Lesson 2 – Harmonica Notes: Sholay

Hi There!!!

armonica Enthusiasts,

After an introduction and first lesson on the harmonicas. Here I am with the second lesson, it’s about the famous Harmonica piece played in Sholay movie picturized on Amitab Bachan. It seems a sad tune yet soothing. This is again going to be played on the Diatonic harmonica “Hohner Silver Star” C Scale. This harmonica has 10 holes and each hole produces a peculiar sound on drawing and blowing into each hole. I have played this on Silverstar but you can use any 10 holes harmonica provided it should be diatonic and C scale.

This tutorial for the Sholay tune contains harmonica notes in a number notation, where a positive number denotes blowing air into the hole eg. 4 and a negative number denotes drawing from the hole number eg. -4. A number denotes a particular hole and sound.

Sholay Harmonica, Notes:

4 -4 5 -6 5 -6 5

4 -4 5 -6 5 -6 -4

-5 5 -4 4 -4 -3

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

6 -6 -5 5

To begin with, a 10-hole diatonic harmonica, place it in your hands. Keeping number 1 on the left and 10 on the right side of the mouth. If it does not have numbers imprinted, make sure the highest pitch is always on the right side.

Let’s begin with playing a tune or music. Let’s demonstrate the first line:

Blow into 4 Draw from-4 Blow into 5Draw from -6 Blow into 5 Draw from -6 Blow into 5

You need to follow the same rule with the rest of the notes as well.

Stay tuned and keep practicing.