The harmonica is a small, versatile instrument that most people in the world play almost any kind of music. While at first glance it may seem difficult to learn how to play the harmonica, in fact playing the harmonica is easy and fun. Read the steps below to learn how to play the harmonica.

Steps

Getting started

Choose a harmonium. There are many different types of harmonies available for purchase, which vary in purpose and price. Today, you can buy diatonic or chromatic harmonics. Any kind of music can be used to play the most popular music like blues or folk.

Learn about the harmonica. The Harmonica is a reed musical instrument that uses brass reeds. The tabs are used to create tone as you blow or blow air out through the holes. The tongues are mounted on a plate called a tongue plate, which is usually made of brass. The part of the harmonic in which the reed plate is installed is called the ridge; as a rule, it is made of plastic or metal. The harmonic mouthpiece can be built into the comb, or as in chromatic harmonics, screwed on separately. Protective panels for the rest of the instrument can be made of wood, metal or plastic.

The chromatic harmonic guide is also made of metal.
Depending on whether you breathe in or out into the harmonica, different notes are produced by the reeds. A regular diatonic harp is tuned to C (C major) as you exhale, and G (G major) as you inhale. They complement each other beautifully and there is no need to add additional holes.
The reeds inside the harmonica are thin and wear out over time. Easy play and regular maintenance will allow good sound for as long as possible.

Learn to read the harmonica tablature. Like guitars, the harmonica can be played from the tablature, which simplifies the notes on a sheet of music into an easily observable patterned system of holes and breaths. The tablature is also suitable for large chromatic harmonics, but it is somewhat different from the diatonic tablature and is usually used less often.

Breathing is marked with arrows. An up arrow indicates exhalation; down arrow - inhale.
- Most holes on a diatonic harmonic produce two “adjacent” notes at a given scale, thus playing C and then D in the same scale, this is done by blowing into the corresponding hole and then drawing air from the same hole.
The holes are marked with numbers from the lowest (left) note to the highest. So the bottom two notes are (up) 1 and (down) 1. At a 10-hole harmonic, the highest note will be (down) 10.
- Some notes of the normal 10-hole harmonic overlap, especially (down) 2 and (up) 3. This is necessary to ensure the correct playing range.
More advanced methods are indicated with forward slashes or other small mark. Diagonal slash arrows indicate that note curvature (discussed later) is required to get the correct sound. Chevrons or forward slashes on chromatic tablature indicate whether to hold the button or not.
- There is no standardized tablature system that is used by all accordion players. However, once you practice and master reading one type, most of the other types are easy to master.

Basic Harmonica Playing Technique

Play notes as you exhale. The very first thing to do is practice your new instrument by playing the notes. Select a hole or multiple holes on the mouthpiece and blow gently into them. Adjacent holes are usually designed to automatically harmonize the melody with each other, so try to produce a pleasant sound by blowing three holes at the same time. Practice blowing through one hole, then playing chords through multiple holes.

This type of playing is called "direct harmonica" or "first position".
As you might have guessed, the number of holes you blow through is partially controlled by your lips. Eventually, you will learn how to use the front of your tongue to block holes (this is necessary to maintain control over the notes you play). We will talk about this below.

Take a deep breath to change the notes. Keeping in mind that the air must be inhaled gently through the reeds, inhale, increasing the notes one step. By inhaling and exhaling through the mouthpiece, you can access all harmonica-tuned notes.

This kind of playing is called "cross-harmonic" or "second position". Cross-harmonic notes are often suitable for blues riffs.
If you have a chromatic harmonica, practice pressing and holding the button for additional control over the notes you play.

Try to play the whole range. On a diatonic harmonic tuned to C, the C scale starts at (to) 4 and rises to (to) 7. The standard from / to pattern is repeated except for the 7th hole, where it switches (inhale and then exits). This scale is the only full scale on the C-tuned harmonic, but it is sometimes possible to play songs on other bands, provided they do not require missing notes in the range.

Practice. Keep practicing playing the range and individual notes until you feel comfortable playing only one note at a time. Once you can achieve the desired control over the instrument, choose simple songs and practice on them. Tabs for songs such as "Mary Had a Lamb" and "Oh Suzanne" are easy to find on the internet.

