Memorizing vs Improvising vs Playing by Ear

 If I'm playing along with someone I'm generally improvising but if the song has some complicated changes I could hit a sour note so then I play strictly by ear. If I'm using harmonica to play the melody or vocal part of a song and I learned it by ear, I frequently find out I made a mistake and I'm playing a note or two wrong when I check it against the music. So I know my ears are not always reliable! I also run into trouble if I have to bend or overblow to hit a note. Sometimes I map it out on a keyboard to figure out which note it is. When I learned "Eine Kleine Nacht Muzik" by Mozart I first tabbed out the melody for a chromatic, then I figured it out for a Blues Shifter which is much easier, now I can play it on a regular harmonica with a few bends. I played an acoustic jam last Sunday and I improvised 90+% of the time because either I had never heard the song before, or I had never tried to play the song before.

 Blues Albums

Extra Napkins James Harman

Jazz Blues Fusion John Mayall

The Pros Experimengressive Bluet Johnny Winter

Heart of Chicago Mark Hummel

100% Cotton James Cotton

Fathers and Sons Muddy Waters

The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions Howlin' Wolf

Buddy Guy & Junior Wells Play the Blues

Not Fade Away

 Not Fade Away is played with two different harmonicas.

Senior Center Playlist

Senior Center Playlist

Tennessee Waltz Patti Page C (C harp)

Washington County Kenny Baker D (originally in E) (D harp)

Memphis Johnny Rivers E (A harp)
6 -5 -4 -4' -3 -2

Rocky Road Blues Bill Monroe G (original A) (C harp)

Fox on the Run The Country Gentlemen  G (original in B/E) (C harp)

Old Five and Dimers Like Me Tom T Hall (original C/F harp) G (C harp)

Rocky Top Osborne Brothers (original B/E harp) C (F harp)

Six Days on the Road Dave Dudley G (C harp)

Bear Creek Blues Carter Family (original E/A) D G harp

Don't You Call My Name Dailey Vincent C (F harp)

Canadian Whiskey Tom Russell (original A/A) G - G harp

The Orphan Train Adam Miller D (D harp) a bit like Gurgling in my Soul
Take us in 5 -5 6, -4 5 -5, 5 -5 6

I'm Over You  Keith Whitley E (A harp)

Long Black Veil Lefty Frizzell (original E/E harp) G (G harp)

Flower from the Fields of Alabama Norman Blake (A/A) G (G harp)

Slippin' Away Jean Shepard original (A/D harp>B/E harp) C (F harp)

I Ain't Dead Yet Eddie Sanders Bb/Bb harp

You Are My Sunshine Norman Blake (F#/Gb) C

Can the Circle Be Unbroken Ab (Db harp)

Conga

Conga by Gloria Estefan D (Em) (G harp)

Fast

6 -6'

-665-6-665-6-7 7 -6

6 65-46656-6 -76

-6 -665-6-665-6-7 7 -6

6 65-46656-6 -76 -6

Slower

-6 -7 7 -7, -7 -6 6 -6

6 -6 -76-6 -6 -6

-6 -7 7  -7  -6

Christmas Song Harmonica Tabs

Christmas Songs

These are some of my favorite Christmas songs. Many of the most popular Christmas songs have some sharps or flats that make them harder to play on a standard Richter-tuned harmonica. Luckily, the Trochilus and Blues Shifter allows you to hit most of those notes without having to resort to overbends and other tricky bends. For these tabs, I am including a note as to which type of harmonica is required next to the title.

Standard 10 Hole Richter Tuned Tabs

Joy to the World

7 -7 -6 6, -5 5 -4 4

6 -6, -6 -7, -7 7

7 7 -7 -6 6 6 -5 5

7 7 -7 -6 6 6 -5 5

5 55 5 5 5-56

-55 -4-4 -4 -4 -45-5

5 -4 4 7 -6 6 -5 5 -5 5 -4 4

Stille Nacht

6 -6 6 5, 6 -6 6 5

-8 -8 -7, 7 7 6

-6 -6 7 -7 -6 6 -6 6 5

-6 -6 7 -7 -6 6 -6 6 5

-8 -8 -9 -8 -7 7 8

7 6 5 6 -5 -4 4

Do You Hear What I Hear

4 -4 5 5 5 5 -4 -4 5

4 4 6 6 7 6

5 5 5 5 5 -4 -4 5

4 4 6 6 7 6

6 -6 5 5 6 -6 6 -5 5

5 -4 4 4 -4 4 -4 5

5 -4 4 4 -5 5 -4 4

Here We Come A-Wassailing

4 -4 5 -4 4 -4 5 -4 4 6 6 6 6

6 -6 -6 6 5 6 -5 5 -4 4 -4 5 -5

5 -5 6 7 -6 6 5 -5 6 6 7 -6 6

5 -5 6 -6 5 -5 -4 4 -3 4 -4 5 4 -5

5 -5 6 -6 5 -5 -4 4 -3 4

O Christmas Tree (O Lutefisk as it's known in Wisconsin)

