In this free beginner lesson, you will learn to play a sweet and healing small tune on your harmonica, an easy jazz song entitled ‘Healing Scapes’.You’ll practice the 8 licks that form the song sections and play them on the provided backing track video.
We can all think of at least one song that, when we hear it, triggers an emotional response. It might be a song that accompanied the first dance at your wedding, for example, or a song that reminds you of a difficult break-up or the loss of a loved one.
For the purpose of creating a relaxing song, we have to think ‘melodically’. The note sequences should convey emotion to both the listener and the performer, and that’s why an important aspect to be considered when composing tunes is the movement created by the note intervals we play. In this song you’ll practise many small intervals and the chord progression too, has been designed to harmonize the result.
In order to perform this tune we use a C harmonica and we play in 2nd position. The song key is G major, and on the included videos in this lesson you’ll find the tab on which the notes and the harmonica holes are notated, allowing an easy play-along practise session.
How to read the video lesson tab:
One plus symbol means to blow the harmonica hole.
An apostrophe means to bend the note of a half-tone.
A double apostrophe means to bend the note of a whole-tone.
A triple apostrophe means to bend the note of three steps.
Song analysis:
Playing difficulty level: Beginner.
Note bending skills: Not required.
Lesson focus: Tremolo practising, long notes and use of dynamics.
Provided backing track for this lesson: G major jazz ballad chord progression. A slow version of the tune and of the backing track are available too.
You cand download the lesson tabs using the following link:
The tune is composed of two parts: the verse and the refrain.
The verse chord progression:
Gmaj7, Gmaj7, Cmaj7, Cmaj7
Gmaj7, Gmaj7, Cmaj7, Cmaj7
Let’s practice together the 4 verse licks on the following interactive videos:
The refrain chord progression:
Am7, C, Gmaj7, Gmaj7
Am7, C, Cm7, Cm6
Practice now with me the 4 licks that compose the refrain, follow the video indications:
Following you'll find the whole song played by the teacher and the backing track video for your to perform the tune. The last two videos are the slow versions.
Here was how to play an easy soft jazz tune. If you enjoyed learning this song with your harp, you might want to improve your harmonica skills: have a look at our online harmonica school courses here.