The Toot Suite

Tunes to Play

Little Leap Forward

Richard

Little Leap ForwardA children’s harmonica classic

Here’s a wonderful, true story that features a boy called Little Leap Forward. He plays a special Chinese musical instrument called the Bawu. It looks just like a bamboo flute (sometimes it’s called a folk clarinet) but there’s a secret hidden in the mouthpiece. It has a single metal reed, which means the Bawu is actually related to the harmonica. With finger holes along the shaft, it plays like a harmonica and a flute all in one.

There are levels of interest in this story for all ages and you can watch the introductory video below; a Bawu is played on the soundtrack. For this and more books featuring the harmonica, visit our Reading Library pages. You’ll find them in our harmonica stories menu. Join us in the rest of this post, where you’ll find a video about Little Leap Forward and a traditional Chinese children’s tune for your harmonica, Zhao Peng You. Read more

Happy Birthday

Richard

Happy Birthday to you!

If it’s your birthday today, you’re probably wondering how we knew. Well actually we didn’t. But since you’re here, many happy returns and we hope you have a lovely day! Go ahead and click the green button.

When other people know you have a harmonica, there’s a good chance that one day you’ll be asked to play the Happy Birthday song. But why wait to be asked? It also makes a lovely surprise! So let’s learn to play it on a 10 hole harp…

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Morning Has Broken

Richard

Morning Has Broken

Here’s a beautiful Springtime tune to play on the harmonica in C. It’s called Morning Has Broken and it’s been sung in schools for many years.

It became popular in 1972, when Cat Stevens took it to N0.6 in the pop charts. But the melody was originally a folk tune from Scotland. Let’s investigate some more, and then learn how to play along on the harmonica.

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Happy New Year from The Toot Suite!

Richard

Should old acquaintance be forgot..

The Toot Suite would like to wish all its fans a very Happy New Year 2012. It’s been a successful first year at the Suite, and we thank you all for continuing to drop by.

Fittingly, here’s our final offering of 2011.. Auld Lang Syne on a 10 hole harp. Read more

Silent Night (10 hole harmonica)

Richard

Silent Night

Here’s a classic Christmas tune in two parts, which sounds great performed a cappella on the harmonica (without backing music).

It was written in a village near Salzburg in Austria, where it was called Stille Nacht. Why not learn the tune and play it at School, in Church or to your family for Christmas? Read more