3 4 4 4 -4 5 5 5

5 -4 5 -5 -3 -4 4

3 4 4 4 -4 5 5 5

5 -4 5 -5 -3 -4 4

6 6 5 -6 6 6 -5 -5

-5 -5 -4 6 -5 -5 5 5

3 4 4 4 -4 5 5 5

5 -4 5 -5 -3 -4 4

Frosty

6 5 -5 6 7

-7 7 -8 7 -7 -6 6

-7 7 -8 7 -7 -6 -6 6 7 5

6 -6 6 -5 5 -5 6

6 5 -5 6 7

-7 7 -8 7 -7 -6 6

-7 7 -8 7 -7 -6 -6 6 7 5

6 -6 6 -5 5 -4 4

6 -6 -6 7 7 -7 -6 6 5 -5 -6 6 -5 5

5 -4 -4 6 6 -7 -7 -8

-8 -8 -8 7 -7 -6 6

6 5 -5 6 7

-7 7 -8 7 -7 -6 6

-7 7 -8 7 -7 -6 -6 6 7 5

6 -6 6 -6 -7 8 7

6 6 6, 6, 6

-6 6 6, 6 6

-6 6 5 6 -4

6 6 6, 6, 6

-6 6 6, 6 6

6 6 -6 -7 7

Feliz Navidad

6 7 -7 7 -6

-6 -8 7 -6 6

6 7 -7 7 -6

-5 -6 -6 6 6 6 6 -5 -5 5

6 7 -7 7 -6

-6 -8 7 -6 6

6 7 -7 7 -6

-5 -6 -6 6 6 6 6 -5 -5 5

8 8 8 8 -8 7 7 -6 -6 -6

-8 -8 -8 -8 7 -6 -6 6 6 6

8 8 8 8 -8 7 7 -6 -6 -6

-8 7 -7 -7 7 -8 -8 7

8 8 8 8 -8 7 7 -6 -6 -6

-8 -8 -8 -8 7 -6 -6 6 6 6

8 8 8 8 -8 7 7 -6 -6 -6

-8 7 -7 -7 7 -8 -8 8 -8 7

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

-6 -7 7 -6 -5 -7 6 5 -6 -5 -4 -6 6

7 -6 -5 -7 6 5 -6 -5 -4 -6 6

5 5 5 5 -6

-6 -7 7 7 7 -7 -6 6

6 -6 6 5 7 -6 6

6 -6 6 -6 6 7 -7

-5 6 -5 -4 -7 -6 6

6 -6 6 -6 6 -6 5

6 -6 6 5 7 -6 6

6 -6 6 -6 6 7 -7

-5 6 -5 -4 -7 -6 6

6 -6 6 -6 6 -8 7

-6 -6 7 -6 6 5 6

-5 -6 6 -5 5

-4 5 6 -6 -7 -7 -7

7 7 -7 -6 6 -5 -4

6 -6 6 5 7 -6 6

6 -6 6 -6 6 7 -7

-5 6 -5 -4 -7 -6 6

6 -6 6 -6 6 -8 7

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

6 7 7 -8 7 -7 -6 -6

-6 -8 -8 8 -8 7 -7 6

6 8 8 -9 8 -8 7 -6

6 6 -6 -8 -7 7

6 7 7 7 -7

-7 7 -7 -6 6

-8 8 -8 7 9 6

6 6 -6 -8 -7 7

Up On the Housetop

6 6 -6 6 5 4 5 6

-6 -6 6 5 -4 6 6

6 6 -6 6 5 4 5 6

-6 -6 -6 6 5 -4 6 4

-5 -5 -6, 6 6 6 5

-4 -4 -5, 5 6 6 4 5

6 6 -6 6 5 -5 6 -6

6 6 -6 6 5 5 -4 6 4

Trochilus Tabs

The Christmas Song (Chestnuts)Trochilus

4 7 -7 -6 6 -5 5 5 5

4 -6 6 -5 5 -4 4

4 4 -4 4 -4 5 6 -6 -7

-6 6* 6* -6* 6* 6 -5 6

