Stealin' Stealin' - Memphis Jug Band | Free Harmonica Lesson & Harp Tabs

Today's free blues harmonica lesson will teach you to play Stealin' Stealin' by the Memphis Jug Band. I hope you enjoy the free YouTube video lesson and free harp tabs!

This lesson uses two keys of harmonica - C and G.

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What key(s) of harmonica do you need to play Stealin' Stealin' by the Memphis Jug Band?

Stealin' Stealin' is in the key of G. (The record plays between G and F#, most likely because the recording has warped.) However, the key of harmonica used is up for debate.

Stealin' Stealin' contains a really interesting harmonica part. Almost all of it is possible on a standard key of C harmonica, and indeed you could definitely get away with playing the song on your C harp without confusing or alienating your audience. However, there is one little bit of the chorus - played both in the solo and again underneath the vocals - which is not possible on a C harmonica. I believe this part was played on a key of G harmonica. It's entirely possible that bandleader and harmonica player Will Shade switched harmonicas for this one note, and it definitely shows dedication to the song if he did!

The offending note in question is a D note in the upper register. This note has a clearly recognisable (and rather stylish) bend on the original record. Will Shade actually repeats the bend several times to really make it stand out. This bend just isn't possible on a standard C harmonica, and it's very unlikely that Shade would have had a sufficiently customised harmonica to do it. The most likely scenario is that he used a G harp for this note.

Can I use a G harmonica for the whole song?

Sadly not. While it's possible to play the verse part on a G harmonica, the chorus also contains an F note which is not possible on a G harp, so you'd be left with essentially the same problem - an unsufficient harmonica. This means the chorus requires both C and G harmonicas.

Updates to my Stealin' Stealin' harmonica tabs

As mentioned above, it IS possible to play the verse section on either a C or G harmonica. I've tabbed it out for both so you can choose your preference. Personally I believe a C harp was probably used for the whole song except the one little bit for which the G harp is necessary.

I have updated my tabs since I recorded the video lesson above, so you'll see that it's been refined from what I show in the video. I hope this doesn't cause you any problems. I do believe the updated version is more accurate and useful.

Stealin' Stealin' by the Memphis Jug Band - free harp tabs

Chorus (and intro):

C harp:

-3/>-3     6       -3/>-3    6   -5

6   5  6  5  6       6  5   6  5  6

-3/>-3     6    -5    5  -4      4    -4

-3/>-3>-3/   -2     2    -1    2    -2

Verse:

C harp:

-3   -4   5  -4  6  -4  5  -4    -3 -4   5   6

5   6  -6  6  7  6  -6  6  5 6  -6  7

>-7  -6  6  5  -4  4  -3

>-7  -6  6  5   -4  4  -3

OR

G harp:

5   6   -6  6  7   6  -6  6 5  6  -6  7

-6   7  -8  7   -9   7  -8  7  -6 7  -8  -9

>-8   8  -8  7  -6  6  -5  5

>-8   8  -8  7  -6   6  -5 5

SOLO:

Verse (x2):

C harp:

-3 -4 5 -4 6 -4 5 -4  -3 -4   5   6

5   6 -6 6 7 6 -6 6 5 6 -6 7

>-7 -6 6 5 -4 4 -3

>-7 -6 6 5 -4 4 -3

Chorus:

C harp:

-3/>-3 6 -3/>-3 6 -5

G harp:

9>9/  9>9/  9>9/   9>9/   9>9/  9>9/  9>9/  9>9/

9>9/ 8 7

C harp:

-3/>-3 6 -5 5 -4 4 -4

-3/>-3>-3/ -2    2  -1   2    -2

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