Club Meetup Notes
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There are lots of Learning Videos and Song Videos that relate to what we do at the Meetups. Check them out!
March 5, 2024 Meetup
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First Half:
- Greetings and Introductions
- Playing a Song – Country Harmonica Video Play-along Lesson
- Important Traditional Lick for 12 Bar Blues
- Open Forum Sharing – Share something you learned, or a tip or technique
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
- 12 Bar Blues Jam
February 5, 2024 Meetup
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First Half:
- Greetings and Introductions
- Alternate Tunings and Harmonica Types
- Playing a Song – Country Harmonica Video Play-along Lesson
- Open Forum Sharing – Share something you learned, or a tip or technique
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
- 12 Bar Blues Jam
January 9, 2024 Meetup
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First Half:
Harmonica John (John Frazer) will be joining us!
John has been playing the harmonica for over 30 years, and is a lifelong singer, songwriter, guitarist, drummer and harp player. He’ll be giving a harmonica lesson at our meetup:
- Greetings and Introductions
- Intro to Harmonica Position Playing
- 1st position (Straight Harp) vs 2nd position (Cross Harp) vs 3rd position (Slant Harp)
- Expanding our Club / Bringing a SPAH Convention to San Diego
SPAH is the Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
- 12 Bar Blues Jam
November 27, 2023 Meetup
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First Half:
- Greetings and Introductions
- Call and Response
- Technique Practice – 2 Hole Bend
- Playing in Third Position
- Small group breakout
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
- 12 Bar Blues Jam
October 30, 2023 Meetup
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First Half:
- Greetings, name reminder, welcome new and returning members
- Question of the night: Who is your “hero” harmonica player?
- Standard diatonic harmonica layout: What are blow bends, draw bends, overblows, overdraws? Chromatic layout differences
- Demonstrate what you’re working on in small groups
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
- 12 Bar Blues Jam
October 2, 2023 Meetup
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First Half:
- Playing Single Notes
- Playing the Scales
- Three Embouchures and Advantages of each
- Listening to Music with Harmonica in it
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
- 12 Bar Blues Jam
November 19, 2022 Meetup
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First Half – Beginners:
- Beginner Harmonica
- Playing the Scales
- First Position Major Scale
- Second Position Blues Scale
- First Position Blues Scale
- Charlie Musselwhite Riff
- Muddy Waters Riff
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
- 12 Bar Blues Riff with Sandi Thom
- Showcase Corner – Share any piece or riff you have been working on with the Group!
- 12 Bar Blues Jam – Bring an A harp if you have one. We’ll jam in the second position key of G (C harp) and E (A harp).
If you don’t know the blues scale, check out our Scales page. If you play some blues acoustic guitar, bring that too!
November 19, 2022 Meetup
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First Half – Beginners:
- Beginner Harmonica
- Playing the Scales
- First Position Major Scale
- Second Position Blues Scale
- First Position Blues Scale
- Charlie Musselwhite Riff
- Muddy Waters Riff
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
- 12 Bar Blues Riff with Sandi Thom
- Showcase Corner – Share any piece or riff you have been working on with the Group!
- 12 Bar Blues Jam – Bring an A harp if you have one. We’ll jam in the second position key of G (C harp) and E (A harp).
If you don’t know the blues scale, check out our Scales page. If you play some blues acoustic guitar, bring that too!
October 15, 2022 Meetup
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First Half – Beginners:
- Beginner Harmonica
- Playing the Scales
- First Position Major Scale
- Second Position Blues Scale
- First Position Blues Scale
- Charlie Musselwhite Riff
- Muddy Waters Riff
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
- 12 Bar Blues Riff with Sandi Thom
- Showcase Corner – Share any piece or riff you have been working on with the Group!
- 12 Bar Blues Jam – Bring an A harp if you have one. We’ll jam in the second position key of G (C harp) and E (A harp).
If you don’t know the blues scale, check out our Scales page. If you play some blues acoustic guitar, bring that too!
September 24, 2022 Meetup
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First Half – Beginners:
- Beginner Harmonica
- Playing the Scales
- Playing a Song – Heart of Gold by Neal Young (Played in “G”. Bring G harp if you have one. Otherwise, use your C.)
- Heart of Gold – TAB
- Heart of Gold – Harmonica and Guitar TAB with Lyrics
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
- 12 Bar Blues Riff with Sandi Thom
- Showcase Corner – Share any piece or riff you have been working on with the Group!
- 12 Bar Blues Jam – Bring an A harp if you have one. We’ll jam in the second position key of G (C harp) and E (A harp).
If you don’t know the blues scale, check out our Scales page. If you play some blues acoustic guitar, bring that too!
