How to Play I WALK THE LINE on Harmonica (5 Levels)

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Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line" changes key every verse. You can play this song by changing harmonicas each verse:
Verse 1: F (Low F Harmonica recommended)
Verse 2: Bb
Verse 3: Eb
Verse 4: Bb
Verse 5: F
Level 1 - Easy - 1st Position, lower octave, one note changed. Here's theTabs:
4 4 4 -4 -4 -4 -5 5 -4 4
4 4 4 -4 -4 -4 -5 5 -4 4
4 -4 5 -5 -5 -5 -6 6 -5 5
4 -3 4 3 -4 4 -3 4
Level 2 - No Sweat - 1st Position, upper octave, all notes correct. Here's the Tabs:
7 7 7 -8 -8 -8 -9 8 -8 7
7 7 7 -8 -8 -8 -9 8 -8 7
7 -8 8 -9 -9 -9 -10 9 -9 8
7 -7 -6 6 -8 7 -7 7
Level 3 - Tricky
We’re gonna go back to how we first played the melody, but this time play it exactly as Johnny Cash actually sings it, which requires a bend. The bend we’re gonna have to play is the -3” bent down a whole-step, which is a very challenging bend.
Bending is not a beginner technique. I consider it to be an Intermediate technique. If you can play nice clean single notes consistently, and you want to learn how to bend, check out my lesson Harmonica Bending for Beginners: • How To Bend a Note on ...
Even once you CAN bend, learning how to bend IN TUNE takes a long time, and the -3” is one of the hardest. ( The Bend-it-Better tool can be helpful in learning this at first: www.harmonica.... ) On the flip side, this is a great chance for us to practice!
4 4 4 -4 -4 -4 -5 5 -4 4
4 4 4 -4 -4 -4 -5 5 -4 4
4 -4 5 -5 -5 -5 -6 6 -5 5
4 -3 -3” 3 -4 4 -3 4
By the way, Verse 2 has a couple small alterations from Verse 1.
Here are Johnny Cash’s I Walk the Line harmonica tabs in C for Verse 2:
4 4 4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -5 5 -4 4
4 4 4 -4 -4 -4 5 -5 5 -4 4
4 -4 5 -5 -5 -5 -6 6 -5 5
4 -3 -3” 3 -4 4 -3 4
Level 4 - HARD: 2nd position.
What makes this hard is that we’re gonna play the -3”, not just in one passing note like we did in the Tricky level, but now in the HARD level we’re really harping on that -3”. Plus we’re also gonna have to play the -2’ bend (which is also very challenging!)
Since we’re using our C harmonica to play in 2nd position here, we’ll be in the key of G.
I Walk the Line by Johnny Cash 2nd Position Harmonica Tabs for C harmonica:
-2 -2 -2 -3" -3" -3" 4 -3 -3" -2
-2 -2 -2 -3" -3" -3" 4 -3 -3" -2
-2 -3" -3 4 4 4 5 -4 4 -3
-2 -2' 2 -1 -3" -2 -2' -2
Level 5 - ARGH: 12th position
12th position means using a C harmonica to play in the key of F, which means the -2” is now our root note.
Yeah that difficult -2” whole-step bend is now our home base! Though VERY CHALLENGING, 12th position is actually a really cool position. It’s got a very cool jazzy/bluesy feel.
The reason we’re using it in I Walk the Line, is so that we can use one harmonica for all 3 keys and play the entire song along with the original Johnny Cash recording on our Bb harmonica:
Verse 1: 2nd position, Key of F
Verse 2: 1st position, Key of Bb
Verse 3: 12th position, Key of Eb
Verse 4: 1st position, Key of Bb
Verse 5: 2nd position, Key of F
Here are the harmonica tabs for I Walk the Line in 12th Position:
-2” -2” -2” -2 -2 -2 -3’ -3” 3 -2”
-2” -2” -2” -2 -2 -2 -3’ -3” 3 -2”
-2” -2 -3” -3’ -3’ -3’ -4’ 4 -3’ -3”
-2” 2 -1 1 3 -2” 2 -2”
Is all this stuff about keys and positions confusing the heck out of you? Don’t worry, that’s totally normal! Check out my lesson Keys for Beginners: • Harmonica Keys for Beg...
Please leave any other questions and comments below. Keep on playing harmonica and making the world a better place!
Aloha,
Luke

[@deaddocreallydeaddoc5244]

Wow, wow, wow... I've been playing since I was ten, and I'm 71 now, but I've never taken a "harp test." I had the melody immediately (I can pretty much work out a melody in a few runs). But I went through every level and did the Fifth fairly easily. I even added a little vamping. I guess all these years, I've added up to something. All these years, I was never in a band, just played for my own pleasure. It always cheers me up to play a little on one of my beautiful harps. Enjoy your channel a lot.

[@Harmonicacom]

Awesome. "harp test" lol 🤣 Thanks for sharing this. Rock on! 😎

[@phasmo9942]

Another great lesson! I love how this offers something for everybody. I can instantly jam away with the easy levels, try my new Lee Oskar low F on the medium level and put some work in to improve my hole 2 and hole 3 bendings in a musical context. Keep 'em coming, Luke, you're doing God's work!

