Wimoweh Part 2 – Melodies

Near the village, the peaceful village

Welcome to part two of our African extravaganza! Last time we learned where the word Wimoweh comes from and what it means. We also learned about where the song was composed.

Now we’re going to look at how one player – a soloist – can perform the main melodies. Some parts sound slightly better on a 10 hole harmonica, others work fine on a 4 hole. Purple music is for four hole harmonicas. Orange music is for ten hole harmonicas. A number tells you which hole to play. D is draw (breath in). B is blow (breath out). We’re using harmonicas in the key of C major (more…)

Wimoweh Part 1 – Rhythm Parts

In the jungle, the mighty jungle

Welcome to our African extravaganza! Wimoweh comes from the Zulu word Mbube, meaning Lion. The song was composed and first recorded by Solomon Linda in South Africa in 1939. Most of us know it from Walt Disney’s film The Lion King.

Let’s look at how a group of harmonica players can perform the song. In this part, we’ll work on the rhythms. In part 2 we’ll look at the melodies, then in part 3 we’ll work out some extra fun parts to finish the job.

Some parts sound slightly better on a 10 hole harmonica, others work fine on a 4 hole. Purple music is for four hole harmonicas. Orange music is for ten hole harmonicas. A number tells you which hole to play. D is draw (breath in). B is blow (breath out). We’re using harmonicas in the key of C major (more…)

That’s All Folks!

Looney Tunes Outro On 10 Hole Harmonica

Otis has been telling us about a Surf Guitarist he heard busking in the underground walkway under London’s Science Museum. Apparently he was so good, you just wanted to jump in the soup and slide.

Anyway, one detail that caught Otis’s ear was a lick the guitairst added at the end of Secret Agent Man by The Ventures.  It was the familiar outro to Looney Tunes cartoons. He played it as a group of children passed by and it turned heads. (more…)

Blow The Man Down

As I was walking down Paradise Street

Welcome to the Toot Suite where junior harmonica players can have fun learning to play new songs, checking out top harmonica tips and sharing some crazy harmonica facts that will amaze and amuse.

Here’s another tune you may know. It’s a Sea Shanty sung by Sailors and Pirates. It only uses three holes but there is one jump to learn if you want the song to sound right. Take your time. See how clearly you can play each note.

We have chopped the tune up into small chunks to help you. Click the green button to hear each chunk.

Purple music is for four hole harmonicas. Orange music is for ten hole harmonicas. A number tells you which hole to play. D is draw (breath in). B is blow (breath out). Let’s listen to the whole tune first.

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Harp The Herald Angels Sing!

Christmas Carols for the 10 hole diatonic harmonica

In thanks to everyone who has tuned in to The Toot Suite this year, we would like to share some seasonal music with you. Grab your harps (and a friend with a harp) and let’s look at Silent Night, Jingle Bells and Angels From The Realms Of Glory. (more…)

Lady Gaga Harmonica – Poker Face

During harmonica demonstrations in schools, we sometimes promise to play Lady Gaga on harmonica…. but then we go and play Twinkle Twinkle instead.

Well, just to prove you can play Lady Gaga on the harmonica, here’s the chorus to her hit Poker Face.

Instructions for playing the tune are below. Purple music is for four hole harmonicas, and Orange music is for ten hole harmonicas. (more…)