Easy Harmonica

Christopher Pender

Jul 2015 · Xlibris Corporation

About this ebook

In 2013, at the age of sixty-nine, with some time on my hands, I decided to learn to play a musical instrument (again); this time, I decided on the harmonica. Thank goodness that I did. I have since learned the beauty and versatility of the harmonica. I started by buying a set of DVDs over the Internet and started my journey into the harmonica. At the end of the lessons on the DVDs, I met my first hurdle. Where do I go from here? I searched music stores and bookstores for books of songs in the key of C and of the kind of songs I wished to play (standards, classics, easy-listening)no luck there. With my limited computer knowledge, I turned to the Internet. I found hundreds of songs for the harmonica, with quite a few in the key of C, but not too many in the genre of choice. It took me quite a while to put together a number of songs in the key of C with tabs added, as I could not read music. I then practiced these twenty or so songs until I became proficient enough (and confident enough) to go busking. While busking, several people talked to me about their attempts to learn to play the harmonica and how they had given up. From these conversations, I discovered many people had experienced the same hurdles as myself. In order to help people to discover (or rediscover) just how easy it is to learn to play the harmonica, given the right tools at the right time of learning, I decided to publish this book. I am certain it will help you as much as it did me.

About the author

Christopher Pender was born in England in 1944. In 1984, he immigrated to Australia and still lives there today. Throughout his life, Christopher felt that art and music were in his soul, but although he dabbled in both from time to time, he did not follow the dream. In 2014, at the age of seventy, he retired from full-time work and now had the time to get involved in his various interests. He decided to learn to play the harmonica, ordered a set of DVDs from America, and learned to play basic harmonica. Christopher also tried to rediscover his various artistic talents and started working with polymer clay, beading, felting, lino printing, dry point etching, and silkscreen painting. Although he sold some jewelry pieces made from polymer clay and some bead jewelry, along with a few felted scarves and painted silk scarves, he decided to concentrate on lino printing, etching, and silkscreen painting. His first serious silkscreen painting was a picture of a colorful parrot entitled “Showing Off.” He entered this first attempt in a local art show and, to his great surprise and pleasure, was awarded first prize. Christopher continues his love affair with music and can be seen basking with his harmonica at various locations near his home on Mount Tamborine in South East Queensland, including on Gallery Walk and at several local markets. He is also learning to play the guitar (again) and also the bodhran (Irish drum). Christopher plans to write music for the harmonica and also songs for easy listening. His one great regret is that he did not follow his dreams from an earlier age, but he is living proof that you are never too old to start something new. Christopher has a son and daughter in England and two sons living in Australia.