6 -5 5 -4

4 7 -7 -6 6 -5 5 5 5

4 -6 6 -5 5 -4 4

4 4 -4 4 -4 5 6 -6 -7

-6 6 5 -6 6 -5 -3 4

4 -3 4 -6* -6 6 -5 6

4 -3 4 -6* -6 -6* -6 -6* -6 6 -5 6

4 -3 4 6* 6 6* 6 -5 -4* -5

-4* -5 -4* -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4

5 4 7 -7 -6 6 -5 5 5 5 5

4 -6 6 -5 5 -4 4

-3 4 -3 4 -4 4 -4 5 6 -6 -7 7 -6 6 4 -4 4

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 3rd pos Trochilus

-4 -4 -6 -6 6 -5 5 -4

4 -4 5 -5 6 -6

-4 -4 -6 -6 6 -5 5 -4

4 -4 5 -5 6 -6

-6 -6* 6 -6 -6* 7 -8 -6

6 -5 -4 5 -5 6

-5 6 -6 -6* -6 -6 6 -5 5 -4

-5 5 -4 6

-5 6 -6 -6* 7 -8 -6 6 -5 5 -4

Deck the Halls Trochilus

6 -5 5 -4 4 -4 5 4

-4 5 -5 -4 5 -4 4 -3 4

6 -5 5 -4 4 -4 5 4

-4 5 -5 -4 5 -4 4 -3 4

-4 5 -5 -4 5 -5 6 -4

5 -5* 6 -6 -7 7 -7 -6 6

6 -5 5 -4 4 -4 5 4

-6 -6 -6 -6 6 -5 5 -4 4

Silver Bells Trochilus

7 -6 6 5, 7 -6 6 5

8 -8 7 -6 -6 -6

-8 7 -7 6 -5* -5 6 -5 -5 5

7 -6 6 5, 7 -6 6 5

8 -8 7 -6 -6 -6

-8 7 -7 6 -5* -5 6 -8 7

5 -5 6, -6 -7 7

-7 -7 7 -8 7 -7 7 6

5 -5 6, -6 -7 7

-7 -7 7 -8 7 -7 7

There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays Trochilus

5 -5 6 5 4 7 -7 -6 6 -5 5

4 -4 5 -4* 5 -6 6 -5 5 -4

5 -5 6 5 6 -8 7 -7 -6 7 5 6

-8 7 -7 6 -6 -5 6 5 -5 -4 4

4 -5 6 -6 7 7 -7 -8 7 7 -7 -8 7 -7 -6 6

5 -5 6 6 -5* 6 -7 -6 6 -5 5

4 -5 6 -6 7 7 -7 -8 7 7 -7 -8 7 -7 -6 6

6 -6 -7 -8 -8 8 -8 7 -7 -6 6 6 6 -6 6 -5

5 -5 6 5 4 7 -7 -6 6 -5 5

4 -4 5 -4* 5 -6 6 -5 5 -4

5 -5 6 5 6 -8 7 -7 -6 7 5 6

-8 7 -7 6 -6 -5 6 5 -5 -4 4

-8 7 -7 6 -6 -5 6 5 -5, -8, 7

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

6 5 -5 6 6

6 -6 -7 7 7

5 -5 6 6 6

-6 6 -5 -5

5 6 4 5 -4 -5 -3 4

6 5 -5 6 6

6 -6 -7 7 7

5 -5 6 6 6

-6 6 -5 -5

5 6 4 5 -4 -5 -3 4

7 -8 7 -7 7 - 6 -6

7 -8 7 -7 7 -6

-8 8 -8 7* -8 -7 -7 -7

-7 7 -8 7 -7 -6 6

6 5 -5 6 6

6 -6 -7 7 7

5 -5 6 6 6

-6 -5 -5 -5

5 6 4 5 -4 -5 -7 7 (10)