Try to add flavor by playing several notes at the same time. The next step in your practice is to loosen the control a bit and add two-note and three-note chords to the songs that you practice by playing two or three adjacent holes at once. This will help you control your mouth and breathing more and play the songs more resonantly.
- Don't play everything in chords! Try adding a chord at the end of a verse or phrase. The important thing is to learn how to switch between single notes and multiple notes.

Advanced techniques

Pay for lessons. From now on, if you start practicing under the guidance of an experienced player, you will see quick and technically sound results, although you can, of course, continue to learn on your own. Harmonica lessons vary in price and frequency; feel free to try a few lessons from one teacher and then move on to another if the first one doesn't suit you.

Even if you are taking lessons, continue to rely on guides and books to improve your game. There is no reason to ditch other materials just because you supplement them with professional pursuits.

Skip the holes. It's easy to get used to the pattern by constantly forcing air in and out through the harmonica, but once you start playing more advanced songs it is necessary to practice some holes in order to reach others. Play songs on notes that require you to jump over a hole or two, such as the American traditional Shenandoah melody, in which you jump from 4th to 6th hole, near the end of the second phrase (on a standard C diatonic).

Play with both cupped hands. To begin with, you probably held the harmonica with your index and thumb of your left (or non-dominant) hand and moved it as you played. Add your right (or dominant) hand to the game. Rest the heel of the right palm and the thumb of the left hand, and then place the edge of the right palm together with the left so that your fingers close around the left pinky. This will create a “sounding hole” that you can use to influence the sound emanating from the harmonic.

Add a soft melody or yell by slapping the sounding hole, opening it and closing it. Use this technique at the end of a verse to add emotion or just to practice.
Create a locomotive horn effect by starting with an open sounding hole, then closing it and opening it again.
Play a muffled, quiet sound, leaving the sounding hole almost closed.
You will likely find that this position forces you to hold the harmonic at an angle in which its left edge is directed downward and inward. This position is actually perfect for other techniques, so take advantage of it.

The basic technique for changing notes is to make the lip opening very, very small and to dramatically draw air through the lips into the opening to be repositioned. Stretch out the cross-harmonic notes and gradually purse your lips until you hear a change in tone. By tightening your lips more or less, you can further control the tone of the note.
Be very careful when practicing changing notes. Because the air crosses the tabs so abruptly that it can easily loosen or bend them, destroying the instrument. Finding a balance between not changing a note and changing it too much takes patience and caution.

When people start playing the harmonica, it doesn't sound very good at first - most take time to learn how to make good sounds. Practice every day and don't give up.
As the notes change, breathe in / out very deeply. Changing the notes on a harmonica requires solid preparation and strong lungs.

Accordion playing courses

Everyone is familiar with shots from old films, in which folk festivities were held to the sounds of an accordion. Playing this musical instrument is popular in our time. The training courses for playing "the accordion" have not lost their relevance, every year more and more students sign up for lessons with tutors or a music school.

In order not to look for an experienced teacher throughout Moscow, we suggest you come to the Virtuosi school, where the best teachers of the capital are gathered, and the training schedule is built taking into account your events.

What will you get in the accordion lessons at the Virtuosi school?

You will learn that there are different techniques for playing the accordion: from the simplest playing by numbers to the techniques used by professionals. We will prove that you should not be afraid of notes and chords, that it is not at all difficult to understand and learn them!
Learning to play the accordion at our school in Moscow also includes practice, which begins with performing simple passages. As you study, you will play more and more complex pieces on the harmonica.
Our school offers a choice of comfortable accordion courses, differing in the number of lessons. The more hours of study you choose, the more experience and knowledge you will gain in the accordion lessons.
The accordion courses at the Virtuosi school are a creative atmosphere, because here are your like-minded people, teachers who are passionate about music. We also regularly host concerts. Agree, an environment conducive to learning plays an important role in the quality of education?

Do you want to experience all the benefits of learning to play the accordion at the Virtuosi? Sign up for a trial lesson, it's free.

