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Why you should learn to play the harmonica
By Jack Earl
Why learn to play the harmonica?
The harmonica is a small musical instrument that can be carried
with you at all times in your shirt pocket. You can have it with you
when out fishing in a boat, or backpacking along some mountain
trail. You can have it with you when driving your truck down the
freeway. You can easily have it with you when riding your
motorcycle or bicycle.
The harmonica is cheap. If some one rips off your harmonica it is no
big deal. You simply replace it for just a few bucks. Most harmonica
players have given away harmonicas to interested folks just
because they want to share the joy of making music on a
harmonica.
The harmonica is very easy to learn to play. Most students hear
themselves making a recognizable tune within an hour of their first
attempt. If they stick it out they will find that everything begins to
click in as little as ten hours of practice. Their harmonica playing will
become as natural as whistling.
For most musicians, the ability to transpose a tune from one key to
another key requires years of experience. Not so for the harmonica
player. They simply pull the proper keyed harmonica out of their
cigar box and begin playing in the correct key. There is no need to
relearn the song. The harmonica tabs are identical regardless of
the key.
The harmonica is a relatively quiet instrument. You do not need to
be concerned about irritating the neighbor when playing the
harmonica. Nor will members of your own family object if you are
playing your instrument in the same room.
The harmonica enables the amateur musician to begin
experiencing the joy of making music without having to spend
years on lessons. The joy you receive from making music is far
superior to the joy you receive from merely listening to music.
Music can have a tremendous therapeutic effect, especially for the
performer. Many a marriage has been saved when one partner has
retreated to the solitude of their guitar, piano or harmonica to
soothe their emotions with their music.
The harmonica enables the experienced musician to further
develop his musical instincts at those times when he could not set
down to a piano or guitar. Many band members have taken up the
harmonica to play on their buses between concerts.
The harmonica is probably the most intimate of all musical
instruments. The only instrument more intimate would be your own
vocal chords. You could think of your harmonica as a substitute of
your vocal chords. Because the harmonica is almost part of your
body, it picks up on your emotions and communicates those
feelings through your music.
The sound of your music will vary depending upon the nasal
cavities and throat shape similarly to the sound of your own voice.
A woman playing the harmonica will sound different than a man. An
adult will sound different than a child. As you have your own
unique voice when you sing or speak, you also have your own
unique harmonica voice.
The harmonica is so much a part of you that you can almost talk
through it so that others can understand what you are saying. You
can use your tongue to form the words while playing a song. In
fact, I encourage my students to sing the lyrics to a song while
they are playing it. It will make their harmonica playing much more
musical and not so mechanical.
Music is a marvelous gift that we have received from our Creator. It
can lift us up when we are depressed or give us peace when we
are worried. It is my drug of choice.
About the Author
Jack Earl has taught thousands to play the harmonica with his ten free lessons at
www.HarmonicaCountry.com.
Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/23317.html
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| Some other articles by Jack Earl | The Father of Gospel Blues
Little nine year old Tommie and his family moved to
Atlanta, Georgia from the small town of Villa Rica, Georgia
in 1908. Tommy was demoted ...
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