Learn the Country Harmonica Scale

You probably guessed it: known as the Godfather of modern Bluegrass & Country harmonica styles. He has played on many hit records, from such big stars as Johnny Cash and Elvis to Roy Orbison and Bob Dylan.

So let me share this video of one of my favorite Charlie McCoy recordings…

It’s amazing! At such high speeds he can change harmonicas without missing a beat. Still going strong at 70 years young. He’s just amazing.

Here’s one of my more popular lessons on High Speed Chugging. Start here to get your speed up.

One of the most important things about playing Country Music on Harmonica is the Country Scale (B=Blow and D=Draw) (3D” note bent one whole step down.)

1D 2B 2D 3D” 3D 4D 5B 6B 6B 5B 4D 3D 3D” 2D 2B 1D

Use your Key of C harmonica and practice this scale. You’ll be playing your C harp in 2nd position otherwise known as crossharp.

Another great Country Harmonica player you might want to check out is Mickey Raphael, a member of Willie Nelson’s band for almost 30 years.

So, as you can see, the harmonica travels across all styles of music and is especially popular with Country.

How are you feeling about Country Harmonica and who is your favorite player? Leave a comment below and I’ll give you my feedback.