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What's New: Joe Filisko - 3 More Videos for Train Imitation

Posted Sat, 06/01/2013 - 10:52 by David Barrett Admin
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Joe Filisko has three more videos for you on the Train Imitation...

Train Imitation: Rhythm, Part 2 - Cruising Speed (A Harmonica)
Train Imitation: Train Example - Basic (A Harmonica)
Train Imitation: Train Example - Including Effects (A Harmonica)

David's Tip of the Day: Variation by Deletion

Posted Fri, 05/31/2013 - 07:52 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

Sometimes the best melodic variation tool is deletion. Instead of adding notes, or changing the presentation of the notes, try taking some notes out... I think you'll be surprised how cool the rhythmic affect is.

David's Tip of the Day: "From the V"

Posted Thu, 05/30/2013 - 08:32 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

It's common for us harp players to sit in and play with bands we've never played with before. After you've told them the key and the groove, try having them start on the V (five). This is the last four bars of the 12 Bar Blues Progression and works great as a four-bar intro to the song. Most importantly, it gives you a little bit of time to hear the groove they're laying down BEFORE you play. What the musicians play collective creates the pitch context of the song, which determines what YOU can play as a soloist (light, bluesy... or a combination). continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day: "From the V"

Posted Thu, 05/30/2013 - 08:32 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

It's common for us harp players to sit in and play with bands we've never played with before. After you've told them the key and the groove, try having them start on the V (five). This is the last four bars of the 12 Bar Blues Progression and works great as a four-bar intro to the song. Most importantly, it gives you a little bit of time to hear the groove they're laying down BEFORE you play. What the musicians play collective creates the pitch context of the song, which determines what YOU can play as a soloist (light, bluesy... or a combination). continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day: The Power of the Neon Pink Sticky Note

Posted Wed, 05/29/2013 - 08:27 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

If I come across a really cool lick and I want to ensure that it finds its way into my vocabulary, I write it on a sticky note and sit it in my harp case. In practice or performance every now and again my eyes are caught by that neon pink sticky and it reminds to use that lick as soon as I can fit it in. When I find myself placing that lick into my soloing without the visual cue of the sticky, then I crumple it up and throw it away... mission accomplished.

David's Tip of the Day: 7 Positions in One Scale - Part 9 (Summing Up)

Posted Tue, 05/28/2013 - 07:36 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

Any key of diatonic harmonica can play in any key or mode. Some keys and modes are very far from the key of the harmonica, making them impractical to play in. Seven of those modes can be played without any change to pitch (bending). We call the modes you can play in on the harmonica "Positions." You can extrapolate from this that for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc., positions that you use the same blow and draw notes, it's just the ordering that makes the difference. This is a correct statement. continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day: Blues Harmonica "Firsts"

Posted Mon, 05/27/2013 - 10:04 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

Pat Missin has (and has had for a LONG time) a great information website for harmonica players. Check out this page titled "Who was the first blues harp player to record? (Plus a few other blues harp "firsts")." http://www.patmissin.com/ffaq/q5.html

David's Tip of the Day: 7 Positions in One Scale - Part 8 (6th Position)

Posted Fri, 05/24/2013 - 07:32 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

Our next position starts on the 6th Scale Degree of the Major Scale and is called 4th Position... this is playing in the key A on the C Harmonica. The Mode created is called the Natural Minor Mode (also known as the Relative Minor of C).

The notes are as follows:
A B C D E F G A (same notes as the C Major Scale, just starting from A)

Intervals:
Whole | Half | Whole | Whole | Half | Whole | Whole

Scale Degrees (Relative to its equivalent Major Scale):
1 2 Flat-3 4 5 Flat-6 Flat-7 8

Full Scale:
1+ 1 2+ 2" 2 3"
3" 3 4+ 4 5+ 5 6+ 6
6 7 7+ 8 8+ 9 9+ 10
10 10'+ 10+ continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day: 7 Positions in One Scale - Part 7 (4th Position)

Posted Thu, 05/23/2013 - 08:15 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

Our next position starts on the 6th Scale Degree of the Major Scale and is called 4th Position... this is playing in the key A on the C Harmonica. The Mode created is called the Natural Minor Mode (also known as the Relative Minor of C).

The notes are as follows:
A B C D E F G A (same notes as the C Major Scale, just starting from A)

Intervals:
Whole | Half | Whole | Whole | Half | Whole | Whole

Scale Degrees (Relative to its equivalent Major Scale):
1 2 Flat-3 4 5 Flat-6 Flat-7 8

Full Scale:
1+ 1 2+ 2" 2 3"
3" 3 4+ 4 5+ 5 6+ 6
6 7 7+ 8 8+ 9 9+ 10
10 10'+ 10+ continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day: 7 Positions in One Scale - Part 6 (2nd Position)

Posted Wed, 05/22/2013 - 08:33 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

Our next position starts on the 5th Scale Degree of the Major Scale and is called 2nd Position... this is playing in the key G on the C Harmonica. The Mode created is called the Mixolydian Mode.

The notes are as follows:
G A B C D E F G (same notes as the C Major Scale, just starting from G)

Intervals:
Whole | Whole | Half | Whole | Whole | Half | Whole

Scale Degrees (Relative to its equivalent Major Scale):
1 2 3 4 5 6 Flat-7 8

Full Scale:
1+ 1 2+ 2" 2
2 3" 3 4+ 4 5+ 5 6+
6+ 6 7 7+ 8 8+ 9 9+
9+ 10 10'+ 10+ continue reading...