Blues in E on Chromatic - Part 7

Part 7 – Sweetening Avoid Note #1 – third of three parts

Over the last two installments I’ve been showing you how to avoid the sour note F (Draw 2) by raising it to F# with the slide, and moving to and from this note.

In this installment I’ll walk you through connecting F# to notes located one hole to the right: A (slide-out draw note) and G (slide-out blow note).

Tab review: Hole number, breath, slide

4B = Hole 4 Blow (no slide) 3D< = Hole 3, Draw, Slide pressed in

So far you’ve connected F#, or 2D< with:

-- A note in the same hole: 2B (E), the slide-out blow note

-- A note one hole to the left: 1D (D), the slide-out draw note.

Now it’s time to connect with the notes one hole to the right.

Let’s start with the neighboring draw note, A (Draw 3).

You’re moving from 2D< to 3D and back again: 2D< – 3D – 2D< – 3D etc.

Start by inhaling in Hole 2 with the slide pressed in.

To move to 3D, leave your slide finger in place and simply slide the harmonica to the left. As you move the harmonica, the slide will automatically spring out.

TIP: As you move to the harmonica to the left, the spring tension will also subside. It feels as if the spring is pushing the harmonica to the left. Use this to help make this move effortless.

As you move from 3D back to 2D<, keep your finger on the slide button. The slide will automatically be pressed back in as you move the harmonica to the right.

Try moving back and forth. It may take some tried to coordinate the slide change and hole change cleanly, and to resist the effort to actively press the button.

Once you get the basic move going, try putting it in a larger context by trying these note sequences:

2B – 2D< – 3D – 3B – 2B (E – F# – A – G – E)

2B – 2D< – 3D – 4D – 3D – 3B – 2B (E – F# – A – B – A – G – E)

4D – 3D – 2D< – 3D – 3B – 2B (B – A – F# – A – G – E)

2D< – 1D – 2D< – 3D – 3B – 2B (F# – D – F# – A – G – E)

Once you start outlining the notes of the IV chord (A), this move will become even more valuable.

However, there’s another reason for mastering this move: It prepares you for a more complex move. This move combines two actions: hole change and slide change. And that prepares you for the next stage of combining three actions: hole change, slide change, AND breath change.

So here’s that next move.

You’re moving between 2D< and 3B (F# and G). Looks easy enough on paper, but it takes coordination of three simultaneous moves.

First move: To prepare, try playing just the hole change by gliding the harmonica between the two holes:

2B – 3B – 2B – 3B (E – G – E – G) etc., and 2D – 3D – 2D – 3D (F – A – F – A) etc.

Second move: Now add the breath change to the hole change: 2D – 3B – 2D – 3B (F – G – F – G) etc.

Now add the third element: slide change

Start with the slide in on 2D< (F#).

As you move to Hole 3, you glide the harmonica to the left, and keep your slide finger from moving, so that the slide is automatically released as the harmonica moves.

As the harmonica moves to the left, you change from inhaling to exhaling. And when you move back to Hole 2, pressing the harmonica into the slide spring as it moves to the right, you change from exhaling back to inhaling.

Try repeating this move several times: 2D< – 3B – 2D< – 3B (F# – G – F# – G) etc.

Work to coordinate all three moves to get a clean change between the notes. At the same time, don’t be afraid to explore some of the cool effects that can occur when the three actions don’t line up. Cultivate the ones that sound good to you.

Here are some note sequences that use this move.

2B – 2D< – 3B – 2D< – 2B (E – F# - G – F# - E)

2B – 2D< – 3B – 2D< – 2B – 1D – 2B – 3B (E – F# - G – F# - E – D – E – G )

2B – 2D< – 3B – 3D – 4D (E – F# – G – A – B)

2B – 2D< – 3B – 3D – 4D – 5D – 4D (E – F# – G – A – B – D – B)

4D – 3D – 3B – 2D< – 2B (B – A –G – F# – E)

4D – 3D – 3B – 2D< – 2B (B – A –G – F# – E)

5D – 4D – 3D< – 3D – 3B – 2D< – 2B (D – B – Bb – A –G – F# – E)