The instruction and songs and tabs on this website are samples and exerpts from Dave Gage's HarmonicaLessons.com. This "Harmonica Playing General Info" section is an introduction to the two most important types of harmonicas, which harmonica to get, and the difference between 1st and 2nd playing positions.
1st Position (Straight Harp)- When you play mostly blow notes on your key of "C" harmonica you will be in the key of "C". If you have a diatonic harmonica in the key of "A", your 1st Position playing would then be in the key of "A"...
2nd Position (Cross Harp)- If you want to jam to a song while playing 2nd Position, you must primarily, but not exclusively, play the draw (inhale) notes...
Dave explains the value of not just learning a scale up and down, but dividing it into smaller "bite-size" chunks, which can then be used as blues riffs.
Here are Dave Gage's sons, Brody and Alex, now called the Brothers Gage, back when they were 10 and 12 year old kids. This video shot in 2015, is an unedited take playing an improvised blues and country based jam and having a bunch of fun.
One plays rhythm beatbox harmonica while the other takes a solo. They are both playing a standard key of "C" 10-hole diatonic in 2nd Position (which is also known as "Crossharp"). They both learned to play harmonica around age 5 and now also sing, play guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards. The key to getting good is consistency. They still practice every single day.
