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Harmonica on When the Levee Breaks


shahenshah

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It's likely that the harmonica in the song was played cross harp or second position, which is most common to blues.

You can read more about that here.

cross harp info

Since that song was heavily treated with all kinds of studio effects, tempo changes and real heavy echo etc, it's tough to say what he actually used since I'm sure some of the speed changes they used changed how the song sounded compared to how they actually played and recorded it. If it was me I would find out what key the song sounds like, which I believe is F though I'm not sure if F is before or after the "treatments", it's been a while since I've played it on guitar. Use the appropriate harmonica for that, which would be Bb or which ever one is right for the song key according to the cross harp chart. Be aware it's going to be tough to duplicate that sound unless you have a mountain of gear, if that's what you even intend to do.

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It's likely that the harmonica in the song was played cross harp or second position, which is most common to blues.

You can read more about that here.

cross harp info

Since that song was heavily treated with all kinds of studio effects, tempo changes and real heavy echo etc, it's tough to say what he actually used since I'm sure some of the speed changes they used changed how the song sounded compared to how they actually played and recorded it. If it was me I would find out what key the song sounds like, which I believe is F though I'm not sure if F is before or after the "treatments", it's been a while since I've played it on guitar. Use the appropriate harmonica for that, which would be Bb or which ever one is right for the song key according to the cross harp chart. Be aware it's going to be tough to duplicate that sound unless you have a mountain of gear, if that's what you even intend to do.

Thats interesting, shame they only did it live twice as it was Heavily produced in the studio as you say, this was difficult to perform live, which Led Zeppelin did only twice: once in a "warm up" gig in Denmark before their 1975 US tour, and again on their second night in Chicago.

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Thanks - shahenshah

It's likely that the harmonica in the song was played cross harp or second position, which is most common to blues.

You can read more about that here.

cross harp info

Since that song was heavily treated with all kinds of studio effects, tempo changes and real heavy echo etc, it's tough to say what he actually used since I'm sure some of the speed changes they used changed how the song sounded compared to how they actually played and recorded it. If it was me I would find out what key the song sounds like, which I believe is F though I'm not sure if F is before or after the "treatments", it's been a while since I've played it on guitar. Use the appropriate harmonica for that, which would be Bb or which ever one is right for the song key according to the cross harp chart. Be aware it's going to be tough to duplicate that sound unless you have a mountain of gear, if that's what you even intend to do.

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Thats interesting, shame they only did it live twice as it was Heavily produced in the studio as you say, this was difficult to perform live, which Led Zeppelin did only twice: once in a "warm up" gig in Denmark before their 1975 US tour, and again on their second night in Chicago.

Nah!

It was in Brussels.

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