Learning chords on the harmonica

Question

I have been teaching myself to play the harmonica since the start of the covid virus in 2019. I've never been focused enough to play a musical instrument until the 59th year of this life I'm living, but play it I do and I impress myself more than I remember impressing myself learning something new.

The thing us, I can blow single notes all day long but blowing chords is a constant struggle to make sounds like I hear others make when blowing chords. Is there a basic rule for blowing chords from the harmonica that one must know before getting it right?

Answer 1

My understanding is that you can blow chords on a blues harmonica, but you can't get the tone you want. One path to getting a good tone on a harmonica is to learn to chug.

Chugging is a technique that creates a rhythmic and percussive sound on the harmonica. It's often used to play blues rhythm.

To chug:

• Hold the harmonica in your mouth and cover three or more holes with your lips. You can use any holes, but some common ones are 1-2-3, 2-3-4, or 4-5-6.
• Breathe in and out through the harmonica while chugging. You can vary the speed, volume, and pattern of your chugging to create different effects.
• Inhale sharply while keeping your tongue at the roof of your mouth, then exhale just as sharply while releasing the tension in your tongue. Repeat this inhale-exhale pattern rapidly and rhythmically.

The best way to learn how to chug is to listen to other players and imitate them. You can find many tutorials and videos online that can help you learn to chug.

Other tonal effects:

• Overblow the holes till the reeds rattle, and the chord de-tunes slightly.
• Change the shape of your mouth and tongue while playing. You can try different methods such as tilting the harmonica up, vocalizing “eee” to “ooo” sounds, or moving your tongue back and up like saying “K” or "Y"