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What's New for Today: Equipment Lesson - HarpNinja

Posted Sun, 12/29/2013 - 20:36 by David Barrett Admin
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HarpNinja is an invaluable program for those working on their bending skills. Join me for a quick screen-cast lesson on this software. For more information and to purchase this program visit: http://harpninja.com/wp/ This is lesson is for all skill level players. No harmonica is needed for this lesson.

David's Tip of the Day: Intermediate Student Ryan Walker - Lesson 23

Posted Fri, 12/27/2013 - 22:48 by David Barrett Admin
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In this lesson Ryan continues his work on Improvising (V-IV-I licks), Accompaniment (Hole Changes), Solo Harmonica playing (Charleston rhythm) and the slow blues study song with breaks, "Blues Creapin' Over Me."

Lesson 23 - Intro & Accompaniment Study 3: Harmonica and Chord Review
Lesson 23 - Accompaniment Study 3: Hole Changes Review
Lesson 23 - Accompaniment Study 3: Blues Creapin’ Over Me
Lesson 23 - Solo Harmonica Study 3: Ex. 1.4
Lesson 23 - Accompaniment Study 3: Ex. 1-8

David's Tip of the Day: Band Training, Part 3 - Handing off Solos

Posted Fri, 12/27/2013 - 08:25 by David Barrett Admin
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One of the most common errors on the bandstand is poor signaling from soloist to soloist. It's not uncommon to see a musician finish their solo and go back to rhythm work without making any movement that would signal they were done. This commonly leads to a chorus of what sounds like a twelve bar blues jam track (no solos or vocals). At the very least, the next musician's solo starts a couple bars late (that sucks by the way, starting your solo without a proper pickup).

So, to avoid this, think about follow these steps... continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day: Band Training, Part 2 - Counting the Song In

Posted Thu, 12/26/2013 - 09:12 by David Barrett Admin
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"Man, we played that song really fast!" And they're surprised to hear me say, "That's the tempo you asked for." Here are the steps to being successful in counting in your band at the tempo you want.

1) Hum a couple of bars in your head - Pick a part of the song that really gives you a sense of the rhythm (this may not be the opening of the song).

2) Tap your foot (or bob your head... something of your body should move)

3) Count 1 (then skip one beat) 2 (then skip one beat) - this is the "pre-count" and is there to get the band ready to play continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day: Band Training, Part 1 - Don't Map Solo Order and Lengths

Posted Mon, 12/23/2013 - 09:05 by David Barrett Admin
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Some of you know that I own School of the Blues in San Jose, CA and that we create house bands constructed from the student body (two new bands each year-long rotation). Within this training program they learn from me, the other instructors and through their experience working as a band in a jam session. Today starts a series of tips for you based on common challenges that these new house band deal with.

Band Training, Part 1 - Don't Map Solo Order and Lengths continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day: Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee - BBC in Concert

Posted Fri, 12/20/2013 - 08:46 by David Barrett Admin
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http://youtu.be/Vijs5OOqELY At 7:15 he plays his famous "Hootin' the Blues"

David's Tip of the Day: Transcribing with HarpNinja

Posted Thu, 12/19/2013 - 08:23 by David Barrett Admin
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Open HarpNinja, click on D for Diatonic, play the YouTube video of Buddy Greene's speed playing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0fusOgxp_8 and watch what HarpNinja reads at 3:45. This is a pretty cool way to use this software to learn riffs (this doesn't work well when there's backing music, so solo YouTube clips are great).

David's Tip of the Day: Vocal Fill Challenges

Posted Wed, 12/18/2013 - 09:34 by David Barrett Admin
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The most basic way of playing with a vocalist is to play when they're not singing, called playing "fills." This naming comes from the idea that you're "filling" the holes left by the vocals.

The first challenge is to know when to start playing (this tends to be fairly intuitive) and when to stop playing (which is a little less intuitive... it's easy to play too long and step on the next line of the vocals).

There's a simple answer... sing the vocals. continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day: Bending & Harmonica Visualization Software (HarpNinja)

Posted Tue, 12/17/2013 - 09:24 by David Barrett Admin
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Last year fellow student Hank Stefaniak reviewed the new harmonica pitch reference software HarpNinja for everyone (thanks Hank!). I've been using this with students at my School of the Blues for a while to test its effectiveness and have been working with the developer on suggested improvements (he's been great about implementing my suggestions). continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day: Where to find Harp Fills

Posted Mon, 12/16/2013 - 09:54 by David Barrett Admin
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When students work on their improvising skills, they find it challenging to come up with cool fills for their Af Af At and Af Af B Chorus Forms. The easiest place to find lots of fills is in songs where there's harmonica playing fills between vocals. The study song "I Want You With Me" in Accompaniment Study 4 is a good example.