Harmonica in Practice

The author’s approach to teaching how to play the harmonica is different than that of most authors. The book teaches not so much how to play given melodies as how to consciously and effectively produce every single sound on this instrument. Another innovative feature of this approach is that it includes bending (sound modification) in the process of learning right from the beginning, while all previous harmonica handbooks have treated bending as “tricks for advanced learners”. The publication is not very thick, but it guarantees tangible effects. We start with breathing exercises and finish with creating our own improvisations, which is a considerable progress. Thus, the handbook is useful for beginners as well as for more advanced harmonica players. The exercises included in the book enable learners to improve their technique, sound quality and speed of playing. The enclosed CD contains 93 recorded examples. These are mostly ready riffs and licks, which we can use to create our own melodies or improvisations.