10 tips for jazz harmonica improvisation

Here are 10 improvisation techniques you can try when improvising over a jazz tune. Often, you might hear “play scales” or “play the chord tones,” and these are good tips, but you can think in other ways too. You don’t need to play your whole solo using the same improvisation concept; using it as a starting point can hopefully give you inspiration and help you develop as a harmonica player.

Play the melody and add small fills and grace notes

This is the most straightforward one. Play the melody, but add small grace notes and pickups to the melody where it fits. It can be chord tones or a scale tone. You can play passing notes between melody notes or play an approach note to every first phrase. Example:

Melody notes = F A C

Variation = E F G A C

So, I added the E and G.

New rhythms to the melody but use the same notes

Play the same notes (correct pitches) as the melody but vary the rhythms of those notes. You can, of course, keep some of the standard rhythm, but add short sounds, syncopated sounds, or repeated sounds. There is a ton of music to discover here.

New notes to the melody but keep the same rhythm

This can actually be harder. Now you have to keep the same rhythm as the original melody but vary the notes! So, now you need to know the chords of the tune much better and which notes fit on those chords. But don’t be scared to try—this exercise is really good practice.

Play blues inspired

This always works. The blues is really present in so much music, and many jazz players often play blues licks and add that expression to the music. Use the minor or major pentatonic scales and try to add the more riff/lick-based blues phrasing instead of more melodic eighth notes.

Play long phrases

Play lines that are over a bar long, maybe even two bars. Everything you play should last at least one bar. As harmonica players, we can easily hold a note for one bar, so this is something to experiment with. Find a note that sounds good and hold it before you continue.

Play short phrases

Try to play like “Ta-da,” “ta-da,” just using two-note patterns or even one. This is a really good dynamic tool to use when improvising.

Ascending lines

All phrases you play should be ascending. That means going higher up the register. Of course, you will need to start over at some point, but this can really be an ear opener for what registers you have and can use on the harmonica.

Descending lines

Start on the highest note and work your way down to hole 1. It will be some interesting music along the way!

Play two bars - be quiet two bars

This is a very efficient improvising technique. I use it a lot. You can vary it: play one bar, be quiet for one, or even play four bars, be quiet for four. Or, play one bar, be quiet for two; or play four bars, be quiet for one—the variations are infinite. Using this exercise really opens up the listening and inner hearing. You will probably start to hear a lot of music when you take a break. Use that and start the next phrase with those notes.

Start every phrase with a long note

This idea is great when playing the harmonica. You can play “taaaaaaaa ta-ke-ti-ta” or just “taaaaaa ta.” A wind instrumentalist has the possibility to hold onto a note longer, and we should use it, compared to piano or guitar, where the notes disappear faster.

Bonus tip

You can always quote the melody! Start with improvising your own phrases. If you feel lost - quote something from the melody. Or decide that you first play your own line for two bars - next two bars you quote the melody.

I hope you enjoyed these tips. Have you tried any of those, or do you have any tips for improvisation? Write in the comments below!

Filip