Could anyone give me advise, on how to learn to play harmonica by ear

[disciple1]

I know a church that I could probably play harmonica in, I've been playing by sheet music 20 years, I know how to bend notes, transpose, but I can't seem to learn to play by ear, I know a little music theory, but I can't memorize the songs their playing quick enough to play in church.

 

[Dr. D Bunker]

bye

 

[Paul G West Sr]

I know a church that I could probably play harmonica in, I've been playing by sheet music 20 years, I know how to bend notes, transpose, but I can't seem to learn to play by ear, I know a little music theory, but I can't memorize the songs their playing quick enough to play in church.

1. Learn to play by blowing & sucking air through the harmonica until you hear the note that you want.
2. Learn music by using you cell phone to record and take it home. Listen to it over and over until you know the melody, then do number one.
3. Most churches play the same songs over and over for 6 months, at least.
4. bend notes by blowing and sucking too hard.

That's all I got!

 

[Lane1777]

If it were me I think I would start by learning the chords to the song, and the progression.
then start small, bending notes, or small runs with the songs and the progression of the music.

 

[Davy]

Learn to sing Solfege.

If you ever heard the "Do-Re-Mi" song that was done in the movie Sound of Music, then those sung syllables are the notes of a Major scale.

Do-Re-Mi-Fa-Sol-La-Ti-Do
C - D - E- F - G - A - B - C

Once you learn to sing those notes (humming them is OK), then with practice your inner ear will reveal their intervals. For example, sing Do, Re, Mi, and then sing Do to Mi. That an Interval of a Major 3rd. If you can learn to sing the Intervals in Solfege, then with practice (humming) you can pick out simple melodies and thus many tunes.