Technical Exercises Chromatic Harmonica
AROUND THE WORLD…SCALE EXERCISES
This is a grouping of some of the finest technical exercises you can use to improve your skills as a player. They will be of great help to you to steep your mind, body and soul in the various sound combinations available to you on your chromatic harmonica…and will translate into better playing and improved artistry for you on chromatic harmonica.
After all, we must know where we are going tonally…not that we need to know the name (it does help!)…but to know the SOUND. Yes?
I gathered these from many sources, and a few I made up…but I’m sure others utilized them before me.
I find that the time I spend in mornings with technical exercises, a joy. It’s fun to do…and I always stop while I’m still fresh, so I always look forward to my next time to play. I make recordings in late morning and afternoon, and perform pieces at night. My favorite time of day is dusk…it seems all is ready…
These are not designed to be done in order, or one after another. Jump around, choose as you like and have fun. Make them yours, try various attacks on the note, various volumes, various rhythmic approaches, mix it up, on all the octaves available on your harp. Know your entire instrument…enjoy your entire instrument.
I do want to thank Emile D’Amico, teacher, for sharing the Mehegen studies with me, it seems such a complete grouping of sounds…I love them!
CHROMATIC SCALE
12 MAJOR DIATONIC SCALES
AROUND THEWORLD EXERCISE GROUPING:
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CHROMATIC/MAJOR/NATURAL MINOR/HARMONIC MINOR/MELODIC MINOR…SCALE PROGRESSIONS
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12 BLUES SCALES
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1 3 5 7 9 #11 13 arpeggios
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JOHN MEHEGAN CHORD STUDIES
(Others studies will be added over time, such as Modes and Pentatonic scales, even Atonal whole step scales of Debussy. I’d also like to share some intervallic studies with you, intervallic means playing various intervals, just moving from one note, up or down to another…no biggie.)
CHROMATIC SCALE
C C#/Db D D#/EB E F/E# F#/Gb G G#/Ab A Bb/A# B C
Of course, it can be started at any note, and then play 12 tones up from there. Go down also!
12 MAJOR DIATONIC SCALES
C D E F G A B C
C# D# E# F# G# A# B# C#
D E F# G A B C# D
Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb
E F# G# A B C# D# E
F G A Bb C D E F
F# G# A# B C# D# E# F#
G A B C D E F# G
Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab
A B C# D E F# G# A
Bb C D Eb F G A Bb
B C# D# E F# G# A# B
C D E F G A B C
AROUND THE WORLD WITH SCALES…CHROMATIC/MAJOR/NATURAL MINOR/HARMONIC MINOR/MELODIC MINOR SCALES…SUCH FUN!
Chromatic Scale…
C C#/Db D Eb/D# E F/E# F#/Gb G G#/Ab A Bb/A# B C
C D E F G A B C Major scale
C D Eb F G Ab Bb C Natural Minor scale
C D Eb F G Ab B C Harmonic Minor scale
C D Eb F G Ab Bb C Melodic Minor scale/ up
C D Eb F G Ab Bb C Melodic Minor-down*
(*NOTE: The Melodic Minor scale is played backwards from how it is written
here, as it is going Down, not up. We provided it in its ascending order
so you can recognize it quickly as a Natural Minor scale…because a
Melodic Minor scale when descending is a Natural Minor scale. This is
true for all the exercises listed in this section.)
For each scale now listed, first you’ll see the chromatic scale, then the Major, then the Natural Minor…etc..
