Before I get started, I'll let you know I'm using a low F Harmonica here. That's an extra low harmonica in F. The one in the video is a Special 20. They don't make those anymore, so if you want to grab a low harmonica, and you don't have one, Hohner makes a Rocket Low.

Now I got that out of the way, let me dive into this concept a little more. What we're going to do is set up a rhythm, and I'm basing today's rhythm in this lesson off the old Sonny Boy Williamson Tune 'Help Me' which is a shuffle, but you can choose any song!

Maybe your favorite song! That's a good place to start. Take any song that you like, and then play the same rhythm on the harmonica as best you can. You might play a few different notes to the song, and might not sound like that song exactly, but if the rhythm is the same you're going to be away. As long as it's something that you can do repetitively.

In the video, I give you another example off the top of my head. So as you can see, you can use any rhythm as long as you can keep it ongoing.

I like to tap my foot to keep the beat going and that motor running inside, and then I start to improvise. I got out of the box as it were, but I'm using my scales I know. So I'm not lost.

In the video, I'm using the second-position blues scale that I teach in Step #9 of my Step-by-Step Course, and that scale works great when we use those chords down low. Because when we breathe in on that low cord, we have got a nice-sounding chord that matches our second position scale. That's the same on any diatonic harmonica, but here that means the chord is a C chord.

Yes, here on this low F harmonica, I'm in the key of C but you can use any diatonic harmonica and improvise around using any note in the second-position blues scale (and some extras if you like) as long as you return to that rhythm.

Now here is another little tip for you. If you're doing this by yourself, it doesn't matter if you go out of time a little bit as long as when you come back, you come back to that rhythm.

You actually might drop a beat or two here or there, but it's not going to matter, because you just start all over again. Whether you're playing by yourself, at a party, or wherever you are, no one's going to notice as long as you keep on going and don't worry about it yourself.

That's another tip. If you're ever performing for anybody else (in any situation) just don't worry! If you're worried then they worry, just keep going, and have fun, and everyone's going to have fun!

Let go, play around with it!

Alright! You heard those examples here first folks, at harmonciatime.com and now I've given you some ideas, It's your turn to pick a rhythm and have a go!

I can't wait to see what you come up with!

You can always check out Step #13 or come back here for some more inspiration!

Keep on harping!
Mg