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Tip of the Day: Beginner Tips #5 - Play Softly

Posted Tue, 01/03/2012 - 10:22 by David Barrett Admin

Play softly. Warm, radiant air is what you're looking for. A pro player plays at 40% of their capable volume as their normal volume. So, no sucking or blowing... warm, radiant air flowing through the harmonica.

Top 3 Placers for King of the Swing Contest!!!

Posted Mon, 01/02/2012 - 19:27 by David Barrett Admin

Congratulations to our winning top three: George Bisharat from San Francisco, California for "Chromaticism," Steven Troch from Mechelen, Belgium for "Hanging Out with Peter," and Steve Molitor from St. Louis, Missouri for "Shim Sham Santa." All of these winners have been contacted and have confirmed that they will be able to make Mark Hummel’s Blues Harmonica Blowout Saturday, Jan 28th at the legendary Yoshi’s Nightclub in Oakland, California to compete for 1st Place! continue reading...

Tip of the Day: Beginner Tips #4

Posted Mon, 01/02/2012 - 10:07 by David Barrett Admin

Now that you have your hands, lips and tongue set into a relaxed position...

Place the harmonica a little deeper in your mouth, lower the middle and back of your tongue (the tip-top is on the harmonica, but the middle and back are able to move interdependently to lower for good tone), drop your jaw a bit, and finally open your throat.

A simple way to perform all of this is to use a slight yawn... it will place everything in the same position. continue reading...

Tip of the Day: Happy New Year! (From Me, Gary and our Amps!)

Posted Sun, 01/01/2012 - 09:06 by David Barrett Admin

Happy New Year to all of you!

Here's something fun for you to watch today if you have the time...

This is the footage of Gary Smith and I testing amp setups on the bandstand from an upcoming episode of the Bassman Chronicles. This is the part where we play each amp setup, each time making notes (strategically placed students in the audience, the band and us). The goal is to make note how each amp setup affects...

1) How well we can hear on the bandstand

2) The tone we get on the bandstand

3) How well it fills the house and what it sounds like to the audience continue reading...

What's New: Joe Filisko's 5 Types of Sound

Posted Sat, 12/31/2011 - 08:58 by David Barrett Admin

Joe Joe Filisko for his latest submission on the 5 Types of Sound on the diatonic harmonica

What's New: Submission #4 - Mics & The Bassman

Posted Sat, 12/31/2011 - 08:55 by David Barrett Admin

Enjoy the following videos where we try common professional blues harmonica bullet microphones through our 1959 Fender Bassman Reissue amplifier from 1990

Submission #4 - Mics & The Bassman: Introduction
Submission #4 - Mics & The Bassman: Shure CM and CR Elements
Submission #4 - Mics & The Bassman: Shure & Astatic Crystal and Ceramic Elements, Part 1
Submission #4 - Mics & The Bassman: Shure & Astatic Crystal and Ceramic Elements, Part 2
Submission #4 - Mics & The Bassman: Impedance Matching
Submission #4 - Mics & The Bassman: Kinder Anti-Feedback+ continue reading...

Tip of the Day: Beginner Tips #3

Posted Sat, 12/31/2011 - 08:34 by David Barrett Admin

When placing your tongue on the face of the harmonica for the tongue block embouchure, use the tip-top of the tongue (the top of the tongue just past the tip). Since your tongue is commonly blocking the holes to the left (except for hole 1, where your tongue is at the right), you do use a a slight amount of the right side of the tongue, but not much... it's still mostly the tip-top (if you feel like you're using only the side of the tongue you'll need to adjust this). continue reading...

Tip of the Day: Do you hear what we hear?

Posted Fri, 12/30/2011 - 10:35 by David Barrett Admin

Now that the King of Swing contest submission period is over and judging has begun, this gives you the great opportunity to test your listening skills. Go to http://www.bluesharmonica.com/king-of-swing and listen to the first entry... not looking at any of the comments. Listen once just to appreciate the song. Listen again and make note of what you hear from chorus to chorus (texture, range, rhythm, dynamics, execution, head, hook, soloing theme, etc.). You'll most likely need to listen to the song four to five times, but that's the point... focused listening takes time. continue reading...

Tip of the Day: Ultimat Blues Jam Tracks

Posted Thu, 12/29/2011 - 09:47 by David Barrett Admin

The majority of the jam tracks we use on BluesHarmonica.com are from the Ultimate Blues Jam Tracks by Pete Schmidt. You can purchase his entire series of 30 jam tracks at http://www.ultijamtracks.com/blues.html. These jam tracks and Jimi Lee's GrooveTrax http://www.harmonicamasterclass.com/groove_trax.htm are the best on the market for blues harmonica.

Tip of the Day: Beginner Tips #2

Posted Wed, 12/28/2011 - 10:17 by David Barrett Admin

Your lips are only used as a seal... around the comb and coverplates. Your lips should stay soft and relaxed... at no point should your lips tense (like when trying to bend).

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