David's Tip of the Day: Knowing your Octaves

It sounds like a simple matter to know that 1+ is C (referencing a C Harmonica), as well as 4+, 7+ and 10+... and that whatever you play on the 1+ can be substituted by the 4+, 7+ and 10+. This is that. It's a simple piece of information... and a powerful one... but often overlooked and underused.

For example... If you know the cliche blues lick 1 2" 1 2" 2, and that the notes are D F G, then you can move it up to 4 5 4 5 6+ for a change later in the song... as well as textural change... you can slap those notes, or play them in octaves... all great options... same notes, but available in a different octave with different techniques. And again, it can be moved up another octave to 8 9 8 9 9+, which can be played entirely in octave (where the octave below F is a minor-7th, G and F together).

Here are all of your octaves on the harmonica. This is that...

C = 1+, 4+, 7+, 10+
D = 1, 4, 8
E = 2+, 5+, 8+
F = 2", 5, 9
G = 2/3+, 6+, 9+
A = 3", 6, 10
B = 3, 7, 10'+

Non-diatonic
D-flat = 1', 4'
E-flat = 8'+
G-flat = 2', 9'+
A-flat = 3''', 6'
B-flat = 3' 10"+

Experiment by playing a lick... write the hole numbers down... convert them to pitches... move them up and/or down an octave... how do they sound?... what techniques can you do in the various octaves that can't be done in the others?