Harmonica lesson: How to play jazz in third position on diatonic harmonica

1D 2B 2D'' 2D 3D'' 3D 4B 4D
4D 5B 5D 6B 6D 7D 7B 8D
Backing tracks and PDF lesson at my Patreon page, link below:
/ filipjersharmonica
Filip Jers is an internationally known harmonica player from Stockholm, Sweden and one of the most sought-out harmonica players in Europe. At the age of 36 he has performed in almost 30 countries all over the world.
In 2011 Jers graduated with a Master Degree in Fine Arts of Music from The Royal College of Music in Stockholm. He has also studied privately with Toots Thielemans, Howard Levy and Robert Bonfiglio.
Jers has been given numerous awards through the years. In 2005 he won two gold medals at the World Harmonica Festival in Trossingen, Germany. In 2014 his jazz quartet Filip Jers Quartet was selected as "Best Group" at the European Jazz Competition in Rotterdam, Netherlands and in 2015 the quartet received a Swedish grammy for the album ”Plays Swedish Folk”. In 2016 Jers was awarded the title ”Jazz musician of the Year” by Swedish Radio.
Jers works regulary with Filip Jers Quartet, with his duo with guitarist Emil Ernebro and as a guest soloist in different projects. He has been a featured solist with many cutting edge jazz big bands in Sweden as well as performing with two of Scandinavias finest string orchestras; Musica Vitae and Camerata Nordica. Jers has been featured on more than 50 CD's as a recording artist, playing harmonica.
Besides playing concerts Jers has extensive experience as a harmonica teacher. Besides teching privately and giving workshops in different countries all over the world he is also engaged as harmonica teacher at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm, the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen, Denmark and Sibelius Academy in Helsingfors, Finland.
Jers is an "International Suzuki Harmonica Artist", he is endorsing and playing harmonicas made by Suzuki Harmonicas from Japan.
He also runs Fojablue Records, an independent record label that has released Spiro (FRCD01, 2011), Filip Jers Quartet (FRCD02, 2013) and Duet with Emil Ernebro (FRCD03, 2019). In 2022 he released the album ”Filip Jers Quartet - Plays Classical” and in 2023 ”Filip Jers with Carl Bagge trio - ”In the Spirit of Toots”.
Besides music, Filip likes coffee, yoga and running in the nature.

[@colinburgess7728]

great at some points you sound like Miles Davis Thanks a million

[@FilipJersMusic]

Thanks for your kind words! 🎶🌞🎶

[@mikrobspen]

Nice lesson. Thanks

[@FilipJersMusic]

Glad you liked it!

[@egrod63]

Love me some 3rd position Jazz ❤ Thank you Filip 🙏🏽😎

[@FilipJersMusic]

Thanks for watching!

[@DavidSzabo-it5ni]

Filip, your playing is super inspiring. I must pick up the harp after watching your videos.

[@FilipJersMusic]

Thanks for your kind words! 🎵😀🙏🎵

[@saschaschmidt1121]

You can't imagine how much you inspired me with this lesson (in many ways). TACK🍀🍀🍀

[@FilipJersMusic]

That's awesome!

[@Harmonica123]

Yes! Great video! Thanks Filip!!

[@FilipJersMusic]

🎵🙏🎵

[@Harmonica123]

Thank you for so many years of inspiration my friend@@FilipJersMusic

[@AlexeyKormin]

Thanks Filip, great tutorial! You make it seem so easy and simple. I will try it.

[@FilipJersMusic]

🎶🙏🎶

[@stephenkatko3236]

Beautifully smooth like always!

[@FilipJersMusic]

Oh thank you!

[@landztranz]

Beautiful and informative!

[@FilipJersMusic]

🎶🙏🎶

[@francklucas5336]

Bonjour, Vraiment excellent. Merci beaucoup😊

[@FilipJersMusic]

Merci beaucop!

[@J.M.Stigner]

Yes Filip! this lesson is brilliant, really helpful and inspiring, connecting some dots for me in getting that jazzy sound out away from my blues runs, many thanks dude

[@FilipJersMusic]

Thanks for your kind words! 🎶🌞🎶

[@charlieburns1385]

Very nice tone and playing 👍🎶

[@FilipJersMusic]

Thanks for your kind words! 🎶🌞🎶

[@douglashalliday8235]

Another great lesson, Filip. Thank you.

[@FilipJersMusic]

Thanks for watching! 🎵🙏😀

[@detharp]

sounds like 19 limit just i ntonation tuned, but specially for 3rd pos.!!! (not 2nd, as usual) wonderful easily to follow, and your smooth natural tone, aaah❤

[@FilipJersMusic]

Thanks for yourkindwords! Equal tuning on this harmonica 🎵🎵🎵

[@MaxSchranner]

Great music. Thanks for sharing your toughts on improvisation.

[@FilipJersMusic]

Thanks for listening!

[@littledre]

Great stuff!!!

[@FilipJersMusic]

Thanks!

[@marcelomartinez2510]

Excelente maestro!!

[@FilipJersMusic]

thanks!!

[@nunomarques1554]

You are such a great teacher!!!!

[@FilipJersMusic]

Thanks for watching 🎵🙏🎵

[@ahimsa1979]

With each of your videos I am convinced that Bb is the best jazz key, I am hesitating between Suzuki and session steel, I think I will choose seydel because it is more durable and has a warmer sound, which I like so much... I don't know how you do it, but yours sounds so wonderfully velvety.

