Curriculum

The Howard Levy Harmonica School Curriculum

The video lessons listed here teach you how to play harmonica at any level and in many different styles. Start here and jump in at whatever level you think suits you best. Periodically Howard will request that you send in a video to be sure you're making all the right moves! To get the most out of the site, you should send Howard a video of anything you have questions on or are having trouble with. Take a look!

BASIC HARMONICA VIDEO LESSONS:

Meet the Harmonica Part 1
Meet the Harmonica Part 2
Tongue Blocking
Hand Position Part 1
Hand Position Part 2
Names of Notes Part 1: The Tilt of the Harmonica
Names of Notes Part 2: Blow Notes
Names of Notes Part 3: Draw Notes
Playing the C Major Scale in the 2nd Octave
Intimate Instrument
Smooth Breathing
Scale Exercises Part 1
Scale Exercises Part 2
Scale Exercises Part 3
Scale Exercises Part 4
Scale Exercises Part 5
A Call For Videos
"Row Row Row Your Boat"
Ode to Joy
"On Top of Old Smoky"
Tempered, Just Intonation, and Compromise Tunings
"Oh! Susanna"
Advanced Tongue Blocking
More Tongue Tricks
2nd Position Cross Harp Part 1:Beginning Blues Licks and Vamping
2nd Position Cross Harp Part 2
2nd Position Cross Harp Part 3: The 12 Bar Blues Progression
2nd Position Cross Harp Part 4: The Warble
2nd Position Cross Harp Part 5: Simple Blues Licks
2nd Position Cross Harp Part 6: More Blues Licks
2nd Position Cross Harp Part 7: "John Hardy" and Triple Tonguing
3rd Position Basic Part 1: Dorian Mode and "Scarborough Fair"
3rd Position Basic Part 2: Dorian Mode Scales and Exercises
3rd Position Basic Part 3: Minor Pentatonic Scale, Minor 6th Chord, The Chromatic Harp
3rd Position Basic Part 4: "The Star of the County Down"
4th Position C Harp Part 1
4th Position C Harp Part 2: "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" Introducing the G Harp
4th Position C Harp Part 3: Minor Pentatonic Scale
4th Position C Harp Part 4: "Summertime"
4th Position C Harp Part 5: Chords and Melody
4th Position C Harp Part 6: Spanish Music
5th Position Drone Box Part 1
5th Position Drone Box Part 2: The Phrygian Mode
5th Position Drone Box Part 3: Improvising with the Drone Box
5th Position Drone Box Part 4: Summertime in 5th Position
6th Position Basic
12th Position Basic Part 1
12th Position Basic Part 2: Lydian Mode with Drone Box
12th Position Basic Part 3: Amazing Grace
12th Position Basic Part 4: Chordal Playing
12th Position Basic Part 5: Dvorak New World Symphony
12th Position Basic Part 6: Conclusion
Daily Practice Routine


