Harmonica teach-ins from sing out! magazine by Glenn Weiser

My harmonica teach-ins for Sing Out! magazine (www.singout.org) will be published in a forthcoming book from Mel Bay Publications and are listed below in chorological order. They were written in three series, each with a different focus. When I was met Mark Moss in 1988, my first book, Irish and American Fiddle Tunes for Harmonica had just come out, so I suggested doing some columns on how to play fiddle tunes to him. The first teach-ins followed that theme.
After 1992, the magazine moved from a digest size to a larger format, and suspended its teach-ins for a year while making the change. In the second series I usually alternated in between folk and blues ideas.

Sing Out! now includes an optional CD with all the songs and teach-ins for that issue, so I’ve switched to teach-ins that feature transcribed solos from classic recordings. These will be on the CDs.
Because the magazine did not always publish regularly, in some cases only the year of publication rather than the year and season/months is given.

Fiddle Tunes
Vol. 34, # 1 - Winter 1989. Introducing fiddle tunes-Rakes of Mallow.
Vol. 34, # 3 – Summer 1989. The jig - Gallagher’s Frolic.
Vol. 34, # 4 – Fall 1989. The hornpipe- Alexander’s Hornpipe.
Vol. 35, # 2 –1990. The tremolo - Blind Mary.
Vol. 36, # 2 - Aug./Sept./Oct. 1991. Accentation - Eighth of January, Rock the Cradle, Joe.
Vol. 37, #1 – May/June/July 1992. Tongue blocking-Spotted Pony.
Vol. 43, # 3 Tongue Blocking Waltzes - The Old Country Waltz

Folk And Blues
Vol. 38, # 4 – Feb. March/April 1994. Lip blocking (puckering) basics - Jacob’s Ladder
Vol. 39, # 1 –May/June/July 1994. Introducing cross harp- Cross My Harp.
Vol. 39, #2 - Aug./Sept./Oct. 1994 Wide leaps on the harmonica- The Old Folks at Home
Vol. 39, #3 – Nov. / Dec ’94 / Jan ’95 Learning your way around the harp - Billy Boy
Vol. 39, # 4 - Feb. / March/ April 1995 Note Bending – Around the Bend
Vol. 40, #1 - May /June / July 1995 Blues Tongue Blocking-
Vol. 40, #2 - Aug / Sept. Oct. 1995 Aria from Mozart’s Magic Flute.
Vol. 40, #3 - Jesse James
Vol. 41, #1 – May / June / July 1996 The Headshake
Vol. 41, #2 Water is Wide
Vol. 41, #3 – Nov / Dec ‘96 / Jan. ’97 First Position Blues
Vol. 42, #4 - Spring 1998 Third Position- St. James Infirmiry
Vol. 42, # 3 - Modal music. Pigeon on the Gate -
Vol. 42, #2 – Fall 1997 Special Blues Harp Effects
Vol. 43, #2, Fall 1998 12 – Hole –Danny Boy
Vol. 43, #4 - Summer 1999. Train Noises

Transcriptions from Recordings
Vol. 44, #1 – Fall 1999. Big Walter I – Big Walter’s Boogie
Vol. 44, #3 – Spring 2000 Sonny Terry - That Good Old Jelly Roll
Vol. 45, #1 - Spring 2001. Big Walter II - Careless Love
Vol. 45, #2 - Summer 2001 Little Walter - 44 Blues
Teach-in: Honey Boy Edwards* - Wind Howlin’ Blues