[@Harmonicacom]

Sweet! That's so cool that you have a Lee Oskar LF. AWESOME!! Thanks for your encouragement. 🙏🏼

[@enriqueperez3401]

👏👏👏 Gran tutorial y divertido, también buen acompañamiento de voz y guitarra👍👌

[@Harmonicacom]

Gracias Enrique

[@michelleyb.9709]

Haven't seen you in awhile - love this channel and this song!

[@Harmonicacom]

Thanks for tuning Michelley, and for your kind words! 🙏🏼

[@lolwhittingham]

I'm gonna have a go at this (12th pos ) Thanks for this..... sounds great by the way .

[@Harmonicacom]

Great to see ya again. Good for you going for 12th pos! Thank you for your kind words. I really appreciate it!

[@paddyopatrick2941]

Keeping the ba k of your tounge down and not bending the note from the start of play gotta be the hardest part. It's a conscious effort to keep relaxed and then it is much easier to actually play. 👍please keep the instructional coming.

[@paddyopatrick2941]

After about an hour and change I have a hard time with hitting 1, 2and -1,-2 just no sound comes out any advice ?

[@Harmonicacom]

You can do it!

[@Harmonicacom]

Sure - this is perfectly normal problem that most beginners experience. These are the tips for a getting good -2: 1.) Let gravity lower your jaw so that it's totally relaxed and in a nice "aw" vowel shape, your teeth should be far apart from each other 2.) Keep the back of your tongue down, like it is when you yawn. Make sure it's not in the "Kk" zone (how your tongue is when you say a "Kk" consonant.) 3.) Nice steady, GENTLE, airflow. Most beginners (and many intermediate and advanced players) use WAY to much pressure. Hope that helps! 😎

[@paddyopatrick2941]

@@Harmonicacom it was the amount of airflow. 2 wants you to be very gentle XD

[@landztranz]

Great lesson, Luke! Thanks!

[@Harmonicacom]

Glad you liked it!

[@wadebasson9972]

love love love!

[@Harmonicacom]

Right on wade!

[@BadCompany410]

WHATS A GOOD SET TO GET THAT HAS THE OTHER HARMONICAS THAT WE CAN GET TO HAVE SET THAT WE XAN PLAY EVERYTHING ON? I’d really like to know. I’ve been learning a lot with you and I do want to play a couple others even a new one I heard that’s pretty wild. It’s calls something like a new ages one. Please It would heal if you could point me to a Set or if the set are no good then the individual ones what is need for a good set. Is really appreciate it. I don’t need the most expensive stuff at all but I do rather buy The real stuff because I won’t buy it if I’m not serious. Don’t have much cash. It’s worth it to by the real Ones and learn and not give up and not have to buy more later one. God bless and thank you you for You videos they really are the best on KZbin or any I’ve seen! You’re a natural teacher! “maestro” Think you’ve reached “kung fu” on the harmonica?

[@Harmonicacom]

If you want the real ones, I'd say probably a set of 7 Special 20's, or Lee Osksars if you're more into single note playing.

[@BadCompany410]

@@Harmonicacom thank you. i’m sorry i don’t write very good or text . whatever you call it. i started with you while 100% bedridden. i move around a lot more now but not to good at explaining what i mean with 1-2 lines. thank you. God bless

[@dmitryk.1748]

Dude i really missed your video… please keep going! 👍

[@Harmonicacom]

Thanks! Will do!

[@adriand1058]

You are an amazing teacher!

[@Harmonicacom]

Thank you Adrian! 😃

[@saintadjg]

Awesome especially the level 5 version 👌

[@Harmonicacom]

Right on Andrew. Thanks so much brother. Glad you liked it....

[@JamieStauffer-ls5gr]

Wow your good at that

[@Harmonicacom]

Thanks Jamie!

[@lolwhittingham]

NICE ONE LUKE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Harmonicacom]

Glad you enjoyed it! 🙏🏼

[@Cheekeong2483]

Thank you for sharing.

[@Harmonicacom]

My pleasure!

[@ottorehakles]

Cool 😎

[@Harmonicacom]

Right on Oliver! 🙌🏼

[@jdfolbre]

IMHO, These should all be on song course

[@Harmonicacom]

Sorry J.D. I don't follow?

[@ikust007]

Cool 12rh position !

[@Harmonicacom]

Niiiice. 👊🏼

[@davidjamgochian]

King Biscuit Boy - Boom, Boom Out Goes the Light (Unreleased Footage) 1971 | Beat-Club

[@lorenzoguevara837]

👍

[@Icarmzzy]

nice

[@Icarmzzy]

happy 2023!

[@Harmonicacom]

Thanks Tarma. Happy New Year!

[@krzysztofjanuszb.9162]

👌😎👍👍👍

[@Harmonicacom]

Thanks for watching! 😎🙌🏼🎶

[@paddyopatrick2941]

I have an a harmonica and this sounds like nails on a chalk board at parts XD probably my fault .

[@Harmonicacom]

It's usually a technique issue, but to be sure - what is the brand and age of your harmonica?

[@paddyopatrick2941]

@@Harmonicacom it is a marine band harmonica A. The 1-7 play well 8 9 10 just very shrill compared to what your playing.

[@paddyopatrick2941]

And tbh age is unknown. It's not young that's for sure.