C#/Db D Eb/D# E F/E# F#/Gb G G#/Ab A Bb/A# B C C#/D
C# D# E# F# G# A# B# C# Major scale
C# D# E F# G# A B C# Natural Minor scale
C# D# E F# G# A B# C# Harmonic Minor scale
C# D# E F# G# A# B# C# Melodic Minor scale/ up
C# D# E F# G# A B C# Melodic Minor-down
D Eb/D# E F/E# F#/Gb G G#/Ab A Bb/A# B C C#/Db D
D E F# G A B C# D Major scale
D E F G A Bb C D Natural Minor scale
D E F G A Bb C# D Harmonic Minor scale
D E F G A B C# D Melodic Minor scale/ up
D E F G A Bb C D Melodic Minor-down
Eb/D# E F/E# F#/Gb G G#/Ab A Bb/A# B C C#/D D Eb/D#
Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb Major scale
Eb F Gb Ab Bb Cb Db Eb Natural Minor scale
Eb F Gb Ab Bb Cb D Eb Harmonic Minor scale
Eb F Gb Ab Bb C D Eb Melodic Minor scale/ up
Eb F Gb Ab Bb Cb Db Eb Melodic Minor-down
E F/E# F#/Gb G G#/Ab A Bb/A# B C C#/D D Eb/D# E
E F# G# A B C# D# E Major scale
E F# G A B C D E Natural Minor scale
E F# G A B C D# E Harmonic Minor scale
E F# G# A B C# D# E Melodic Minor scale/ up
E F# G A B C D E Melodic Minor-down
F/E# F#/Gb G G#/Ab A Bb/A# B C C#/D D Eb/D# E F
F G A Bb C D E F Major scale
F G Ab Bb C Db Eb F Natural Minor scale
F G Ab Bb C Db E F Harmonic Minor scale
F G Ab Bb C D E F Melodic Minor scale/ up
F G Ab Bb C Db Eb F Melodic Minor-down
F#/Gb G G#/Ab A Bb/A# B C C#/D D Eb/D# E F F/E#
F# G# A# B C# D# E# F# Major scale
F# G# A B C# D E F# Natural Minor scale
F# G# A B C# D E# F# Harmonic Minor scale
F# G# A B C# D# E# F# Melodic Minor scale/ up
F# G# A B C# D E F# Melodic Minor-down
G G#/Ab A Bb/A# B C C#/D D Eb/D# E F/E# F#/Gb G
G A B C D E F# G Major scale
G A Bb C D Eb F G Natural Minor scale
G A Bb C D Eb F# G Harmonic Minor scale
G A Bb C D E F# G Melodic Minor scale/ up
G A Bb C D Eb F G Melodic Minor-down
(The scales of G# and Ab are enharmonic, meaning they have the same actual sounds, another way of looking at it is that the key on piano for G# and Ab are the same, they just have different names, like Jim and James…same person different name. So I list both and I suggest you practice both…thinking about what’s going on.)
G#/Ab A Bb/A# B C C#/D D Eb/D# E F/E# F#/Gb G G#/Ab
Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab Major scale
Ab Bb Cb Db Eb Fb Gb Ab Natural Minor scale
Ab Bb Cb Db Eb Fb G Ab Harmonic Minor scale
Ab Bb Cb Db Eb F G Ab Melodic Minor scale/ up
Ab Bb Cb Db Eb Fb Gb Ab Melodic Minor-down
G#/Ab A Bb/A# B C C#/D D Eb/D# E F/E# F#/Gb G G#/Ab
G# A# B# C# D# E# F## G# Major scale
G# A# B C# D# E F# G# Natural Minor scale
G# A# B C# D# E F## G# Harmonic Minor scale
G# A# B C# D# E# F## G# Melodic Minor scale/ up
G# A# B C# D# E F# G# Melodic Minor-down
A Bb/A# B C C#/D D Eb/D# E F/E# F#/Gb G G#/Ab G#/Ab A
A B C# D E F# G# A Major scale
A B C D E F G A Natural Minor scale
A B C D E F G# A Harmonic Minor scale
A B C D E F# G# A Melodic Minor scale/ up
A B C D E F G A Melodic Minor-down
Bb/A# B C C#/D D Eb/D# E F/E# F#/Gb G G#/Ab A Bb
Bb C D Eb F G A Bb Major scale
