Friday, May 29, 2026

Country Harp Techniques Charlie McCoy

 


20:09 TT -3 -4 -3 -4 (3x) 
20:16 -3 -4 -3 -4 5 4 -4 -3 5 4 -4 -3 -4 -3 -4 5 4 -4 -3 -3" 3 
20:24 -3 -4 -3 -4 -3 -4 -3 -4 -3 -4 -3 5 -4 -3 -3" 3 
20:51 -3 -4 -3 5 6 5 -4 

Tab Notes: TT means cover two holes with your tongue, an unsigned number means blow, - means draw " double bend (full step bend). The first note (-3) of the riff usually starts with a bit of bend. (1 2&3 rest) Charlie uses a signature technique where he covers holes 1 and 2 with his tongue, holds the harmonica still, and shifts his jaw to the right as he loosens his lips to play (3)(4)5 very fast. His jaw moves, not the harmonica.

21:46 holes 6 7 8: -7 -8 -8 -8, -7 -8 -8 -8, -7 -8 -8 -8

21:59 -3 -4 -4, -3 -4 -4 , -3 -4 -4 -4 -3', -3 -4 -4 5 6 5 -4, -3 -4 -3 -3" -2
22:05 -3 -4 -4, -3 -4 -4, 5 6 6 5 -4, /-7/ -8 -7 -6 6 5-4 -3>-3", -3~ -4 -3>-3" -2
-1 -1 2 -2 -3 -4 -4,


Long Train Runnin

 Long Train Runnin' (C harp)

1:28 -4 Waah-ooh-wah, -4 wah-wah-wah
1:32 -4 ooh-ah-ta (x6)
1:34 -4>-3>-2 -2! (-4 -3) -4>-3>-2 -2!
1:36 -3 4 -4 Ah-ooh-ta -4 Ah-ooh-ta/Ah-ooh (x8) -4
1:40 -5, -4>-3>-2
1:42 [-4 -5]
1:44 -4 Ah-ooh-ah, -4 Wah, -4 Waah, -4 wah 
1:47 (4 5)
1:48 -5>-4>-3>-4>-3>-2 do do do-do do-do 
1:50 -4>-3>-2 (do-do-do-do-do-do) like a machine gun

Born in Chicago

 Born in Chicago (D harp)

Intro
0:01 -2 -2 -1 -2 -2 _-2" 2 -1_ 
0:03 -2 -2 -1 -2 -2>-2" -2" -2">-2~
0:08 -2 -3 -2 -2 -3 4 -4' 4 -3 -4 -3' -2~
0:12 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 6 5 -5 5 -4 4 -3 4 -4~ -3 -2~ -3 -2~
0:15 -2>-2">-2 -3 -3 -2>-2">-2 
0:17 -2 -2 2 -1
Solo 1
0:57 -2 -3 -4~ -4 -3 -2 -5 -4 -3 -2 -2 -3~ 4 2 -2~
1:02 -3 -2>-2" -1>-1' 1 -1 -2 2 -1 -2" -2~
1:05 -2 -3 4 -4' 4 -3 4
1:07 [-4 -5] x17 trill
1:10 5 4 -4 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 6 -5 -4 4 -3 4 -4'>-4 -3 -2
1:12 -2 -3 4 -3 -2 -2" -1 -2 2 -1 (1:15)
During guitar solo
1:38 -1 -2 -2, -1 _ -2, -1 -2 -2, -1 2 -2 -2
1:43 -1 2 -2' -2', -1 2 -2' -2', -1 -2 -2, -1 -2 -2, -1 -2 (1:53)
Solo 2
2:19 -1 -2 -2, -1 -2 -4~~~ (4 5) -4~~~ 
2:26 (4 5) -5 -4 -3 -2, -5 -4 -3 -2 -3 -4 -5 -4 -3 -2 -2">-2 -1 -2 -2 -3 4 -4~~~
2:35 4 -4~~~ 4 
2:39 -2" -2 -4~~~ -5 -4 -3 -4~~~ 
2:44 -5, -4 -3 -2 -3 -4 -5, -4 -3 -2 -3 -4 -5, -4 -3 -2~~ -1 -2 2 
2:48 -1 -2 -2, -1 -2 2 -1 -2"
2:54 -4 -4 -4 4 4 
2:57 (fade out) -5~~ -4 -3 -2 -2 -2" -2,  -5 -4 -3 -2 -3 -2 -2" -2 -4 -3 -3" -2, -1 -2 -2 -3 -2 2 -1 (3:08)

Monday, May 25, 2026

Over the Rainbow

 Over the Rainbow Rory Platt (C harp, country tuned, 2nd pos)