Greensleeves Trochilus

-6 7 -8 8 -9 8 -8 -7 6 -6

-7 7 -6 -6 6 -6 -7 6 5

-6 7 -8 8 -9 8 -8 -7 6 -6

-7 7 -7 -6 6* 6 6* -6 -6

9 9 -9 8 -8 -7 6 -6 -7

7 -6 -6 6 -6 -7 6 5

9 9 -9 8 -8 -7 6 -6

-7 7 -7 -6 6* -5* 6* -6 -6

ver 2 is a little lower

5 6 -6 -7 7* -7 -6 -5* -4 5

-5* 6 5 5 -4 5 -5* -4 -3

5 6 -6 -7 7* -7 -6 -5* -4 5

-5* 6 5 5 -4* -4 -4* 5 5

-8 -8 7* -7 -6 -5* -4 5 -5*

6 5 5 -4 5 -5* -4 -3

-8 -8 7* -7 -6 -5* -4 5

-5* 6 5 5 -4* 4* -4* 5 5

O Holy Night Trochilus

5 5 5 6

6 -6 -6 -5 -6 7 6

5 -4 4 5 -5 6 -5 -4 4

5 5 5 6

6 -6 -6 -5 -6 7 6

6 -5* 5 -7 6 -6 -7 7 -7 5

6 6 -6 -4 6 -6 6 7 6 -6 6

6 6 -6 -4 6 -6 6 7 6 -6

7 -7 -6 -7

-7 -8 -6 -6 -6 7 7

7 8 -8 6 7 -7 -6 6 6 -6 6 6

7 -8, 6 9 -9 8 -8 7 -7 7 -8 7 10

I'll Be Home for Christmas Trochilus (2nd pos)

7 -7 -8 7 6 6

-6 6 -6* -6 -4

-4 5 6, -5 5 6 7

-7 -8 -8 -7 -7 -6

7 -7 -8 7 6 6

-6 6 -6* -6 -4

-8 7 -8 7 6 -6

-6 -8 8 7 -8 7

Blues Shifter Tabs

Jingle Bells Blues Shifter or Paddy Tuned

5 5 5, 5 5 5

5 6 4 -4 5

-5 -5 -5 -5 -5 5 5

55 5 -4 -4 5 -4 6

5 5 5, 5 5 5

5 6 4 -4 5

-5 -5 -5 -5 -5 5 5

55 6 6 -5 -4 4

-2 5 -4 4 -2

-2 -2 -2 5 -4 4 3*

3* -5 5 -4 -3

6 6 -5  -4 5

-2 5 -4 4 -2

-2 -2 -2 5 -4 4 3*

3* 3* -5 5 -4 6 6 6 6

-6 6 -5 -4 4 6

O Come All Ye Faithful Blues Shifter or Paddy Tuned

4 4 -2 4 -4 -2

5 -4 5 -5 5 -4

4 4 -3 3* -3 4 -4 5

-3 3* -2 -2

6 -5 5 -5 5

-4 5 4 -4 -3 3* -2

4 4 -3 4 -4 4 -2

5 5 -4 5 -5 5 -4

5 -5 5 -4 4 -3 4 -5

5 -4 4 4

Let It Snow Blues Shifter

-2 -2 6 6 -5 5 -4 4 -2

-2 -2-4 4 -4 4 -3 -2

-2 -2-6 -6 6 -5 5 -4

-7 -6 6, 6 -5 5, 5 -4 4

-2 -2 6 6 -5 5 -4 4 -2

-2 -2-4 4 -4 4 -3 -2

-2 -2-6 -6 6 -5 5 -4

-7 -6 6, 6 -5 5, 5 -4 4

-3 4 -4  5 -4 -3 6 -4

-3 -4 4 4 -3 3* -2 3* -3

-3 4 -4  5 -4 -3 6 -4

6 -5* 5 -5* 5 -5* 6

Melody Maker

-2 -2 6 6 -5' 5 -4 4 -2

-2 -2-4 4 -4 4 -3 -2

-2 -2-6 -6 6 -5' 5 -4

-7 -6 6, 6 -5' 5, 5 -4 4

-2 -2 6 6 -5' 5 -4 4 -2

-2 -2-4 4 -4 4 -3 -2

-2 -2-6 -6 6 -5' 5 -4

-7 -6 6, 6 -5' 5, 5 -4 4

-3 4 -4  5 -4 -3 6 -4

-3 -4 4 4 -3 3 -2 3 -3

-3 4 -4  5 -4 -3 6 -4

6 -5 5 -5 5 -5 6

We Need a Little Christmas Blues Shifter

2 3 4 5 5

2 3 4 5 5 5 5, 5 -5 6 -5 5

2* -2 -3 -4 -4

2* -2 -3 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 5 -5 5 -4 5

-5 6 -6 -6 -6 -6 -6 -4

6 6 6 6 6 4

-5 -5 -5 -5 -3

4 -3 4 -4 5 -5

6 6* -6 -6 -6 -6 -6 -4

6 6 6 6 6 6 4, 4 

1st -4 5 -5* 5 -4 4 -3-3 3* -3 4 -4 4 -3 3* 33 2*

2nd -4 5 -5 6 -6 -3 4

Please leave a comment if you find any mistakes.

Trochilus Blue Issue

 I had an issue with my Trochilus Blue in the key of C, which I purchased two years ago, in November 2024. The 6 blow started sticking. I could free it up by bending the 6 draw or by overblowing it. When I took the covers off, I noticed that the 6 draw reed had no gap. I regapped the 6 draw, and I think it has fixed the problem.