Blues Harmonica Turnaround Lesson
If you’ve ever listened to blues music, you’ve probably heard a turnaround—even if you didn’t know what it was called. In this blues harmonica turnaround lesson, I’m going to show you exactly what a turnaround is, how it works in the 12-bar blues, and—most importantly—how to play your first one.
So grab a C harmonica, and let’s get started.
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What Is a Turnaround in Blues Harmonica?
A turnaround is that little bit at the end of a 12-bar blues that signals the whole thing is about to start again. It’s a musical heads-up—it lets the listener know, “Alright, we’re going back to the top now.”
You’ll find turnarounds in all sorts of chord progressions, but in this lesson, we’re focusing on the classic 12-bar blues. It’s a structure you’ll hear in countless blues tunes, and the turnaround is one of those iconic moments that adds shape and movement to the whole thing.
When Do You Use a Turnaround?
In the 12-bar blues, the turnaround typically lands in bar 12. It’s a short phrase—but it’s doing a lot of work. It wraps everything up and smoothly brings you back to bar 1.
Now, not every blues tune includes a turnaround, but most of them do. It’s one of those tools that’s good to have in your back pocket so you can use it when the moment calls for it.
How to Play Your First Turnaround on Harmonica
Here’s what the turnaround sounds like
Let’s break it down step by step.
We’re playing in second position on a C harmonica, so we’re in the key of G. The phrase starts on beat one of bar 12 and is made up entirely of eighth notes. The notes are:
2 draw – 2 blow – 1 draw – 1 draw
Now—you might be wondering about that repeated 1 draw. We’re not taking two separate breaths in. Instead, you take one breath in and use your tongue to articulate the second note by saying “tu.” That gives it that crisp, bluesy feel.
It’ll sound like this:
tu – tu – tu – tu
Go ahead and try it a few times slowly. Here’s your count-in:
One – two – three – four
Play: 2 draw – 2 blow – 1 draw – 1 draw
And again:
One – two – three – four
One more time:
One – two – three – four
Practice Tips for Nailing the Turnaround
Start slow and make sure everything is clean and in time
Focus on that tongue articulation—it’s key to getting the right feel
Use a metronome or backing track to help you stay in rhythm
Loop the turnaround back into the beginning of a 12-bar form to really feel how it flows
If you want to improve your sense of time and groove while you’re at it, check out my lesson on how to improve rhythm on harmonica. Getting your rhythm solid will make your turnarounds—and everything else—sound better.
Going Deeper with Blues Harmonica
This turnaround is just one of the tools I teach in my free 4-week Blues Harmonica Foundation Course. If you want to build a rock-solid foundation on the instrument—and start playing real blues—then I highly recommend signing up.
You’ll also get a free downloadable backing track and tab to practice this exact turnaround. Just click the link in the description or the pop-up on this page, and I’ll send it to your inbox.
Conclusion
So now you know what a turnaround is, where it fits in the 12-bar blues, and how to play your very first one. It’s a small phrase—but it makes a big impact. Practice it slowly, loop it with a backing track, and before long it’ll feel like second nature.
If you found this lesson helpful, please give it a like—and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss any future videos. I post new lessons every Wednesday.
Thanks for reading—and as always—happy harping!
Turnaround
Turnaround Slow
Turnaround with Backing Track