0:19 -2~~~ 6 -6 6 -5~ -4~ -4 5 -5 6
0:29 -2 5 5 -4 5 -4 5 -4 -3 -4 -3 -2 -2
0:38 2 2 4 4 -3'>-4~ -3 -2 -3" -3 4
0:47 -3" -2' -2 -3" -3 -2
0:57 -2 6 -6 6 -5>-5' -4 -4 5 -5 6 -6 6 5 -7 -6 5
1:08 -2 -2 5 -4>-4' -3 -4 -5' -4 -5' 5 -4 4
1:17 2 4 -4  4 -3 -2 -3" -3 4
1:24 -3" -2' -2 -3" -3 -2
1:32 -4 -3 -4 -3, -4 -3 -4 -3
1:37 -4 4 -4 4, -4 4 -4 4, -4 5 5
1:44 8~~ -8 7 -7 -6 -7 -6 -7 -6 6 5 -4
1:49 -4 -3 -4 -3, -4 -3 -4 -3
1:54 -4' 5 -4'~ 5 -4' 5 -4'~~ 5
1:58 -2>-3>-4>-5 -4 -3 -2' -5~ 5 -4
2:03 -2>-3>-4>-5>-6~ -5 7 -7 -6 6 5 -4 4 4 -4 -4
2:08 -2 6 -6 6 -5 -5 -4 -4 5 -5 6 -6 -7 6 7 -7 6 
2:17 -2 -2 5 -4 5 -4 -5' 5 4 
2:26 2 4 -4 etc...

This one is Israel Kamakawiwo'ole style (C harp)

1:33 4 5 -3 -4 -3 -4 4, 4 4 4
1:44 4 4 -3 -4 -3 -4, -3" 4 4 -3" 4 4
1:55 4 4 -3 -2 -3" -3 4, 1 -3" -2
2:07 -3" -5 5 4 -4 5 -5, -4 -3 4 -4 5 5 -6 7, 8 -8 7
2:21 4 4 -3 -2 -3" -3 4, 1 -3" -2 -2" 2
2:32 -3" -5 5 4 -4 5 -5, -4 -3 4 -4 5 5 -6 7, 8 -8 7
2:46 7 7 7 7 7 7 6 6, -7 -7 -7 -7 -8 -7 -7 -8 7, 8 -8 7
2:58 7 7 7 7 7 7 6 6, -7 -7 -7 -7 -8 -7 -7 -8 7, 8 -8 7
3:10 4 5 -3 -4 -3 -4 4, 1 3" -2
3:21 -3" -5 5 4 -4 5 -5, -4 -3 4 -4 5 5 -6 7, 8 -8 7
3:34 7 7 7 7 7 7 6 6, -7 -7 -7 -7 -8 -7 -7 -8 7, 8 -8 7
3:46 7 7 7 7 7 7 6 6, -7 -7 -7 -7 -8 -7 -7 -8 7, 8 -8 7
3:58 4 7 -7 6 -6 -7 7, 4 -6 6 -5 5 -4 4
4:09 -3" -5 5 4 -4 5 -5, -4 -3 4 -4 5 5 -6 7, 8 -8 7
4:24 4 5 -3 -4 -3 -4 4, 4 4 4
4:34 4 4 -3 -4, -3" 4 4 -3" 4 4







Sunday, May 24, 2026

A Town with an Ocean View Harmonica Tabs

 A Town with an Ocean View (C Harp Paddy tuning)



0:10 5 7, 5 -7, 5 -6 6 -5 6
0:14 4 -4 -5 -6 7 -7 6 5 -4 5
0:18 5 7, 5 -7, 5 -6 6 -5 6
0:24 4 -4 -5 -6 7 -8 8 7 6 -6~
0:29 5 7, 5 -7, 5 -6 6 -5 6
0:34 4 -4 -5 -6 7 -7 6 5 -4 5
0:39 5 7, 8 -7, 5 -6 6 -5 6
0:44 5 -4 -5 -6 7 -8 8 7 6 -6
0:48 -6 -7 7 7 7 -7 -6 -7 6
0:53 -5 6 -6 -6 -6 6 -5 6 5
0:59 5 -4'>-4 -5 -6 6, -5 5 5 6 -7 -8 7 -7 7 8 
1:04 -8 8 -6, 6 -6 5, -4 5 3" -3
1:13 5 7, 5 -7, 5 -6 6 -5 6 
1:18 4 -4 -5 -6 7 -7 6 5 -4 5
1:23 5 7, 5 -7, 5 -6 6 -5 6
1:28 4 -4 -5 -6 7 -8 8 7 6 -6~
1:33 5 7, 5 -7, 5 -6 6 -5 6
1:38 4 -4 -5 -6 7 -7 6 5 -4 5 6 5
1:43 5 7, 5 -7, 5 -6 6 -5 6
1:47 4 -4 -5 -6 7 -8 8 7 6 -6~
1:52 -6 -6 -7 7 7 7 -7 -6 -7 6
1:57 -5 6 -6 -6 -6 6 -5 6 5
2:02 5 -4'>-4 -5 -6 6, -5 5 5 6 -7 -8 7 -7 7 8
2:08 -8 8 -6, 6 -6 5, -4 5 -3" -3
2:16 -4>-5>-6 -7 7 7 7 -7 -6 -7 6
2:21 -5 6 -6 -6 -6 6 -5 6 5
2:27 5 -4'>-4 -5 -6 6, -5 5 5 6 -7 -8 7 -7 7 8 
2:33 -8 8 -6, 6 -6 5, -4 5 -3" -3
2:42 5 7, 5 -7, 5 -6 6 -5 6
2:46 4 -4 -5 -6 7 -7 6 5 -4 5
2:51 5 7, 5 -7, 5 -6 6 -5 6
2:56 4 -4 -5 -6 7 -8 8 7 6 -6~
3:01 5 -4 -5 -6 7 -8 8 7 6 -6
Use paddy tune instead of -3"

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