Harmonica Notation and Teaching Considerations
TRADITIONAL HARMONICA NOTATION:
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
Unified System - Same notation |
dependent on availability of printed music |
| reliable system | dependent on therapist to create music notation for songs not commercially available |
| takes longer to learn | |
| more difficult to learn | |
| delay in learning may affect motivation/follow through | |
PLAYING BY EAR:
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Independent | not competent in music reading |
| quick and easy for most to learn | difficult for some people to hear and learn |
PLAYING BY REGULAR MUSIC NOTATION ON 5-LINE MUSIC STAFF:
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| more music is commercially available | dependent on availability of music |
| works well if can read notation already | dependent on therapist to create music |
| more difficult to learn from scratch |
PLAYING BY FOLLOWING COLOR-CODING FOR CHORD CHANGES:
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| quick success, easy to learn | requires ability to follow colors/match inhaling/exhaling functions with colors |
| can play along on simple songs | cannot readily play songs with larger numbers of chords in the harmonic structure |
encourages sustaining long tones |
Research Finding of Interest - Recommendations/Precautions for Musical Notation Use in Harmonica Programming in Pulmonary Rehabilitation:
Do NOT include number cues on the same page with the I and O coding for inhaling or exhaling while playing harmonica for patients who are playing harmonica for pulmonary rehab purposes. Playing by reading notes from number cues is actually harmful to these patients because it encourages them to take short breaths, and it also results in a cognitive focus on note reading instead of in a respiratory focus on deep, slow breathing. Once the patient has learned to use the I/O method of playing harmonica and has established a practice routine, then the patient may be rewarded by getting to play the melody notes on one song at the end of the practice time and after the last data measure is taken. Be sure to caution the patient not to practice with the melody note playing style but instead to focus on sustaining long tones through the chordal accompaniment method of note reading.