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The CORE Four

Core Study Songs

CORE SONGS are four of the melodies introduced in Level 1 Instruction "Beginning Chicago Blues Harmonica":
  • Boogie Riff
  • Bird Melody
  • E-Z Melody
  • 5-Hole Melody.
Each of these have corresponding Level 2, Level 2s, Level 3, and Level 3-Plus songs, which gradually increase in technical and breathing skills: 
  • Boogie Instrumental
  • Bird Instrumental
  • E - Z Instrumental
  • 5-Hole Instrumental
The key is to START with Level 1 - Beginning Chicago Blues Harmonica 
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5-Hole Instrumental 2 Download5-Hole Instrumental 2 DownloadThe goal with this LEVELII instrumental is to continue to build upon the Level I & Level II “mini” . . .
5-Hole Instrumental 2s Download5-Hole Instrumental 2s DownloadThe goal with this LEVEL instrumental is to continue to build upon the Level I & Level II “mini” songs with an added harp solo. I suggest 4 months of experience before attempting this. Everything except the chords should be played using tongue blocking and tongue switch to play hole #1 without moving your jaw if you can. Memorize the key, tempo and groove of the song . . . 
5-Hole Instrumental 3 Download5-Hole Instrumental 3 DownloadThe goal with this LEVEL III instrumental is to continue to build upon the Level I & Level II versions of this song that you have memorized. It’s quite likely that you will need a minimum of a year of experience before attempting this. The ew techniques you will nuse are dirty notes, ornamental bending, vamping and the split-4 block. Some reminders are, everything except the chords should be played using tongue blocking and tongue switch to play hole #1 without moving your jaw if you can. . . 
5-Hole Instrumental 3-Plus Download5-Hole Instrumental 3-Plus DownloadThe goal with this LEVEL III plus instrumental is to continue to build upon the previous versions of this song.  It’s quite likely that you will need about two years of experience before attempting this.  The new things you will be introduced to are quarter note triplets, more advanced bending, ghost chords used in between the vamping/slapping, more advanced breathing challenges, and more advanced phrases.  .  .
Beginning Chicago Blues Harmonica 1 DownloadBeginning Chicago Blues Harmonica 1 DownloadRevised October 2021 -   My complete Beginning Level I approach for how to play Chicago Blues Harmonica.  If you can breathe, you can play the harmonica!
Bird Instrumental 2 DownloadBird Instrumental 2 DownloadThe "Bird" Instrumental #2 is much in the flavor of Rice Miller (Sonny Boy Williamson #2).  The big rhythmic chording is almost in a rural country blues style.  The chord bombs played under the guitar solo are great sounding when the rhythm is dialed in. This builds on the Level II mini Instrumental.
Bird Instrumental 3 DownloadBird Instrumental 3 DownloadThe goal with this LEVEL III instrumental is to continue to build upon the Level I & Level II versions of this song that you have memorized. It’s quite likely that you will need a minimum of a year of experience before attempting this. The new techniques you will use are vamping (v) and the rapid vamping (RV) chordal effect heard on tracks 4, 8, 10, 12, 16 & 18. . .
Bird Instrumental 3-Plus DownloadBird Instrumental 3-Plus DownloadThe goal with this LEVEL III plus instrumental is to continue to build upon the previous versions of this song.  It’s quite likely that you will need about two years of experience before attempting this.  The new things you will be introduced to are ghost chords used in between the vamping/slapping and other challenging places, more advanced breathing challenges, and use of the nose push (NP), more advanced bending and more advanced phrases.  All the usual techniques are here
Boogie Instrumental 2 DownloadBoogie Instrumental 2 DownloadThe goal with this LEVEL II instrumental is to continue to build upon the Level I & Level II “mini” songs. I suggest 4 months of experience before attempting this. Everything except the chords should be played using tongue blocking and tongue switch to play hole #1 without moving your jaw if you can. Memorize the key, tempo and groove of the song.  .  .
Boogie Instrumental 2s DownloadBoogie Instrumental 2s DownloadThe goal with this LEVELII instrumental is to continue to build upon the Level I & Level II “mini” songs with an added harp solo. I suggest 4 months of experience before  atempting this. Everything except the chords should be played using tongue blocking and tongue switch to play hole #1 without moving your jaw if you can.
Boogie Instrumental 3 DownloadBoogie Instrumental 3 DownloadThe goal with this LEVEL III instrumental is to continue to build upon the Level I & Level II versions of this song that you have memorized. It’s quite likely that you will need a minimum of a year of experience before attempting this. The new techniques you will use are dirty notes, ornamental bending, vamping and the split-4 block. . .
Boogie Instrumental 3-Plus DownloadBoogie Instrumental 3-Plus DownloadThe goal with this LEVEL III plus instrumental is to continue to build upon the previous versions of this song.  It’s quite likely that you will need about two years of experience before attempting this.  The new things you will be introduced to are ghost chords used in between the vamping/slapping, more advanced breathing challenges, more advanced bending, and more advanced phrases
E-Z Instrumental 2s DownloadE-Z Instrumental 2s DownloadThe "E-Z" Instrumental #2 (s version has a harmonica solo) is a very common and "must know" melody in blues.  It was inspired by Big Walter's 1953 recording on SUN records and he seemed to get his inspiration from a hit song by Ivory Joe Hunter.  This builds on the Level II mini Instrumental.
E-Z Instrumental 3 DownloadE-Z Instrumental 3 DownloadThe goal with this LEVEL III instrumental is to continue to build upon the Level I & Level II versions of this song that you have memorized. It’s quite likely that you will need a minimum of a year of experience before attempting this. The new techniques you will use are dirty notes, ornamental bending, vamping, rapid vamping and the split-4 block . . .
E-Z Instrumental 3-Plus DownloadE-Z Instrumental 3-Plus DownloadThe goal with this LEVEL III plus instrumental is to continue to build upon the previous versions of this song that you have memorized.  It’s quite likely that you will need about two years of experience before attempting this.  The new things you will be introduced to are quarter note triplets, more advanced breathing challenges, more advanced bending and more advanced phrases.  

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