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Harmonica Song Tutorials, Step by Step

To learn a song on harmonica, play it one phrase at a time: find the starting hole, play the phrase slowly from the tab, repeat it three times, then join it to the next phrase. These tutorials teach Amazing Grace, Silent Night and When the Saints Go Marching In on a 10-hole C harmonica, phrase by phrase, with no bending.

Updated · By the Classfern Music Department

Works in the UK and the US. This version uses US music words (measure, quarter note, staff); the UK version uses bar, crotchet and stave. · UK version of this page

Key facts

  • 3 full tutorials: Amazing Grace (holes 6–9), Silent Night (holes 4–9) and When the Saints Go Marching In (holes 4–6).
  • All for a 10-hole harmonica in C, with no bending.
  • Every song is public domain; the tabs are Classfern’s own simple versions.
  • Each phrase has its own tab line, so you learn one small piece at a time.

How do you learn a song on harmonica?

Learn a harmonica song one phrase at a time. Listen to the whole tune first, then play the first phrase slowly from the tab, repeat it three times, and add the next phrase. When you can play two phrases together, join on the third. Use the play-along at 50% speed with wait mode on.

  1. Listen to the song once on the play-along.
  2. Find the starting hole and play it as a long, steady note.
  3. One phrase at a time: a phrase is usually one line of the words, about 4 measures.
  4. Repeat three times, slowly, before moving on.
  5. Join phrases: 1+2, then 1+2+3, then the whole song.
  6. Speed up only when it feels easy: 50%, 75%, 100%.
Mr Chopin, Classfern’s head of music, waving hello

Play-along

Sounds are made in your browser. The microphone is used only if you press Listen in the play-along, and stays on this device. Nothing is recorded, saved or sent.

Press a “Play along” button under each tutorial. The notes scroll past with the hole and blow or draw for each one; slow it down or switch on wait mode so the music waits for you.

How do you play Amazing Grace on a harmonica?

Play Amazing Grace on a C harmonica in the upper middle, holes 6 to 9: it starts on +6, and the first phrase is +6 +7 +8 +7 +8 −8. It is in 3/4 time, so count “1 2 3” and hold the long notes. No bending is needed, and the highest note is +9.

  1. Phrase 1 (“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound”): +6+7 +8 +7+8 −8+7 −6
    +6 +6
  2. Phrase 2 (“that saved a wretch like me”): +7 +8 +7+8 −8+9+9 +8
  3. Phrase 3 (“I once was lost, but now am found”): +9 +8 +7+8 −8+7 −6+6 +6
  4. Phrase 4 (“was blind, but now I see”): +7 +8 +7+8 −8+7

Amazing Grace

Holes 6–9 · 3/4 · Words: John Newton (1779). Tune: “New Britain”, American (1829) (public domain)

+6+7 +8 +7+8 −8+7 −6
+6 +6+7 +8 +7+8 −8+9
+9 +8+9 +8 +7+8 −8+7 −6
+6 +6+7 +8 +7+8 −8+7

Hard part: moving between +8 and −8 (the same hole, blow then draw) and reaching up to +9. Practice just “+8 −8 +9” slowly until it is smooth.

How do you play Silent Night on harmonica?

Silent Night on a C harmonica starts on +6 −6 +6 +5 (“Si-lent night”) and uses holes 4 to 9 with no bending. It is in 6/8 time, a gentle rocking two beats in each measure. The highest note is −9, near the end.

Mr Chopin leaning on a piano, smiling
  1. Phrase 1 (“Silent night, holy night”): +6 −6 +6+5+6 −6 +6+5
  2. Phrase 2 (“All is calm, all is bright”): −8 −8−7+7 +7+6
  3. Phrase 3: −6 −6+7 −7 −6+6 −6 +6+5
  4. Phrase 4: −6 −6+7 −7 −6+6 −6 +6+5
  5. Phrase 5 (“Sleep in heavenly peace”): −8 −8−9 −8 −7+7+8
  6. Phrase 6 (“Sleep in heavenly peace”): +7 +6 +5+6 −5 −4+4

Silent Night

Holes 4–9 · 6/8 · Franz Xaver Gruber (1818); words Joseph Mohr; English words John Freeman Young (1859) (public domain)

+6 −6 +6+5+6 −6 +6+5
−8 −8−7+7 +7+6
−6 −6+7 −7 −6+6 −6 +6+5
−6 −6+7 −7 −6+6 −6 +6+5
−8 −8−9 −8 −7+7+8
+7 +6 +5+6 −5 −4+4

How do you play When the Saints Go Marching In on harmonica?

When the Saints Go Marching In uses just holes 4 to 6 on a C harmonica, with no bending. It starts +4 +5 −5 +6 (“Oh when the saints”) and repeats that pattern three times, so it is one of the quickest songs to learn. Hold each +6 for four beats.

  1. Phrase 1 (“Oh when the saints go marching in”): +4 +5 −5+6+4 +5 −5+6
  2. Phrase 2 (“Oh when the saints go marching in”): +4 +5 −5+6 +5+4 +5−4
  3. Phrase 3 (“Oh Lord, I want to be in that number”): +5 +5 −4+4 +4+5 +6 +6−5
  4. Phrase 4 (“When the saints go marching in”): +5 −5+6 +5+4 −4+4

When the Saints Go Marching In

Holes 4–6 · 4/4 · Traditional African American spiritual (first recorded 1923) (public domain)

+4 +5 −5+6+4 +5 −5+6
+4 +5 −5+6 +5+4 +5−4
+5 +5 −4+4 +4+5 +6 +6−5
+5 −5+6 +5+4 −4+4

Practice lesson: Amazing Grace on harmonica

A short practice lesson on the Classfern lesson engine. Each step says how it is assessed:

  • Self-assessed – the playing steps and the “I can” checklist.
  • Judged by a teacher or parent (rubric) – a three-line rubric for a grown-up who listens.
  • Evidence kept at home – a recording on your own device; Classfern only keeps a list.

Classfern only publishes harmonica tabs for songs in the public domain: traditional songs, and songs by writers who died more than 70 years ago. Most pop songs from the 20th century onward are still in copyright, so for those, use music you have bought or a licensed songbook.

Everything you learn here – single notes, breathing places, holes 4 to 9 and moving between blow and draw on one hole – is exactly what you need for those songs too. Classfern’s free harmonica tutorials on lessonplanner.info are written for beginners and run in your browser. For a first blues, see the 12-measure blues on the easy songs page.

More music tools

Easy harmonica songsNine beginner songs with tabs and a blues.Harmonica play-along and hole chartOver 250 tunes for a C harmonica.Diatonic harmonica guideHoles, keys and types.All music toolsThe Classfern Music hub.

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