Individual courses

Recording TRIAL LESSON	1 LESSON 1 lesson = 30 minutes	1 VISIT	1 lesson = 600
Recording Subscription Rubato Visits in a free schedule	8 lessons 1 lesson = 55 minutes	2 months of training maximum subscription period	8 lessons = 14 300
Recording Presto subscription	48 lessons 1 lesson = 55 minutes	from 2 times a week planned attendance	48 lessons = 67 680
Recording Vivo Pass	24 lessons 1 lesson = 55 minutes	from 2 times a week planned attendance	24 lessons = 35 280
Recording Accelerando subscription	12 lessons 1 lesson = 55 minutes	from 2 times a week planned attendance	12 lessons = 18 360
Recording Allegro subscription	8 lessons 1 lesson = 55 minutes	from 2 times a week planned attendance	8 lessons = 12 930
Recording Adagio subscription	4 lessons 1 lesson = 55 minutes	Once a week planned attendance	4 lessons = 6 900
Recording Uno subscription For those who need here and now	1 Lesson 1 lesson = 55 minutes	1 visit	1 lesson = 1 900

It is difficult to study, and it is even more difficult to start learning musical notation when not young. I would like to quickly, and maybe not in full, but sufficient to play, to understand what is written on the staff.

The teaching methods in the music school are effective, no doubt, but they are designed for a long, gradual study of the material, for the psychology of the child. And they only work when there is a teacher who submits the material, controls the assimilation, and corrects mistakes. In addition, an experienced teacher takes into account the psychological characteristics of the student and will find an individual approach. I am engaged in self-education, and textbooks for music schools and colleges do not suit me, but they are a very useful reference material. We must look for something else.

Self-instruction manuals for accordion: P. Londonov, R. Bazhilin, G. Tyshkevich, as well as self-instruction manuals for playing the accordion by these and other authors were not effective for me. Probably they didn’t fit me psychologically. The purpose of the lesson-lesson is not written, what should be achieved in this lesson? How to control? Notational literacy is given in a crumpled manner, in some snatches. An integral, interconnected system is not created.

I understand and learn better when we follow the scheme: this is the task, and to solve it you need to take such steps. And the diagram: let's do or learn this (I immediately have a question, why?), Then this, etc., and for a long time everything, boringly, without explanation - why. And then, oh shit, it's done. This scheme does not suit me.

I covered myself with books on musical literacy and solfeggio, went to the Internet, began to learn notes, duration, intervals, keys, frets, chords and their inversions, etc. Something, of course, I learned and remembered. All this is necessary, but I can't sight-play the accordion. I am not doing something right. I thought about the goal and methods of achieving it.

And that's what I realized.

The main tasks at the first stage:

1. to establish a connection with the image of the note on the staff and the corresponding accordion key. Clear, stable communication.

And the name of the note is secondary, it will come in handy later. Yes, I don't call them differently, here (do-re-mi) or in Europe (C-D-E). (Moreover, the exercises that I used allow you to do this automatically along the way.)

2. duration of notes. It is necessary to clearly learn it and be able to perform it. The matter is not difficult, and this will also be automatically solved in the same exercises as the first task.

Of these two points: note and duration, in general, that is what playing the accordion (and other musical instruments) consists of, everything else is also important, but these are secondary tasks.

I started looking for suitable exercises, found them, tried them. And everything turned out to be very simple - the usual range of DO-MAJOR - do-re-mi, etc. So I have neither invented nor invented anything new.

Everything begins with this scale, in any tutorial it is written - play the scale - and that's it. And everyone misses her, everything is clear, what is there to play, not a small child, after all. I tried a bunch of ways to learn the notes as quickly as possible and learn how to extract them from the accordion, and, oddly enough, this primitive scale turned out to be the best.

I'll just now describe in more detail the methodology of my own with exercises based on this simple scale. Many words will be written in order to get the most out of this simple thing.

What will it give?

You can learn to play sheet music in two or three days.

Of course, at first it was like a first grader: syllables, slowly, without expression. But after a very short time, both fluency and expressiveness developed.

This is distance learning, there is no teacher who would supervise you (noticed mistakes, their reasons and ways of correcting them). You are a teacher, you are also a controller. Therefore, it is important to understand the goal of the exercise and the methods for achieving it (goal) for self-control. Deceiving, formally performing the exercise, you can only yourself. Do you need this?

It is well known that a skill is a skill acquired by exercise, that is, repeated repetition, which is based on the theory of the formation and consolidation of a conditioned reflex (in this case, a visual-auditory-motor).

The task is to form and consolidate a skill, that is, to form a system of neural connections (dynamic stereotype), which is a reflection in the brain of real connections (note - location on the staff and finger movements - pressing the desired key)

I will describe the process of forming and developing a technical skill. Therefore, it is necessary first of all to understand the mechanism of this process.

