Hello and welcome to this week’s harmonica lesson where I will show you how to play the classic folk tune St James Infirmary in 3rd position on a C harmonica. I have taken Hakan Ehn’s version of the song for inspiration which you can watch here.
Click here to download lesson resources
3rd position
This tune is played in 3rd position on a C harmonica which means that we are playing in the key of D. The song is a minor song so we are playing in D minor.
Lick 1
Lick 2
Lick 3
Lick 4
Full Play-through with backing track
Click here to download lesson resources
Backing track
Hohner Marine Band Crossover Review
Here is a review of the harmonica I am using in the video.
Click here to buy your own from Amazon. If you use this link I get a small commission from them – please don’t feel obliged.
Thank you
Thank you so much for taking part in this lesson. I hope it was useful for you. If you enjoyed it please feel free to share it with your friends on Facebook and/or Twitter.
If you have any questions just send me a wee email.
See you next Wednesday for the next harmonica lesson!
I am very much impressed with your teaching skills and are you a tongue blocker or pucker player/
Thank you Joe – up until recently I was a pucker but I have started mixing the two now.
Thanks for this lesson Tomlin. Much appreciated. 3rd position to Dm is it also 3rd position to D. Is there anyway I could by your backing track for St. James Infirmary.
Thank you Tomlin for your excellent and very helpful lessons. I am happy to get your special harp lessons.
Greetings from Switzerland
Monika
Thank you Monika 🙂
Hi Will – glad you enjoyed the lesson. 3rd position on a C harmonica allows you to play in D or Dm. I’m working on a way for people download backing tracks – watch this space.
Hello Tomie.
Please, where´s the link to buy a hohner crossover harmonica in C? Sorry, I don´t find it and I´d like to thank you very much about his wonderful lessons!
Suely (from Brazil)
This lesson is somewhat to difficult for me now. I am not very familiar with the positions. On my C harmonica the melody you play sounds very different. What do I wrong?
Thanks Tomlin, brilliant as always. I’m more a tragic than a player but the way you present your lessons has helped me greatly & you select some great tunes too.
Cheers Bob
Hi Suely, It is on this page underneath the Hohner Review video. Glad you like the lessons 🙂
Hi Rosemarijn, I’m sorry to hear that – are you struggling with the bends?
Hi Bob, thank you so much for your kind words. I’m sure you are not a tragic 😉 Keep harmonicering! 🙂
Tomlin how much would it cost for you to send me a 45 second recording of 15 seconds of uninterrupted 3 1/2 bend,whole bend, and 1.5 bend? I don’t have musical hearing and I am determined to conquer the 3 bends so I can play songs like this. Your old video, “How 3 bends should sound” is just a little short because I’m uncoordinated mudically. By the time I almost match the note you stop. Thanks.
Hi Andy – I’ve sent you an email 😉
Hi Tomlin,
Could you send m the backing Track from St James Infirmary please?
Thanks in advance.
Best regards
Florian
Hi Florian, I’ll send you a wee email later. Best wishes, Tomlin