[@FilipJersMusic]

Yes Bb is great for jazz. My Suzukis are customized (by myself). I have not tried that Seydel model in a long time so can’t comment really. I love the Suzukis for their tone, feel of the reeds and incredible durability.

[@ahimsa1979]

@@FilipJersMusic wow Filip... you surprised me very much, because I was impressed, steel reeds are stronger, that's why I have Seydell session steel Low C. Does your experience apply to all Suzuki harmonicas, or only the highest models, because if I had to decide on Suzuki, I think that it would be the Harpmaster MR-200 series 😊

[@Harp_Maniac]

Fantastic lesson Filip !!! Many thanks. Your sound is mellow, warm , full and very pleasant. All the very best.

[@dannyboyvlc]

Thanks a lot

[@Voyageurhorsdutemps]

THANK YOU SO MUCH ✨

[@FilipJersMusic]

Thanks for watching!

[@p1nesap]

Really nice! Now I know what that mysterious yet chill jazz sound is. 👍 Well put about 5th note giving relaxing vibe. The +6th with a -7 creates some curiosity. Are you able to play this stuff on a low Bb diatonic?

[@FilipJersMusic]

Thank you very much! Yes all this works on low Bb.

[@p1nesap]

​@@FilipJersMusic I meant would you please demonstrate?

[@vincentcleris128]

Awesome lesson! Your playing is exquisite and the information is invaluable to me. Is this a regular 2-5-1 in C minor? If not, would you mind sharing the chord progression used in the backing track you were playing with?

[@FilipJersMusic]

Thanks! This is just a Cm7 chord, no dominant chords includes. I have the backing track at my Patreon page, filipjersharmonica. I have a link to it at my channel @filipjersharmonica

[@p1nesap]

Filip would you please demo your tenor chromatic harmonica? No one on YT has a clue what they're doing with it.

[@FilipJersMusic]

Thanks! I have a few videos on it if you search my channel here and select the chromatic harmonica Playlist.

[@johnnyappleseed2277]

That was simply just beautiful gorgeous. I'm blown away by the intro. You know I was thinking I have an electric guitar. And I've lost interest in it but I've never lost interest in the harmonica. I like the idea of how amazing it sounds and how small compact it is. I think I'm just going to switch to learning the harmonica instead of the guitar. You made a good point by your demonstration. There's no need to convince me on playing the guitar anymore. I'm 100% committed. Do you have a course that you can teach people and give lessons to?

[@FilipJersMusic]

Thanks for your kind words! 🎶🌞🎶 Unfortunately I dont have so many beginner lessons online. I have a Patreon page where I have lessons for intermediate and advanced players.

[@patmifsud3552]

this is awesome :)

[@FilipJersMusic]

Thanks for watching! 🎵🙏😀

[@geoffkeen5234]

"That's another lesson" 🤣 😸👍🏼👍🏼

[@FilipJersMusic]

😀

[@picek444]

In what harmonic context do you usually use Dorian licks in jazz tunes?

[@FilipJersMusic]

minor 7th chords!

[@catoninetails789]

Tbh, I have no idea what I was supposed to learn from this video. However, it sounded super great with that reverb. That's the room's reverb, not an electronic reverb, right? Does that mean you are using not a dynamic microphone, but some other type?

[@FilipJersMusic]

Glad you liked it! The microphone is a lavalier microphone connected to a mixer and then I recorded that mixer signal on my Android phone. The reverb is a reverb from the mixer.

[@p1nesap]

Filip would you please do a video about any voicings for the 4 chord (-5 etc) through holes 1 - 4? I can't quite bend --3 to get ma.3rd of 4 (on G harp) & that seems the only option, which is frustrating, having to swing up to -5 when I like the lower voicings.

[@FilipJersMusic]

Good idea!!

[@fflach_heulyn]

Another great video! As someone new to jazz on the diatonic, am I correct in assuming that 3rd position is the most common for jazz? I'm used to 1st and 2nd position for folk and blues but I don't quite know instantly how to choose the best harmonica key for jazz. To play 'Coquette' in D for example I'm assuming I choose a C harmonica for 3rd position rather than D harp in 1st position or G harp in 2nd position?

[@FilipJersMusic]

Thanks! Yes you are thinking right. You can also try an A in 12th position 😀

[@MrSpanky2001]

What backing track are you playing to?

[@FilipJersMusic]

Just a Cm7 looped for 4 bars

[@MAURICEWILLIAMS-fs2kp]

Hello Philip h

[@stevejohnson9717]

You could be speaking in another language.😮????

[@FilipJersMusic]

How do you mean? English is not my main language, sorry if I am not speaking correctly.

[@stevejohnson9717]

@FilipJersMusic No, sir! Your English is excellent!! You said it yourself; "Confusing." The language of "music theory" is foreign to most of us. "Dorian, minor, dominant, second, position....," all of that!! PERSONALLY (and I am speaking only for myself, but there may be others) I have to sit down and look at a book or video or individual instruction until the "AHA" moment, and then it is quite apparent and quite achievable. Please continue your excellent instruction! I simply have to dissect and digest each "bit" of information. You're doing an excellent job! I look forward to more! It's up to ME to glean the most from the information presented. Thank you!