Skip to main content
Blues Harmonica logo

User Account

Username:*
Password:*
Forgot Your Password?

Visitor Menu

  • Sign Up
  • Sample Lesson #1
  • Sample Lesson #2
  • Student Recordings
  • Forums

Posts

8 Bar Blues - Key to the Highway, Part 2 (Little Walter)

Posted Thu, 03/27/2014 - 08:19 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

What you find in "Key to the Highway" are our standard I, IV and V Chords, but in a different order. Here's the chord progressions:

I V IV IV

I V I V

The first line of four bars has the I Chord (one chord) for one bar, then a bar of the V Chord and then two bars of the IV Chord.

The second line has the I Chord for one bar, then the V Chord for one bar and the last two bars are our standard turnaround (the same as found in the last two bars of our 12 Bar Blues Progression).

Now try playing the root notes with your C Harmonica in 2nd Position, Key of G..

2 1 1+ 1+

2 1 2 1 continue reading...

  • little walter
  • ,
  • 8 bar blues
  • ,
  • progression
  • ,
  • form

David's Tip of the Day: 8 Bar Blues - Key to the Highway (Little Walter)

Posted Wed, 03/26/2014 - 08:43 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

You probably already know that 12 Bar Blues is the most common form in blues. What's the second most common?... 8 Bar Blues. Listen to Little Walter's version of "Key to the Highway." Knowing that 2 Draw is the root note of the I Chord (one chord), 1+ is the root note of the IV Chord and 1 Draw is root note of the V Chord, see if you can figure out the chord progression. You'll need your C Harmonica for this (the song is in the key of G).

Hint, the first four bars is a standard V-IV-I-Turnaround, then it goes into an 8 Bar Progression.

  • blues
  • ,
  • progression
  • ,
  • form
  • ,
  • 8 bar blues
  • ,
  • 12 bar blues
  • ,
  • chord
  • ,
  • little walter

David's Tip of the Day: Non-12 Bar for Vocals = Option of 12 Bar for Solo

Posted Tue, 03/25/2014 - 09:04 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

Though the 12 Bat Blues Progression is the most common chord progression we play over, other chord progressions do exist. Some have very simple changes that can be "felt" and little to no study is needed. Some progressions introduce new chords and have unintuitive form lengths and require many hours of work in the practice room before ideas begin to flow.

Something always to keep in mind is that the chord progression for the vocals doesn't have to be the chord progression for the solos. In fact, it's a pretty common thing to do, historically speaking. continue reading...

  • blues
  • ,
  • chord
  • ,
  • progression
  • ,
  • form
  • ,
  • soloing

David's Tip of the Day: Jaw Movement for Speed

Posted Mon, 03/24/2014 - 08:59 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

A student came in last week asking about jaw movement after watching this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0fusOgxp_8. Here's what I told him...

"I tend not to focus on jaw movement anymore with students as a technique to study. In my experience, some techniques tend to show up in one's playing over time without having to focus on it, and this is one of them. To answer your question... when moving a hole to the right and coming back, you can use your jaw to make the quick motion away and back. The same applies for moving from one hole to the left and back. continue reading...

  • jaw
  • ,
  • technique
  • ,
  • harmonica
  • ,
  • harp
  • ,
  • speed
  • ,
  • playing

David's Tip of the Day: Practice Quotes by Gerald Klickstein - Self-Recording, Part 2

Posted Fri, 03/21/2014 - 07:41 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

“Keen self-listening is central to musical excellence. Without it, performers heedlessly sing off pitch, play out of rhythm, or otherwise mangle their music. They sound good to no one but themselves. With high-quality recording devices, however, accurate self-assessment comes within the reach of all musicians.” Pg 16

  • practice
  • ,
  • harp
  • ,
  • harmonica
  • ,
  • tips
  • ,
  • blues

David's Tip of the Day: Practice Quotes by Gerald Klickstein - Self-Recording, Part 1

Posted Thu, 03/20/2014 - 08:02 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

“There is nothing more fatal for our musical sense than to allow ourselves—by the hour—to hear musical sounds without really listening to them.” Tobias Matthay, Pg 16

  • harp
  • ,
  • help
  • ,
  • tips
  • ,
  • harmonica
  • ,
  • practice

Practice Quotes by Gerald Klickstein - Capacity

Posted Wed, 03/19/2014 - 08:20 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

“Your creative capacity is determined by your musical and technical abilities, along with your available practice time. Your capacity will increase as your strength and skills grow. However, for you to make progress with basics such as on-stage confidence and ease of execution, your repertoire choices must be within your capacity. Musicians who pick unobtainable pieces foster destructive habits, such as anxiety and tension, and they miss out on learning how to present secure, poetic performances.” Pg 14

  • habbits
  • ,
  • blues
  • ,
  • tools
  • ,
  • harmonica
  • ,
  • practice

David's Tip of the Day: Practice Quotes by Gerald Klickstein - Take Breaks

Posted Tue, 03/18/2014 - 07:50 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

“As a general rule, rest 10 minutes of each hour that you spend in the practice room. Rest more if you’re working vigorously or adopting new techniques. A sensible practice-to-rest ratio, widely recommended by teachers and medical authorities, is to practice no more than 25-30 minutes before pausing for a 5-minute respite. Many musicians opt for more frequent breathers and rest 2-3 minutes every 15 minutes or so.” Pg 12

  • practice
  • ,
  • tips
  • ,
  • harmonica
  • ,
  • breaks

David's Tip of the Day: Practice Quotes by Gerald Klickstein - Artful Practice

Posted Mon, 03/17/2014 - 09:07 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

This week I'll share with you my favorite passages from Gerald Klickstein's book, "The Musician’s Way: A Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness" Oxford University Press, www.oup.com ISBN 978-0-19-534313-7

Artful Practice continue reading...

  • practice
  • ,
  • harmonica
  • ,
  • harp
  • ,
  • quotes
  • ,
  • tips

David's Tip of the Day: Playing above Hole 6 - Lick Harvesting (Rod Piazza)

Posted Thu, 03/13/2014 - 08:51 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

"The Bounce" has a great head with the octave substitution technique we spoke of before on the IV Chord. This song can be found on the release The Best Of Rod Piazza 1968-2003 [Disc 1], though the Alphabet Blues release is in better tune (The Best Of Rod Piazza is a little bit flat). He's playing an A Harmonica in this instrumental.

  • high end
  • ,
  • rod piazza
  • ,
  • harp
  • ,
  • harmonica
  • ,
  • Instrumental
  • ,
  • soloing
  • ,
  • improvising
  • ,
  • songwriting
  • « first
  • ‹ previous
  • …
  • 61
  • 62
  • 63
  • 64
  • 65
  • 66
  • 67
  • 68
  • 69
  • …
  • next ›
  • last »

Sign me up!

Full access to all lessons starts at $20/month! (with annual subscription)

Subscribe

Free Sample Lessons

After watching the BluesHarmonica.com overview video, try one of the lessons below to experience a lesson at BluesHarmonica.com.

  • Tongue Blocking Study 2 – This study is for the newer player or the player new to tongue blocking
  • Bending Study 5 – This is for the advanced player looking to improve their bending skills

Contributors

  • Aki Kumar
  • Joe Tartaglia
  • Gary Smith
  • Mark Hummel
  • Joe Filisko

Site Links

  • About David Barrett
  • Accredited Instructors
  • Links
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact Us
Hohner
© 2009 - 2025 David Barrett and the Harmonica Masterclass Co. for Bluesharmonica.comSyndicate content