Bb C Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb Natural Minor scale
Bb C Db Eb F Gb A Bb Harmonic Minor scale
Bb C Db Eb F G A Bb Melodic Minor scale/up
Bb C Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb Melodic Minor-down
B C C#/D D Eb/D# E F/E# F#/Gb G G#/Ab A Bb/A# B
B C# D# E F# G# A# B Major scale
B C# D E F# G A B Natural Minor scale
B C# D E F# G A# B Harmonic Minor scale
B C# D E F# G# A# B Melodic Minor scale/up
B C# D E F# G A B Melodic Minor-down
12 BLUES SCALES
Formula: 1 b3 4 #4 5 b7
C Eb F Gb G Bb C
C# E F# G G# B C#
Db E Gb G Ab B Db
D F G Ab A C D
Eb Gb Ab A Bb Db Eb
E G A A# B D E
F Ab Bb B C Eb F
F# A B B# C# E F#
Gb A B C Db E Gb
G Bb C Db D F G
Ab B Db D Eb Gb Ab
A C D Eb E G A
Bb Db Eb E F Ab Bb
B D E F F# A B
1 3 5 7 9 #11 13 arpeggios
C E G B D F# A
C# E# G# B# D# F## A#
D F# A C# E G# B
D# F## A# C## E# G## B#
Eb G Bb D F A C
E G# B D# F# A# C#
F A C E G B D
F# A# C# E# G# B# D#
Gb Bb Db F Ab C Eb
G B D F# A C# E
G# B# D# F## A# C## E#
Ab C Eb G Bb D F
A C# E G# B D# F#
Bb D F A C E G
B D# F# A# C# F G#
JOHN MEHEGAN CHORD STUDIES
Jazz Improvisation, Vol 1: FROM TONAL AND RHYTHMIC PRINCIPLES
60 chord system
5 chords, 12 keys
CMaj 7
C7
Cmin7
Cdim7 or min7 b5
Cdim double flatted 7th, or Cdim6
C D E F G A B C
C E G B
C E G Bb
C Eb G Bb
C Eb Gb Bb
C Eb Gb A
C#Maj 7
C#7
C#min7
C#dim7 or min7 b5
C#dim double flatted 7th, or C#dim6
C# D# E# F# G# A# B# C#
C# E# G# B#
C# E# G# B
C# E G# B
C# E G B
C# E G Bb
DMaj 7
D7
Dmin7
Ddim7 or min7 b5
Ddim double flatted 7th, or Ddim6
D E F# G A B C# D
D F# A C#
D F# A C
D F A C
D F Ab C
D F Ab B
EbMaj 7
Eb7
Ebmin7
Ebdim7 or min7 b5
Ebdim double flatted 7th, or Ebdim6
Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb
Eb G Bb D
Eb G Bb Db
Eb Gb Bb Db
Eb Gb A Db
Eb Gb A C
EMaj 7
E7
Emin7
Edim7 or min7 b5
Edim double flatted 7th, or Edim6
E F# G# A B C# D# E
E G# B D#
E G# B D
E G B D
E G Bb D
E G B C#
FMaj 7
F7
Fmin7
Fdim7 or min7 b5
Fdim double flatted 7th, or Fdim6
F G A Bb C D E F
F A C E
F A C Eb
F Ab C Eb
F Ab Cb Eb
F Ab Cb D
F#Maj 7
F#7
F#min7
F#dim7 or min7 b5
F#dim double flatted 7th, or F#dim6
F# G# A# B C# D# E# F#
F# A# C# E#
F# A# C# E
F# A C# E
F# A C E
F# A C D#
GMaj 7
G7
Gmin7
Gdim7 or min7 b5
Gdim double flatted 7th, or Gdim6
G A B C D E F# G
G B D F#
G B D F
G Bb D F
G Bb Db F
G Bb Db E
AbMaj 7
Ab7
Abmin7
Abdim7 or min7 b5
Abdim double flatted 7th, or Abdim6G
Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab
Ab C Eb G
Ab C Eb Gb
Ab Cb Eb Gb
Ab Cb D Gb
Ab Cb D F
AMaj 7
A7
Amin7
Adim7 or min7 b5
Adim double flatted 7th, or Adim6G
A B C# D E F# G# A
A C# E G#
A C# E G
A C E G
A C Eb G
A C Eb F#
BbMaj 7
Bb7
Bbmin7
Bbdim7 or min7 b5
Bbdim double flatted 7th, or Bbdim6G
Bb C D Eb F G A Bb
Bb D F A
Bb D F Ab
Bb Db F Ab
Bb Db Fb Ab
Bb Db Fb G
BMaj 7
B7
Bmin7
Bdim7 or min7 b5
Bdim double flatted 7th, or Bdim6G
B C# D# E F# G# A# B
B D# F# A#
B D# F# A
B D F# A
B D F A
B D F G#
(I’ll add more over time, maybe Modes will be next, and Pentatonic…but it’s a great start)
