PLAYING HARMONICA – AN INTRODUCTION

- Ramakrishna

See the Figure above. This describes the notes in a chromatic harmonica. See carefully, a
blow and draw as-well as a blow and draw with the button pressed. This notation holds
good for any chromatic be it, Hohner, Suzuki, Hering, Seydel etc. etc. You can also
download equivalent from Suzuki website and check-out yourself.

If you correlate this to Indian music (sa re ga ma pa dha ni ),

C – Sa,
D - Re,
E – Ga,
F – Ma
G – Pa
A – Dha
B – Ni

And the scale repeats.

Also find the following picture which explains equivalent keyboard keys in both
Indian/Carnatic notation as-well as western notation.

Carnatic notes are as follows:

• s - Shadjamam
• r1 - Sudhdha Rishabam
• r2 - Chatusruthi Rishabam
• r3 - Shatsruthi Rishabam
• g1 - Sudhdha Gaandhaaram
• g2 - Saadhaarana Gaandhaaram
• g3 - Anthara Gaandhaaram
• m1 - Sundhdha Madhyamam
• m2 - Prathi Madhyamam
• p - Panchamam
• d1 - Sudhdha Dhaivatham
• d2 - Chatusruthi Dhaivatham
• d3 - Shatsruthi Dhaivatham
• n1 - Sudhdha Nishaadham
• n2 - Kaisiki Nishaadham
• n3 - Kaakali Nishaadham

Please find the western equivalent of this as below

Pics: courtesy of keylessonline.

Refer to first picture

Major Scale: (In piano analogy, In ‘C’ major scale, only white keys are used)
Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa+

On harmonica: C D E F G A B C+ (+ = next ovcatve’s note)

4B 5D 6B 6D 7B 7D 8D 9B (Hole-number,B=Blow,D=Draw)

Minor Scale: (In piano analogy, In ‘C’ minor scale, Ga, Dha and Ni are black keys rest
are white keys, I denoted them with a ‘ )

Sa Re Ga’ Ma Pa Dha’ Ni’ Sa+

On Harmonica: C D D# F G G# A# C + (Refer to first picture)

4B 5D 5DP 6D 7B 7BP 7DP 9B (P - Press button)

A# is called ‘A-sharp’
Bb is called ‘B-flat’ ; A# is same as Bb

With this, you should be able to play any song with the notation in carnatic/Hindustani or
Western.

Let’s take an example:

Major scale:
Janaganamana ….
It’s in major scale and all the notes are as in major scale I mentioned above. In this
example, the author has used small letters for current octave and Cap letter for the higher
octave. He has not used any for lower octave. I cut & pasted this from internet.
Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka, jaya he
s r g g g g gg g g g r g m

Bharata-bhagya-vidhata
g g g r r r n- r s
.

Punjab-Sindhu-Gujarata-Maraatha-
s p p p p p m2p p p m2dp

Dravida-Utkala-Banga
m m m g g m r mg

Vindhya-Himachala-Yamuna-Ganga
gggggrpppmm

Uchchala-Jaladhi-taranga
g g g r r r r n- r s
.

Tava shubha name jage

s r g g g g rgm

Tava shubha ashish maange

gmpppmgrmg

Gahe tava jaya-gatha

g g r r r r n- rs
.

Jana-gana-mangala-dayaka jaya he
p p p p p p m2 p p p m2d p

Bharata-bhagya-vidhata
m m m g g m rm g

Jaya he, jaya he, jaya he

SnSndndpd

Jaya jaya jaya, jaya he

ssrrggrgm
Minor Scale Example:
Let me take the song, dil kya kare…

( I used – sign for lower octave, …. For extended note)

p- s..r g.. re… s re.. ma… p m s g s gmg s…
p.. ppm p pm pm p… p m m…p m g r r s s pmgm p g s s s

If you play in true scale, this song is tough. Because, this is in Minor scale where you
have to use button with respective blow or take as mentioned above for Ga, Dha and Ni.
Minor songs are tough on mouth-organ. I’ve not seen a single hindi-songs player on the
internet playing minor scale as minor scale. They are either playing without knowledge of
knowing what it is, or just by hearing. Sometimes, depending on the raga in which the
song is based in, some minor scales can be transformed into a major scale.

Please see how to play minor scale as I described above.

By knowing this, one should be able to play any song if you are given the notation in
Indian (carnatic/Hindustani) or Western notes.