Exploring The Optimized C Major Scale With An All-Inhale Pattern

A phrase that can be played on one inhale that sounds good in a number of harmonic settings.

Here’s tablature and a recording of an eight note phrase derived from the “optimized C Major scale” with all notes played while inhaling. See this earlier post for information about the Optimized C Major Scale.

Because this phase requires no changes in breath direction, it plays very smoothly ( i.e. “legato”), something not always possible on the harmonica. I also used it as a basis for a long tone exercise that focuses on regulating air flow while elongating inhalation.

Below is tablature that shows the phrase׳s note sequence, which includes the notes A,B,C, and D.

4DI 5DO 4DO 4DI 3DO 4DO 4DI 5DO
C   D   B   C   A   B   C   D

D = draw
B = blow
I = slide in
O = slide out

The recording below demonstrates this phrase in a number of rhythmic settings over a very simple C drone with 4 beats per measure (4/4 time) at 80 beats per minute:

• phrase in whole notes played once over 8 bars

• phrase in half notes played twice over 8 bars

• phrase in quarter notes played 4 times over 8 bars

• phrase in eighth notes played 4 times over 4 bars

• phrase in 16th notes played 8 times over 4 bars

Notice that I leave 4 bars of rest between each of the above.

I recommend playing the phrase in free time until you’ve memorized it, and get used to playing it during one inhalation. Find what feels comfortable for you and pay attention to the contour of your inhalation. Then, before playing with the recording, visualize playing it, and breathe it without putting the harp in your mouth until you can easily visualize and feel it.

When you start playing along, play the phrase repeatedly for as long as you can on one inhalation. This is a beneficial “long tone” exercise.

Important: this is not intended as a breathing capacity challenge or “conscious breathing “ exercise. It is intended to help you to have more control over the breath cycle. Exhale whenever you need to, but try to finish a phrase before doing so. That could be beyond your capacity for whole note and half note phrases, and that’s okay — play a couple notes, exhale, and then inhale again for the next two notes. This is now part of my practice session, usually done as a warmup exercise. I am recognizing that my breathing capacity constantly varies.

The following recording presents improvisation on the pattern over some “congenial” harmonizations with 4 bars each of chords C major 6, A minor, D minor, and F major. The phrase assumes a different character with each different chord, but you need not worry about “making the changes” in this particular harmonic playground. I play each phrase on a single variable length inhalation. I start out with mostly long tones and finish up with busier phrases. Notice that I roam around through different octave ranges as well.

Last but not least, here are a couple play along tracks.

C Major Drone Play-along:

C Major Chord Progression Play-along:

The next post will explore an all blow pattern derived from the optimized C major scale. Stay tuned!