September 24, 2022 Meetup
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First Half – Beginners:
- Beginner Harmonica
- Playing the Scales
- Playing a Song – Heart of Gold by Neal Young (Played in “G”. Bring G harp if you have one. Otherwise, use your C.)
- Heart of Gold – TAB
- Heart of Gold – Harmonica and Guitar TAB with Lyrics
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
- 12 Bar Blues Riff with Sandi Thom
- Showcase Corner – Share any piece or riff you have been working on with the Group!
- 12 Bar Blues Jam – Bring an A harp if you have one. We’ll jam in the second position key of G (C harp) and E (A harp).
If you don’t know the blues scale, check out our Scales page. If you play some blues acoustic guitar, bring that too!
August 20, 2022 Meetup
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First Half – Beginners:
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
- Bring It On Home by Sonny Boy Williamson
- Bring It On Home – TAB
- Showcase Corner – Share any piece or riff you have been working on with the Group!
- 12 Bar Blues Jam – Bring an A harp if you have one. We’ll jam in the second position key of G (C harp) and E (A harp).
If you don’t know the blues scale, check out our Scales page. If you play some blues acoustic guitar, bring that too!
July 16, 2022 Meetup
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First Half – Beginners:
- Beginner Harmonica
- Playing the C Major Scale
- Playing a Song – When the Saints Go Marching In
- 5 Cool Beginner Blues Riffs
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
- My Babe by Little Walter (We’ll keep workshopping this great tune. Bring a Bb Harmonica if you have one)
- My Babe – TAB
- Showcase Corner – Share any piece or riff you have been working on with the Group!
- 12 Bar Blues Jam – Bring an A harp if you have one. We’ll jam in the second position key of G (C harp) and E (A harp).
If you don’t know the blues scale, check out our Scales page. If you play some blues acoustic guitar, bring that too!
June 18, 2022 Meetup
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First Half – Beginners:
- Beginner Harmonica
- Playing the C Major Scale
- Playing a Song – Knockin’ On Heavens Door by Bob Dylan (Bring a G Harmonica if you have one)
- Knockin’ On Heavens Door – TAB
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
- My Babe by Little Walter (Bring a Bb Harmonica if you have one)
- My Babe – TAB
- Sonny Boy Williamson – Signature Riff
- 12 Bar Blues
- Blues players – bring an A harp if you have one. We’ll blues jam in the second position key of G (C harp) and E (A harp).
- If you play some blues acoustic guitar, bring that too!
May 28, 2022 Meetup
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First Half – Beginners:
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
- Checkin’ Up on My Baby by Sonny Boy Williamson (Bring a D Harmonica if you have one)
- Sonny Boy Williamson – Signature Riff
- 12 Bar Blues Box Rhythm
- 12 Bar Blues
- Blues players – bring an A harp if you have one. We’ll blues jam in the second position key of G (C harp) and E (A harp).
- If you play some blues acoustic guitar, bring that too!
April 16, 2022 Meetup
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First Half – Beginners:
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
- History of Blues Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson I and II
- Awesome Beginner 12 Bar Blues – No Bends
- Awesome Beginner 12 Bar Blues – TAB
- 12 Bar Blues
March 19, 2022 Meetup
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First Half – Beginners:
- Beginner Harmonica
- Playing a Song – My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion
- Playing a Song – My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion – Easier Version
- Playing a Song – My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion – Easier Version Tab
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
February 26, 2022 Meetup
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First Half – Beginners:
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
January 29, 2022 Meetup
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First Half – Beginners:
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
November 13, 2021 Meetup
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First Half – Beginners:
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
- Blues Scale Lower Octave
- Blues Box Shuffle
- 12 Bar Blues
October 16, 2021 Meetup
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First Half – Beginners:
- Playing a Holiday Song – Silent Night
- C Major Scale – Focus on Upper Octave
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
- Blues Scale – Focus on Lower Octave
- One Easy Blues Lick – Endless Possibilities!
- 12 Bar Blues
September 18, 2021 Meetup
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First Half – Beginners:
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
- Blues Scale Practice
- Bending Notes Practice
- 12 Bar Blues
August 21, 2021 Meetup
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First Half – Beginners:
- Playing Single Notes and Chords
- C Major Scale – Focus on Middle Octave
- Playing a Song – Blowin’ in the Wind by Bob Dylan
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
July 10, 2021 Meetup
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First Half will focus on Beginners:
- Playing Single Notes and Chords
- C Major Scale – Focus on Middle Octave
- C Backing Track (Practice with C Scale)
- Playing a Song – When the Saints Go Marching In
Second Half – Intermediate / Blues
March 12, 2020 Meetup
February 4, 2020 Meetup
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We covered a lot of ground at our inaugural Club Meetup! Below is a summary with links. Use the links and videos to practice. We’ll go back and check our progress at the next club meetup!