Instructor: Doug Kladder and Mark Rounsley

Time: Tuesdays 6:00-7:00 pm beginning Oct. 6th

Location: The downtown Meeker Music store, 624 N. Tejon St. Park in back of store off the alley in the Meeker lot (not the loading dock) and ring the back doorbell as the store closes at 6:00 and you will not be able to enter the front part of the store from the back classroom when class lets out.

Description: Have you ever wanted to join a campfire sing-along, play along with a guitarist, or participate in an acoustic jam session? Or perhaps you play a stringed instrument but aren’t comfortable playing breaks yet. Playing harmonica can fill that gap and add a new dimension to a jam and you will be a unique voice in a sea of stringed instruments.

In addition to teaching harmonica technique, this course emphasizes making music with others. You will learn to play familiar melodies, recognize chord changes, accompany singers, and develop the confidence to play in informal jam sessions.

Designed for beginners, each class combines hands-on instruction, music accompaniment, and group playing in a relaxed, encouraging atmosphere. Every class ends with students playing music together.

The course is team-taught by two local harmonica players with different approaches. In the first 3 classes, Doug will focus on first-position playing - melodies, accompaniment, and fills commonly used in folk, country, bluegrass, and gospel music. Blues will be emphasized in last 3 classes, where Mark will introduce cross-harp playing in second position, exploring blues rhythms, riffs, and the fundamentals of improvisation.

By the end of the workshop, you’ll have the skills and confidence to pick up your harmonica and join friends in making music.

Prerequisites: None

What to Bring: Two 10-hole diatonic harmonicas in the keys of C and G - Hohner Special 20’s are available at Meeker at a discount, but any harmonica brand will do.