| A diatonic instrument is designed to play in only one | | | | the IV, we have blues in G major. |
| musical key. You need a different one for every | | | | Now we need to know the notes in the chords. For |
| different musical key that you want to play in. An | | | | many chords, we take the note we start with and |
| instrument that can play in any key is a chromatic | | | | then every other note. The formula is 1, 3, 5 for a |
| instrument. The diatonic harmonica was first mass | | | | major chord. So for a C major chord starting on c, |
| produced by Matthias Hohner in 1857. By 1858 he | | | | the notes are c, e, g. When you blow into the ten |
| began shipping them to America. They were | | | | hole diatonic harmonica in the key of C major, the |
| designed to play German and European folk music. | | | | notes are c, e, g, c, e, g, c, e, g, c. In other words |
| They adapted well to American folk and Country | | | | when you are blowing into the harmonica, you are |
| music. The harmonica that I learned to play on was | | | | playing a C major chord. Starting on a g for a g7 |
| the Hohner Marine Band. It was the basic diatonic ten | | | | chord we have 1, 3, 5, 7. So the notes in the G7 |
| hole harmonica which has been sold in that form from | | | | chord are g, b, d, f.. When you breath in or draw on |
| 1920. | | | | the ten hole diatonic harmonica in the key of C |
| The basic diatonic ten hole harmonica is designed to | | | | major, the notes are d, g, b, d, f, a, b, d, f, a. The |
| play simple major key songs. The harmony of these | | | | note a is not one of the basic notes of the G7 chord |
| songs is based on the tonic major and dominant | | | | but it goes well with it. So when you are drawing on |
| seventh chord of a major scale. As these are built on | | | | the harmonica, you are basically playing a G 7 chord. |
| the first and fifth note of the major scale they are | | | | When you play the diatonic harmonica the way it |
| often identified with roman numerals as the I and V7 | | | | was designed to be played, you learn to play the |
| chords. Blues harmony is different. It's two main | | | | melody notes as you cover and uncover the other |
| chords are based on the first and fourth note of the | | | | holes with your tongue. With you tongue beating out |
| major scale. In roman numerals that would be a I and | | | | a chord accompaniment to the melody and your |
| IV chord. Also both these chords could be dominant | | | | cupped hands creating other effects, you truly sound |
| sevenths. Lets use the C major scale to help explain. | | | | like a little band. How did this simple folk instrument |
| The natural music tones are a, b, c, d, e, f, and g. If | | | | become a blues harp. In the 1920's harmonica players |
| you start on the note c, you have c, d, e, f, g, a, b, | | | | began to discover how to get a different sound. |
| c. this gives you the do, re, me, fa, so, la, ti, do of a | | | | They found that if you played it backwards, using |
| major scale. Start on any other note and you need | | | | the draw chord as your primary chord and the blow |
| sharps or flats to make it a major scale depending on | | | | chord as your secondary chord, you got a blues |
| which note you start on. In the key of C major The | | | | sound. It's called cross harping. With your chords |
| I and V7 chords are C and G7. Suppose we want to | | | | being G7 on the draw and C on the blow, you are |
| play blues in the key of G major. The major scale | | | | playing blues in G on your C harmonica. This is called |
| notes are g, a, b, c, d, e, f sharp, g. The I and IV | | | | cross harping. Add the technique of over drawing to |
| chords would be G or G7 and C or C7 for blues. The | | | | bend the notes and amplification and you have the |
| fifth note of the C scale is G and four up from that | | | | blues harp. When you hear it performed by a |
| is C. So you can see that if we take the chords for a | | | | accomplished player, it's amazing the sounds that |
| simple song in the key of C major and play them | | | | they get out of such a simple instrument. |
| backwards, using the V chord for the I and the I for | | | | |