Playing your harmonica

HOW TO HOLD YOUR HARMONICA

Hold the harp between the index finger and thumb

of your left hand and use your right hand to create

a sealed sound box at the back of the harp.

With your hands closed tight around the harp you

will notice that this dulls the sound coming from

the harp or that the harp can't be played as loud.

Now allow an opening at the back of your hands.

This opening will let the sound to escape. When 

you have this opening the right size, you will

notice that your hands act like an amplifier and

amplifies the sound of the harp.

These next two pictures demonstrate the wah-wah

effect created by opening and closing the hands.

In this picture the right hand is closed against the 

back of the harmonica.

In this picture, the right hand is opened away 

from the harmonica.

Playing a single note

Put your mouth over the front of the harmonica covering holes 2 to 4. Then put your tongue on the separator bar between holes 2 and 3. This should block holes 2 and 3, leaving hole 4 open. Blow or inhale on hole number 4. This method for playing a single note is called Tongue Blocking.

Another popular method is called the Pucker or Lip Blocking method, and this is achieved without using the tongue. You just purse your lips, or pucker up

Try out both the methods and practice both of them till you find one of them to be suitable for you. I prefer the puckering method as it is easier for me and lets me use my tongue in bending notes. Try out and decide for yourself. Comment on what technique suits you and also if you have any other suggestions. Have fun.