Learn to play Tracy Chapman's Give Me One Reason on Guitar and Harmonica

Difficulty: Yeah, this one's tricky. Keeping the syncopated rhythm guitar going while singing or playing harmonica is the trick.

Lesson Length: :

Instructor: George Goodman

Help File: Download the Chords, Lyrics, Guitar and Harmonica Tabs here: Give Me One Reason - for educational purposes only.

Takamine EG541SC
I am playing my black tak in this one.

This is a Takamine G Series EG541SC bought in North Carolina when I was playing in a band called Double Take.
Specs:
Top - Solid Spruce
Back - Nato
Sides - Nato
Finger Board - Rosewood
Electronics - TK40
Finish - Gloss Black
Check out more Takamine G Series Guitars

Give Me One Reason is in the key of F#. To play in second position is going to require a B harmonica. Or you can put a capo on the first fret moving the key to G which requires a C harmonica.

I often play a Hohner Special 20 Harmonica through a Shure Green Bullet microphone Model 5200 and Fender Super Champ amplifier

Seydel Gecko

The Seydel Gecko Harmonica Holder is high-quality. Seydel offer much more flexibility. You feel comfortable while playing harmonica with this holder. Great design; simple to use; changing harmonicas is quick and easy. The position isn't friction dependent, but rather on a "stop," you get a consistent, easily adjusted rack. The leather pads not only make it more comfortable, but also reduce slipping.

G7 Capo

Small, light and beautifully-formed: The low-profile, flip lever guitar capo. The G7th Newport is meticulously designed for your fretting hand, eyes and ears. Flip the cunningly-concealed lever to clamp and fine-tune the tension for buzz-free, tuneful capoing.

Barre Chords are a big challenge for the guitar. Finger picking with a syncopated rhythm adds to the difficulty.

For Harmonica, second position blues with bending is explored.

The Guitar Essentials, Harmonica Essentials, and Rhythm Guitar and Strumming courses can help with any difficulties you're having.

Finally, The Blues on Guitar and Harmonica course lays out the 12 Bar Blues.

• Guitar Essentials Course
• Harmonica Essentials Course
• Rhythm Guitar and Strumming Course
• Harmonica Cheat Sheets
• The Blues on Guitar and Harmonica

Hey George here for harpnguitar.com, the website that helps you sound great on guitar and harmonica.

Today we're going to look at a great Blues song, Tracy Chapman's Give Me One Reason. You might not think of this as a Blues song but it is a 12 Bar Blues with some great synchopation.

We can definitely add some blues harmonica, in second position.

Harmonica Tabs for Chords

C Major (I Major): 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

G Major (V Major): -1 -2 -3 -4 6 -7 -8 9

Things To Note

This was recorded in my off grid bus studio parked in the Similkameen Valley, British Columbia in January 2025.

I am using new-to-me podcast software which forces me to get it down in one take. So if you see goof-ups that might normally be edited out, that's reality.

What do you think? Leave a comment below.

Right on. See you in the next one.

Peace,

George