Piano Man By Billy Joel: Beginner ... - Tomlin Harmonica Lessons

How to Play the Piano Man Harmonica Riff (Beginner Lesson)

Want to learn one of the most iconic harmonica riffs of all time—even if you’ve just picked up the instrument? In this beginner-friendly piano man harmonica lesson, I’ll walk you through the classic intro from Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.” You’ll only need a C harmonica—and if you’re just starting out, chances are that’s the one you’ve already got.

If you’re not 100% comfortable reading harmonica tabs yet, check out my Beginner’s Guide to Harmonica Tabs before diving in.

The Harmonica and Setup You’ll Need

• Key of C harmonica

• This lesson is for complete beginners

• The song is in 3/4 time—so you’ll be counting in threes

Understanding the Time Signature

“Piano Man” is played in 3/4 time—that means there are three beats per bar. Think of it like a waltz:

One-two-three, two-two-three, three-two-three…

If that’s new to you, don’t worry—just count along as I demo each phrase. You’ll get used to the feel really quickly.

Phrase 1: The Iconic Opening

We kick things off with that famous melody:

• Start on six blow—hold it for almost a full bar

• Quick six draw

• Back to six blow

• Then: five draw, five blow

Try not to rush it—this phrase is more about the rhythm and breath control than playing lots of notes.

Practice tip: When moving from draw to blow, don’t take full breaths. Use short, relaxed breaths to switch direction without tension.

Phrase 2: Smooth and Simple

This one’s a breeze:

• Four blow

• Then: five blow, four draw

It’s only a few notes, but it gives the riff its lift. Make sure each note is clean and even.

Phrase 3: A Familiar Return with a Twist

You’re basically repeating Phrase 1 here—but this time you’re adding a pickup:

• Five blow

• Five draw

• Then straight into Phrase 1 again

The pickup happens just after beat one, so count:One, two, three—ONE (pickup), two, three…

That tiny change makes the melody feel more musical and dynamic.

Phrase 4: The Resolution

Here’s how we wrap it up:

• Four blow

• Then: five draw, five blow

• Four draw

• Four blow

This brings the melody back down and settles it nicely.

Play it slowly—no need to rush. The phrasing here should feel gentle and melodic.

Essential Skill: Quick Direction Changes

The key challenge in this tune is getting quick and clean breath direction changes between blow and draw notes.

You’ll hear them especially in:

• Five draw to five blow

• Four draw to four blow

How to do it smoothly:Instead of breathing fully in or out, use half breaths. Just enough to activate the note—this gives you control without exhausting yourself.

Want to Sound More Like the Original?

If you want to replicate that airy, slightly gritty tone from the original recording:

• Widen your mouth shape just a touch

• Let a bit of the neighboring hole bleed into your note

But honestly—I recommend focusing on clean single notes to begin with. You’ll have better tone and more control that way.

Piano Man Audio Examples

Click below to listen to each lick being played slowly by itself to help you learn it.

Tomlin Harmonica Lessons · Piano Man

Download the Tab Sheet and Practice Tracks

If you want to download the tab sheet for this tune—plus audio clips of me playing each phrase slowly so you can practice along—just click the link here. It’ll take you to my website where you can get everything for free.

Final Thoughts

The “Piano Man” riff is a great first challenge—it’s recognisable, fun to play, and teaches you breath control and timing from the start. So take it slow—repeat each phrase a few times—and build up your confidence.

Call to Action

Click below to watch the full lesson, download your free tab sheet, and start playing “Piano Man” on your harmonica today. And if you found this lesson helpful, give it a thumbs up and hit subscribe—I post a new harmonica lesson every Wednesday.

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