Begin

Preparatory steps:

On the right is a picture of the right accordion keyboard - as if through a transparent accordion neck (mirror reflection), 12 buttons closer to the fur, 13 buttons farther from the fur. I printed and put this picture in front of me. After playing a little, I removed it.

By the way: the notes written on the line are located on the keyboard row farthest from the fur, and between the lines - on the keyboard row closer to the fur

I first glued pieces of scotch tape on the keys of notes up to 1, 2 and 3 octaves, in order to correctly, by touch, find these keys. Then you can rip it off.

I looked at the arrangement of the notes, peeked at first, playing the scale 2-3 times, then did not do it.

In order to sit down with the accordion more conveniently, and not in front of the computer, I printed out the scale (it is imperative to look at the notes).

I sat down and took the accordion correctly (as they teach in self-study guides), it is better to beat off the rhythm with my right foot, I did this (at the same time, an even rhythm will be developed).

I also used a metronome. The device is old, musicians use it, but for some reason accordionists do not. There is a heated debate on the Internet whether it is needed or not. But I think it was not fools who invented it and has been using it for two hundred years.

1. Day one

How the scale was played:

slowly, and for each kick of the leg (counting "times", but you don't need to say it out loud) and at the same time;

1. examined the note (remembered its location);

2. pronounced the name of the note aloud (memorized the name of the note);

3. and at the same time pressed the desired button ("fingers" memorized the location of the button for the note);

4. move on to the next note;

A pace of play is needed that would ensure the unity of consciousness and action.

"Mantra" for this scale:

do - re - mi - fa - salt - la - si - la - salt - fa - mi - re - do

As a result of repeated repetition, this goal is achieved, but provided that the game is played without errors.

Hence the conclusion: to play fast, you have to play slowly.

A slow pace is a prerequisite for accuracy, which in turn allows for a gradual increase in the speed of the game. After all, the formation and consolidation of a technical skill does not consist in training fingers, but in training nervous processes that determine the formation of a dynamic stereotype and a reduction in the time of a reflex response, which determines the speed of the game.

On the first day, I played for an hour and a half, but without mistakes. If I played longer, I would start making mistakes, regardless of the speed.

By the way At school, when they were asked to learn a poem, I studied it all evening - but I could not remember it, and in the morning I recited it easily, without hesitation. Therefore, I did not do the exercises for a long time, tk. no matter how much I repeated, I was still mistaken.

The activity is not fun for, but necessary.

My mistake at this stage:
Having scrolled through and looked at the notes for the accordion, I noticed that basically the notes lie within 5 lines of the staff, i.e. the first octave and the first half of the notes of the second octave. At the first stage of mastering the playing of notes, I paid more attention to this section (I wanted to quickly), and now I have difficulties if I have to play notes of the third octave.

Our School was created so that everyone could learn to play the accordion on their own - quickly and easily!

What is the purpose of the “School of folk accordion playing”?

Contribute to the preservation of the rationality, kindness and soulfulness of our world,

providing everyone with the opportunity to quickly, easily and understandably master the folk playing the accordion and other musical instruments

Who is Konstantin Ivanin?

Born in 1974 Born and still lives in the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk, East Kazakhstan region.

Graduated:
philologist, engineer, economist, teacher.

Professional specialization: analysis and modeling of systems (mainly technological and economic).

Hobby for over 30 years: folk culture (hand-to-hand combat, music, dancing, singing).

For the last 20 years, as a hobby, he has been an instructor in hand-to-hand fighting, folk dancing and playing the accordion.

K. Ivanin is widely known among accordion players in Russia and abroad thanks to the series of video lessons he has released on learning to play the accordion.

(More than 9 thousand subscribers on the Youtube channel. About 200 training videos - with a total duration of more than 80 hours).

You can read user reviews of the method developed by Konstantin on these channels.

How, why and why did this school arise?

As a child, I had a dream: to learn to play the accordion.

Then this dream came true: I reached exactly the level of play that I dreamed of. That I wanted to achieve. Not higher. But not lower either.

I didn’t become the best accordion player in Russia, I didn’t become a virtuoso. Because that's not what I dreamed about ...