INTERMEDIATE HARMONICA VIDEO LESSONS

Bend Simply Part 1
Bend Simply Part 2: 1st Hole Draw
Bend Simply Part 3: 4th Hole Draw
Bend Simply Part 4: Blues Licks
Bend Simply Part 5: 6th Hole Draw
Bend Simply Part 6: 2nd Hole Draw
Bend Simply Part 7: More 2nd Hole Draw
Bend Simply Part 8: Notating Bends
Bend Simply Part 9: More 2nd Hole Bending
Bend Simply Part 10: 3rd Hole Draw
Bend Simply Part 11: More 3rd Hole Draw
Bend Simply Part 12: Vibrations and Advice
Bend Simply Part 13 Call For Videos
8-9-10 Blow Part 1
8-9-10 Blow Part 2: Bending 8 Blow
8-9-10 Blow Part 3: Bending 9 Blow, 1st Position Blues
8-9-10 Blow Part 4: Bending 10 Blow on C and G Harps
8-9-10 Blow Part 5: Difference Tones
8-9-10 Blow Part 6: Bending 7 (a little)
8-9-10 Blow Part 7: 1st Position Blues Licks
Major Scales and Exercises Part 1: The First Octave
Major Scales and Exercises Part 2: "The Star Spangled Banner"
Major Scales and Exercises Part 3: 3 Octave Major Scale & All the Notes So Far
Notes on the Harmonica Part 1
Notes on the Harmonica Part 2
Throat Tremolo Part 1
Throat Tremolo Part 2
Throat Tremelo Exhale
Bend and Unbend Vibrato
Blues Vamp Part 1: Vamps with Blues Licks
Blues Vamp Part 2: More Vamps with Blues Licks
Blues Vamp Part 3: Using The High Notes
Pentatonic Scale Part 1: Country Blues and Hoedowns
Pentatonic Scale Part 2: Exercises and Licks
Pentatonic Scale Part 3 Call For Videos
12 Bar Blues Part 1
12 Bar Blues Part 2: Tell a Story and Play Fills
12 Bar Blues Part 3: Shuffle in G
12 Bar Blues Part 4: Constructing Solos
First Position Melodies
First Position Blues Part 1: First Octave
First Position Blues Part 2: Top Octave
First Position Blues Part 3: On a G Harp
Irish Washer Woman Part 1
Irish Washer Woman Part 2: Triple Tonguing
Minuet In G Part 1
Minuet In G Part 2
First Position Jazz Part 1: The 2-5-1 Progression
First Position Jazz Part 2: Play Along with Piano
Call For Video Jazz
3rd Position Intermediate Part 1: "Star of the County Down"
3rd Position Intermediate Part 2: Exercises and Minor Blues
3rd Position Intermediate Part 3: Minor Pentatonic Scale
3rd Position Intermediate Part 4: 3rd Position Blues in G on an F Harp
3rd Position Intermediate Part 5: Use 3 Harps for G Blues
"Summertime" in 3rd Position
Latin Music Part 1: 3rd Position Montunos
Latin Music Part 2: More Montunos
Jazz Tune In 3rd Position Part 1: C Minor on B Flat Harp
Jazz Tune In 3rd Position Part 2: "Softly as in the Morning Sunrise"
4th Position Aeolian Part 1: Scales and Exercises
4th Position Aeolian Part 2: "The Rights of Man" and the A Minor Arpeggio
4th Position Aeolian Part 3: A Minor Blues
4th Position Aeolian Part 4: More A Minor Blues
4th Position Aeolian Part 5: E Minor on a G Harp
4th Position Harmonic Minor Part 1:
4th Position Harmonic Minor Part 2: Hava Nagilah
"Summertime" in 4th Position
5th Position Part 1: Scales and Patterns
5th Position Part 2: Middle Eastern Microtonal Bent Notes
5th Position Part 3: Blues in 5th Position
5th Position Part 4
5th Position Part 5 Call For Videos
6th Position Intermediate
12th Position Intermediate Part 1: Finding the Right Harp
12th Position Intermediate Part 2: Blues in 12th Position
12th Position Intermediate Part 3: Blues in G on a D Harp
12th Position Intermediate Part 4: "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" & "Amazing Grace"
12th Position Intermediate Part 5: Jazz in 12th Position
12th Position Intermediate Part 6: Introduction to "Rhythm Changes"
12th Position Intermediate Part 7: The Bridge of "Rhythm Changes"
12th Position Intermediate Part 8: Cup Playing on a G Harp
Adjacent Notes Exercises Part 1
Adjacent Notes Exercises Part 2
Adjacent Notes Exercises Part 3
Adjacent Notes Exercises Part 4
Adjacent Notes Exercises Part 5
Adjacent Notes Exercises Part 6: D Flat Major Arpeggio
Adjacent Notes Exercises Part 7
Adjacent Notes Exercises Part 8: Blow Bends
Adjacent Notes Exercises Part 9: More Blow Bends
Finding The Right Harp Part 1
Finding The Right Harp Part 2: Cross Harp
Finding The Right Harp Part 3: What Key Are They In?
Finding The Right Harp Part 4: On Different Keys
Finding The Right Harp Part 5: The White Keys
Finding The Right Harp Part 6: The Black Keys
Finding The Right Harp Part 7: More Keys
Finding The Right Harp Part 8: Key of B
Finding The Right Harp Part 9: In Other Positions
Tongue Block Bends
Tone, The Overtone series,Ttalking Through the Harp
Sound Effects Part 1
Sound Effects Part 2: The Mug
Bach Flute Sonata in E Minor, 1st Mvt: G Harp
Bouree in E Minor by Bach: D Harp


**JUST ADDED 12/20/09 >>
Modal Improvising: E Minor Phrygian with backing track
D Minor Cross Harp Blue with backing track
D Minor 3rd Position Blue with backing track
ADVANCED HARMONICA VIDEO LESSONS

