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Free Sample Lessons
After watching the BluesHarmonica.com overview video, try one of the lessons below to experience a lesson at BluesHarmonica.com.
- Tongue Blocking Study 2 – This study is for the newer player or the player new to tongue blocking
- Bending Study 5 – This is for the advanced player looking to improve their bending skills
Hello Rod. This is taught in Music Theory Study 3, and in a more straight-forward, to-the-point way in the Accompaniment Studies.
A quick answer for you...
The I (one) Chord is a chord built on the first note of the scale, with the notes above it harmonizing in thirds (the first, 3rd and 5th note of the scale create the complete chord). The twelve bar blues progression starts with this I Chord and if you're to match the band, you need to know what notes those are. Referencing a C Harmonica in 2nd Position (Key of G), the scale we and the band use is G A B C D E F# G. The I Chord in the Key of G is G B D. On the C Harmonica these notes are found on holes 1 2 3 4 6+ 7 8 9+. The band is playing these notes, and so shall you to sound good. We play other notes to compliment this chord (you'll learn this later), but simply put, if you want to sound good, you need to mostly play these chord tones.
The IV Chord is then used in Bars 5 of the twelve bar blues. The IV Chord is built from the fourth degree of the scale, and is also built in 3rds, to get C E G, which is all of your blow notes on the harmonica (including 2 draw). When that chord comes, you must change to these notes to match the band.
You will learn all of this in a very practical, harmonica-specific way in the Accompaniment Lesson, and in a more detailed way in the music theory study.
In your studies on the site you'll first focus more on learning cool songs, which have licks included in them that provide you with lick vocabulary for you to use down the road as you learn how to improvise. You don't have to know the theory of how they work now. If they sound good for me, if you copy me, they'll sound good for you as well. As your study progresses you'll want to learn "why" they sound good, thus helping you to make strong musical choices of your own down the road.