the 12 bar blues and try an improvisation
Play a simple tune
Keep practicing single notes
DAY FOUR
Add some hand wah wah
Learn more licks together with some sustained notes
Mix a chug and a riff
Practice increasing speed on licks
Learn some new blues licks in various positions
DAY FIVE
Review and practice all of above
Talk about home practice and what to do
Talk about mics, amps and effect pedals
Prepare own solos for the concert
Practice as a group for the concert
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Please bring the following on your first day of class:
MUST have a good quality blues harp in the key of C
Hohner – Marine Band, Special 20, Pro Harp, Blues Harp, Tombo – Lee Oscar or Seydel – Session Steel
Two notepads – One for scribbling notes and one for transcribing
Pencil and a rubber
A clipboard for handouts
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No experience required.
“Tutor Neil Buckley is a great asset. He helped amazingly with a well structured and planned program. Understanding and thoughtful, he took a class with little or no musical knowledge from zero to moderate competence as an average. An extremely versatile musician, himself he really did “ turn himself inside out” to achieve an result.”
YOUR COURSE TUTOR
Neil Buckley
Neil started out as a brass and keyboard player, from his start in music at the age of six.
After gaining a Diploma Music Specialist in 1974 from Alexander Mackie CAE, he taught high and primary school instrumental and concert bands from 1975 to 1984 on the northern beaches in Sydney. At the same time, he played sax with a rock and roll band, with gigs all over Sydney.
Over the years since leaving the public school system, he played with A Grade brass bands and concert bands here and in the UK.
He took up blues harp as an aside to jam with guitars in the 80s while he was playing sax. This was after doing a gig with an amazing blues player – before that, he didn’t know anything about them.
His main gigging these days however is solo – looping a 4-string CB guitar and percussion while singing and then playing over it with harp and keys.
