Harmonica Chords for Beginners (+ Learn "I Want Candy")

Thanks for checking out this beginner harmonica lesson, Harmonica Chords for Beginners. Go here to get the Jam Tracks and more: https://www.harmonica.com/harmonica-chords/

If you have no exposure to the subject of scales or intervals, you might want to check out my lesson Scales For Beginners at https://youtu.be/nkUAbVIcMSw, as it lays the groundwork for the theory of how chords are constructed.

I’m playing a C harmonica in 1st position for the first half of this lesson which is the key of C, and then I switch to 2nd position, also referred to as cross-harp, so we are in the key of G for the I Want Candy riff. Any 10-hole diatonic harmonica in the key of C will work for this lesson.

Definition of a Chord 1:07
How to Build a Chord 1:24
Numbering Chords 2:38
The Sound of I & V 3:34
Harmonica Chords 4:20
Playing 1st Position Chords 7:15
Playing 2nd Position Chords 7:59
The Sound of I & IV 9:29
I Want Candy Rhythm 10:30
I Want Candy Harmonica 11:30
I Want Candy w/Grace Notes 12:34

The I chord in 1st position (C major chord) on the harmonica can be played in 3 places

First octave tabs: 123
Second octave tabs: 456
Third octave tabs: 789

The V chord in 1st position (G major chord) sounds best and is most often played:

-234

Here are the harmonica tabs for I Want Candy:

-234 -234 -234 345 -234

And with the grace notes:

Ta - Ka Ta-ka Ta ka-Ta Ta
-234 -234 -234 345 -234

If you made it through all of this, I want to give you a big Congratulations!! You learned how chords are built, how they are numbered, you learned the I & V chords in first position, the I & IV chords in 2nd position, and you learned an awesome riff. Great job!!!

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For tons more free lessons, and to find the jam tracks to play along with both the scale and the song in this lesson, go to https://www.harmonica.com/harmonica-chords-for-beginners-61312.html

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