1. Start by holding the harmonica in your left hand with your thumb on the top cover plate and your fingers on the bottom cover plate. Your right hand should be positioned with your thumb on the right side of the harmonica and your fingers on the left side.
2. Bend the 3rd and 5th holes in the blow notes by pushing them with your fingers. The "3" means blowing the 3rd hole on your harmonica. It will have a high pitch as it is a half-step higher than the regular blow on the 3rd hole. The same applies to the "5."
3. For the draw 3, place the tip of your tongue directly over the hole while closing holes 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7. The "draw 3" means sucking the air through the 3rd hole on your harmonica. The same applies to draw 2.
4. In the "Midnight Cowboy" melody, you will frequently transition between the 2 blow and draw 2. This is one of the key phrases of the song. Blow 3 and draw 3 are also used very frequently alongside blow 2 and draw 2.
5. Blow 3 hole twice, then draw 3 twice, then repeat:
(B3 B3) (D3 D3)
(B3 D3) (D3 B3)
6. Repeat the following phrase with the same blow/draw pattern:
(B3 D3) (D3 B3)
(B3 B3) (B3 D3)
7. Repeat this progression four times.
Here is a simplified notation of the melody:
B3 B3 D3 D3
B3 D3 D3 B3
B3 D3 D3 B3
B3 B3 B3 D3
B3 D3 D3 B3
B3 D3 D3 B3
B3 B3 B3 D3
B3 D3 D3 B3