Hello, A.J. I'm sorry, but I can't play the
listed chord progressions. I'm in a public
library.
In music, a chord progression is a formula
for one chord to another, or for one to many
chords. A chord is three or more tones played
all at once.
There are many more chords than we have,
factory-installed, on a 48 chord harp. But we
may use substitute chords to replace chords
not factory-installed. More about that, later.
PART TWO:
How to read the chord harp tablature
The bold letter starting each progression is
the *root of the chord, it's lowest pitch. Example:
the chord, C-E-G-C is the chord's root,
the name of the chord. In diminished 7th and
augmented chords, that is not always true.
These progressions are from the instruction book,
57 Harmonicas, by Pietro Diero, Hansen House
publications. The book may be out of print today
(2024).
POPULAR CHORD PROGRESSIONS:
#1: V7-I, Dominant 7th to Tonic:
Played on the top deck (48-chord harp).
Exhale for all major listed chords; play
inhale for all dominant 7th chords.
A famous professional 48 chord harp player told me
that he practices chord progressions in an unlit, dark
room, so that he can memorize them and play them
without searching visually for them.
Practice each keyed progression (Bold letter) until perfect,
before going to the next progression (next key). Do all 12
keys of #1, before doing the #2 progressions, etc. The keys
of the progressions are set in the circle of 5ths order: C, G,
D, A, E, B, F# (Gb), C# (Db), G# (Ab), D# (Eb), A# (Bb),
F.
The letters listed in the progressions are chord symbols.
Example: play the C chord, then the G7 chord, then the
C chord again for the C progression.
Find the chords listed on your chord harp, usually on the
metal covers. Suzuki puts the chord labels on the plastic
comb's mouthpiece, visually located between the chords.
#1: Dominant 7th to Tonic:
Dominant 7th chords are found on the 5th degree of the
major scale ("so"),and move to the 1st degree Chord ("do").
An example of a tune that uses only 2 types of chords:
"Oh My Darling, Clementine". It's not listed here.
Key: C-G7-G (Repeat several times)
Key: G-D7-G (Repeat)
Key: D-A7-D (Repeat)
Key:A-E7-A (Rep.)
Key:E-B7-E (as above)
Key:B -F#7-B (above)
Key: F#-C#7-F# (above)
Key: C#-G#7-C#
Key: Ab-Eb7-Ab
Key: Eb-Bb7-Eb
Key: Bb-F7-Bb
Key: F-C7-F
Here's a practice tune, using only 2 chords.
Play it in all 12 major chord progressions
listed above.
Rhythms: Play this simple accompaniment with the chords:
3/4 time signature: ---- . . ("doo-dit dit, etc)
OH, MY DARLIN' CLEMENTINE
C G7
oh, my | dar-lin', oh my | dar-lin, oh my | dar-lin' Clem-en-| tine
C G7 C
You are | lost and gone for-| ev-er, dread-ful |sor-ry Clem-en- | tine
Check your chord harp's chord labels.
Chords may be posted enharmonically.
See you in Part Two.
JB