LPH03 PDF

Learn & Play
Harmonica
by Debbie Cavalier
Illustrations by Rick Pinchera
and James Lema
First Act Inc. 745 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02116

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any
means without the prior written permission of the Publisher
First Act, First Act Discovery, and the First Act Discovery logo
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

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Learn & Play

First Act Inc. 745 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02116

Your First Act Discovery harmonica is a ten hole,

Three Steps to Playing the Harmonica

Caring for Your Harmonica

After you play, tap the holes gently against the

Notes and Rhythms

Music is made up of notes (pitches) and rhythms

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)

Half Rest means rest for two beats

Quarter Rest means rest for one beat

We will use red number for exhale notes. An easy

We will use blue numbers for inhale notes. An easy

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

Lets play a song!

Are you sleep-ing,

are you sleep-ing,

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)

oer the deep blue

Play the chords to Jingle Bells with whole, half,

jin-gle all the

one horse open

Blow into holes 345, move your harmonica over just

The less air you use, the better youll sound.

Play Lullaby with chord melodies.

Oats, Peas, Beans and Barley Grow

Oats, peas, beans and

You and I will

ne-ver know how

Oats, peas, beans and bar-ley grow

Oat, peas, beans, and

Playing Single Notes

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

Single Note Practice

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

Hot Cross Buns

Play the single-note melody to Hot Cross Buns

One a pen - ny,

Dotted Half Notes

A dot makes notes last longer.

Chord and Melodies Combined

Now lets combine chords and melodies.

Good Night Ladies

going to leave you

has completed First Act Discovery

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