Ave Maria by Bach/Gounod: G Harp
Bach Bourée on a D Harp
Bach Bourée on a G Harp
Advanced Tongue Blocking Part 1: Beethoven Violin Concerto
Advanced Tongue Blocking Part 2: Beethoven Violin Concerto Continued
Advanced Tongue Blocking Part 3: Jesu Joy
Advanced Tongue Blocking Part 4: Jesu Joy Continued
Advanced Tongue Blocking Part 5: Harmonica Concerto 2nd Mvt
Advanced Tongue Blocking Part 6: Ode to Joy
Advanced Tongue Blocking Part 7: Scale in Octaves
Double Note Bends
Overblows Part 1: Getting Started
Overblows Part 2: 6th hole
Overblows Part 3: 6th Hole Overblow Exercises
5th Hole Overblows
4th Hole Overblows Part 1
4th Hole Overblows Part 2
1st Hole Overblows Part 1
1st Hole Overblows Part 2: 2 Octave Chromatic Scale
7 Overdraw
9 Overdraw
10 Overdraw, Blues Licks, Chromatic Scale
Adjusting Reed Clearances Part 1: Overblows
Adjusting Reed Clearances Part 2: Overdraws
Adjusting Reed Clearances Part 3: How Bends Works
Badinerie
Sleepers Awake Chorale: Low E Flat Harp
Transposing Part 1: "Mary Had a Little Lamb" in C, G, D, and A
Transposing Part 2: "Mary Had a Little Lamb" in E and B
Transposing Part 3: "Mary Had a Little Lamb" in F
Transposing Part 4: B Flat
Transposing Part 5: E Flat
Transposing Part 6: A Flat
Transposing Part 7: C Sharp and D Flat
Transposing Part 8: F Sharp and G Flat
Bending in Tune: "Manhã de Carnival" on B Flat Harp
Bending in Tune: "Manhã de Carnival" on G Harp
"Hava Nagilah" on G Harp and B Flat Harp
"Hava Nagilah" on C Harp
Call For Video Advanced Tongue Blocking
Call For Video Adjacent Holes
Call For Video Overblows And Overdraws
Call For Video "Manhã de Carnival" "Hava Nagila"
Call For Video General
"Stormy Monday" Part 1
"Stormy Monday" Part 2
"Stormy Monday" Part 3
Music Notation
Major Scales and Key Signatures Part 1
Major Scales and Key Signatures Part 2
Major Scales and Key Signatures Part 3: Flat Keys
Major Scales and Key Signatures Part 4: B Flat, E Flat, A Flat, D Flat
Major Scales and Key Signatures Part 5: F Sharp, G Flat
Major Scales and Key Signatures Part 6: Reading on Differnet Harps, Practicing
2-5-1's and Seventh Chord Arpeggios
2-5-1 Jazz Licks Part 1
2-5-1 Jazz Licks Part 2
2-5-1 Jazz Licks Part 3: Through the Keys
2-5-1 Jazz Licks Part 4: More Through the Keys
"How High the Moon" (C Harp)
"How High the Moon" Ornithology: B Flat Harp
Transposing "How High the Moon"
Softly As In A Morning Sunrise Part 1: B Flat Harp
Softly As In A Morning Sunrise Part 2: E Flat Harp
Softly As In A Morning Sunrise Part 3: A Flat Harp
Softly As In A Morning Sunrise Part 4: C Harp
Softly As In A Morning Sunrise Part 5: Summary
"Killer Joe" Part 1: C Harp
"Killer Joe" Part 2: G Harp
"Killer Joe" Part 3: F Harp
"Night In Tunisia" Vamp Part 1: Altered Scale Runs
"Night In Tunisia" Part 2: C and F Harps
Rhythmic Breathing Part 1: 4 Stroke Roll and 3 Stroke Roll
Rhythmic Breathing Part 2: Double Stroke Roll and Paradiddles
Rhythmic Breathing Part 3: Ruffs, Harmonic Concerto Passage
**Just ADDED 12/20/09 >> D Minor Cross Harp Blues with Overblows (with backing track)




VIRTUOSO HARMONICA VIDEO LESSONS

On Green Dolphin Street by Bronislaw Kaper
Morning In Rio
Stop Time Blues Performance
Stop Time Blues Explanation
Slow F Sharp Blues
Tri-State Boogie


Howard includes some additional materials to build on:

HARMONICA FACTS:
Different Harmonicas Part 01
Different Harmonicas Part 02
Different Harmonicas Part 03
Different Harmonicas Part 04
Different Harmonicas Part 05
Different Harmonicas Part 06
Different Harmonicas Part 07
Different Harmonicas Part 08
Different Harmonicas Part 09
Different Harmonicas Part 10
Different Harmonicas Part 11
Harmonicats
Pitch Pipe




TIPS AND TECHNIQUES:
Basic Dissecting_Part 1
Basic Dissecting_Part 2
Intermediate Dissecting Part 1
Intermediate Dissecting Part 2
Advanced Dissecting Part 1: Tuning Tips
Advanced Dissecting Part 2: More Tuning Tips
Advanced Dissecting Part 3: Even More Tuning Tips
Advanced Dissecting Part 4: Replacing Reeds
Advanced Dissecting Part 5: More Reed Replacement Tips
Notes on the Keyboard Part 1: Intervals
Notes on the Keyboard Part 2: More Intervals
Notes on the Keyboard Part 3: The Larger Intervals
Notes on the Keyboard Part 4: Sevenths, Seventh Chords, Ear Training


DIG IN --- THERE'S MUCH HERE TO LEARN AND ENJOY!


For more information or updates, please contact the webmaster@howardharmonica.com or call 1-800-326-5596