How To Play Harmonica With The Guitar

This little tutorial is designed to show you the way to learn how to play the harmonica with the guitar. Most acoustic guitar players show some curiosity about learning to play harmonica with the guitar, probably due to the influence of Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and other guitar/harp players.

To hold the harmonica in place you will need a harp rack. The harmonica is held in place and your head moves to get your mouth in position to play the notes. The trouble is not all harmonicas fit the racks but as you should be starting off with a ten hole diatonic harmonica, you’ll be okay. The harmonica fits into the rack with the low notes on the left hand side like a piano.

For your first harmonica get a ten hole harp in the key of C as it is easy to find music in that key. After you get some practice in, you will be able to play in the “second position” which is the key of G, or you can buy another harmonica in G, or any other key you want.

If you don’t already play harmonica you should get used to it by playing it without the guitar at first. You don’t suck and blow the music into the harmonica, you breathe it in. The deeper breathing you can manage, the better.

Once you have got the knack of playing the harmonica, put it in the rack, put the rack around your neck, and start strumming. Slowly strum as you play the harmonica, improvising or playing a tune, let your breath play the music.