But I became a person who can get an accordion in any appropriate situation, and play people to a dance, or sing favorite songs with friends and relatives, and even without preparation.

This is what I dreamed about. And this is what I can teach you if our dreams are similar.

The process of making this dream come true was an experiment of about 10 years in its purest form.

The essence of this experiment was to learn to play the accordion, pulling knowledge "from the inside", and not from external sources. At the same time, of course, interacting with the outside world.

As a result of this experiment, not only the ability to play was crystallized and formulated. Not just a series of teaching lessons, and not just a self-study methodology.
But also some philosophy, which I consider to be my personal interpretation of folk philosophy.

This philosophy is not nostalgia for the past. It works great in the modern world, allowing you to cope with the difficulties and challenges that the urbanistic, "digital" world poses for a person.

A huge number of people have learned from my lesson.
During the existence of these lessons, I have received a huge number of thanks and feedback. Therefore, I considered myself entitled to more systematically and professionally share my understanding, skills and philosophy with those who are interested.

What is the value of this school?

The main value of our school is in teaching methods.

This technique is our own development.
It is aimed at a quick, simple and joyful achievement by the student of the desired result - the ability to play the accordion in a folk manner.

In fact, we know the sequence of simple actions, which not only in the shortest, but also in a very joyful and interesting way will lead the student to the result.

Therefore, in our school, these actions are built in a straight and easy way, along which you can walk very quickly.

All materials are organized systematically. They are based on methodological principles - “consistency and gradualness”, “feasibility”, “clarity”, “one difficulty”.

Each of these materials is part of a system, not a chaotic piece of knowledge.

Music is for joy.

Music is the language spoken by the soul.

This is often forgotten in many music schools.
And we always remember this. And this is what we consider to be the popular approach to mastering the Game.

Our methodology has combined academic and folk knowledge about teaching, taking the best from them. These are principles such as efficiency, scientific approach, pragmatism, simplicity, kindness, freedom of improvisation and the joy of creativity ...

The roots of our method lie in folk philosophy, which called the play of music a GAME, and not some other word.

Consequently, THE GAME- from the first day, and throughout the entire training - this is one of the fundamental principles of our school.

The cycle of lessons at school is devoted to the understanding of folk philosophy in relation to the play of music, to the teaching method.

Understanding the game- this is another of the principles on which our school is built.

In general, you will see everything for yourself. In short -
In our school you can learn PLAY MUSIC: fast, easy and joyful :-).
Precisely Play. And it is Music :-).

Who is this school for?

For everyone who wants to get results from the first hours of training.

And also for those who want to quickly and with a small investment of time acquire very simple but sufficient skills - and be content with them,

And for those who want to develop these skills throughout their lives.

For those who want to turn music lessons into a truly creative and exciting Game, and not into agonizing long-term hard labor.

And those who want to learn how to play the accordion their favorite songs, and not those works for which notes were found. And design your game at your own discretion, and not as someone wrote.

For old, small, young, young, mature ...

In general, for everyone.

Except those who don't like accordion :-).

What is a “folk game”?

This is a game based on a technique that has recently existed in city courtyards and village alleys.

The technique is so simple and natural that few people even thought about its existence.

This is a simple, easy-to-learn game that does not require more time training than a simple family worker.

More often it is an accompaniment than a virtuoso solo, although virtuosity is not excluded.

A game that consists of clear and reliable techniques.

Which can be mastered in a couple of weeks, and stop there,

And you can develop your skills endlessly without reaching the limit.

How will the training take place?

The School website has
It has several courses: from "first" to "sixth" grades.
(Of course, this is a convention. You can master the course in a week, you can in five years. It depends on the pace you are comfortable with).
Each course has several lessons.
These sessions are organized in an ideal sequence for learning.
You can skip some of the lessons, or even the course, if you think that you have already mastered the skills offered in them. But I still recommend going consistently.

Then you master the material of the lesson.
When you consider your skill formed, proceed to the next lesson.
Thus, after the lesson, you know the exact answer to the questions: "What to do?" and "How to do?"
Study materials are made so as not to take up a lot of your time for viewing: short and to the point.
If you would like to communicate in more detail on the topic of the lesson, you can participate in a webinar dedicated to this topic. Or view the recording of the past webinar. Or offer to hold such a webinar, if it has not yet been held.
After mastering the lesson, you can place a recording of your game in our group