Learn & Play

Harmonica
by Debbie Cavalier
Illustrations by Rick Pinchera
and James Lema

First Act Inc. 745 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02116

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are trademarksof First Act Inc.
2010 First Act Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The Harmonica

Your First Act Discovery harmonica is a ten hole,

diatonic harmonica in the key of C.
Hole Numbers

10

Holes

Three Steps to Playing the Harmonica

Step 1 : Left Hand
Hold the harmonica with
your left hand, so that
your thumb is below the
harmonica and your
fingers are above it.
Step 2: Right Hand
Cup your right hand
around the back of your
left hand as shown.
Reverse your hands in Step 1 and
Step 2 if you are left-handed.

Step 3: Blow
Put the harmonica up to
your lips. Make sure your
lips cover the top and
bottom of the harmonica
so no air can escape. Now
exhale or blow gently into
the harmonica.

Caring for Your Harmonica

After you play, tap the holes gently against the

palm of your hand to remove excess moisture.

Notes and Rhythms

Music is made up of notes (pitches) and rhythms

(length of notes).
A time signature tells you how many beats are in
each measure.

means four beats in a measure

means a quarter note gets one beat

Whole Notes get four beats each

Half Notes get two beats each

Quarter Notes get one beat each

Whole Rest means rest (dont play)

for four beats

Half Rest means rest for two beats

Quarter Rest means rest for one beat

Exhale / Inhale

We will use red number for exhale notes. An easy

way to remember this is red = hot air.

We will use blue numbers for inhale notes. An easy

way to remember this is blue = fresh air on a warm
spring day.

Playing Chords
A chord is a group of three notes played at the
same time.
In the songs, a chord diagram tells you which holes
to blow (exhale) or draw (inhale).

5
4
3
Chord Diagram

Harmonica

In this case, blow into holes 3,4,5 at the same time.

You can use the tip of your tongue to count the
holes. Blow gently.
Congratulations! You just played your first chord.

Lets play a song!

Are You Sleeping?
5
4
3

5
4
3

Are you sleep-ing,

are you sleep-ing,

5
4
3

Brother John,

Brother John?

5
4
3

Morn-ing bells are ring-ing, morning bells are ring-ing,

ding, ding, dong,

ding, ding, dong.

Merrily We Roll Along

This song uses both draw (inhale) and blow (exhale)

chords. Remember, half notes get two beats each.

5
4
3

5
4
3

5
4
3

5
4
3

5
4
3

5
4
3

5
4
3

5
4
3

Mer-ri-ly we

roll a-long,

roll a-long,

roll a-long.

5
4
3

5
4
3

5
4
3

5
4
3

5
4
3

Mer-ri-ly we

5
4
3

roll a-long

5
4
3

oer the deep blue

sea.

5
4
3

Jingle Bells

Play the chords to Jingle Bells with whole, half,

and quarter notes and rests. Invite your friends to
sing along!

Jingle Bells
5
4
3

5
4
3

Jin-gle bells
5
4
3

jin-gle bells,
5
4
3

Oh what fun it

is to ride a

5
4
3

5
4
3

5
4
3

jin-gle all the

way!

5
4
3

5
4
3

5
4
3

one horse open

sleigh!

Moving Position

Blow into holes 345, move your harmonica over just

a little bit to the right, and blow into holes 234. Be
sure to move your harmonica, not your head. Try
this with the exhale breath.
5
4
3

TIP

4
3
2

The less air you use, the better youll sound.

Chord Melodies

Play Lullaby with chord melodies.

Draw

Blow

Blow

Lullaby
4
3
2

4
3
2

5
4
3

4
3
2

G o to s le e p
4
3
2

4
3
2

4
3
2

4
3
2

do n t yo u c r y,
5
4
3

4
3
2

G o to s le e p

4
3
2

4
3
2

o h, my de a r,

4
3
2

4
3
2

5
4
3

4
3
2

go to sleep
4
3
2

4
3
2

4
3
2

4
3
2

4
3
2

5
4
3

4
3
2

5
4
3

4
3
2

go to sleep

4
3
2

4
3
2

4
3
2

4
3
2

5
4
3

4
3
2

4
3
2

4
3
2

4
3
2

4
3
2

4
3
2

lul-la -by.

5
4
3

4
3
2

5
4
3

4
3
2

Ill be near.

Au Clair de la Lune
4
3
2

5
4
3

4
3
2

4
3
2

4
3
2

Ode to Joy
5
4
3

5
4
3

5 6
4 5
3 4

6
5
4

5
4
3

5
4
3

4
3
2

4
3
2

4
3
2

4
3
2

5
4
3

5
4
3

4
3
2

4
3
2

5
4
3

5
4
3

5 6
4 5
3 4

6
5
4

5
4
3

5
4
3

4
3
2

4
3
2

4
3
2

4
3
2

5
4
3

4
3
2

4
3
2

4
3
2

Oats, Peas, Beans and Barley Grow

5
4
3

5
4
3

5
4
3

4
3
2

Oats, peas, beans and

5
4
3

5
4
3

6 4
5 3
4 2

You and I will

4 4 4
3 3 3
2 2 2

barl-ley grow.
5
4
3

5
4
3

6 5
5 4
4 3

ne-ver know how

5
4
3

5
4
3

5 5
4 4
3 3

4
3
2

4
3
2

4
3
2

Oats, peas, beans and bar-ley grow

4
3
2

5
4
3

5
4
3

4
3
2

Oat, peas, beans, and

4
3
2

4
3
2

4
3
2

bar-ley grow.

Playing Single Notes

To play one note at a time, pucker your lips as if you

are about to whistle or drink from a straw.

Single Note Practice

Blow (exhale) and draw (inhale) gently on hole 1.

Count :

Hot Cross Buns

Play the single-note melody to Hot Cross Buns

Hot
4

cross

buns,

hot

cross

4 4

4 4

4 4

pen - ny,

hot

One a pen - ny,

two

cross

buns,
4

buns.

Dotted Half Notes

A dot makes notes last longer.

A dotted-half note gets three beats.

Chord and Melodies Combined

Now lets combine chords and melodies.

Good Night Ladies

5

Good

night

la

5
4
3

4
3
2

5
4
3

good

night

5
4
3

la-dies,

5
4
3

4
3
2

4
3
2

dies,

good

night

la

were

going to leave you

4
3
2

dies

now.

f Accomplis
i cate o
hm
f
i
t
r
en
e
C
t
This certifies that

has completed First Act Discovery

Learn & Play Harmonica

Signed
LPH03.QSB.01

Date