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David's Tip of the Day: Filisko Tongue Block Trainer

Posted Thu, 01/31/2013 - 09:10 by David Barrett Admin
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In my newest lesson "Tongue Block Study 2.5 - Exercises" I use the new Tongue Block Trainer (TBT) by Joe Filisko. As you see in the video lessons where I demonstrate its use, it's a fantastic learning tool. You can get your own at http://www.filiskostore.com/page/480389598

What's New: Tongue Blocking Exercises (Tongue Block Study 2.5)

Posted Wed, 01/30/2013 - 22:57 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

Join me for a lesson where I present all of the common tongue block techniques in one place. Though these techniques are presented in a logical order in your Tongue Block Study Songs, this offers you the opportunity to reinforce your technique with further explanations, demonstrations and a progressive music example and accompanying MP3. I also use the new Filisko Tongue Block Trainer to help students see what the tongue is doing to produce these techniques.

David's Tip of the Day: Setting up your Amp for the Stage - Part 5

Posted Wed, 01/30/2013 - 09:25 by David Barrett Admin
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#1 - Setup your amp off the floor
#2 - Get away from your amp
#3 - Turn your mic to 10 if you have a volume control
#4 - Turn your amp up to feedback, then dial it down just below feedback

Simply put, set the amp as loud as it can go and then play at ~40% of your capable volume as your "normal" volume. You can go lower for soft passages and louder for more intense passages, all leading towards to hugely-important, though commonly-lacking element on the bandstand... DYNAMICS. Listen to Kim Wilson and I discuss this in his interview. continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day: Setting up your Amp for the Stage - Part 4

Posted Tue, 01/29/2013 - 09:34 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

#1 - Setup your amp off the floor
#2 - Get away from your amp
#3 - Turn your mic to 10 if you have a volume control
#4 - Turn your amp up to feedback, then dial it down just below feedback

Simply put, set the amp as loud as it can go and then play at ~40% of your capable volume as your "normal" volume. You can go lower for soft passages and louder for more intense passages, all leading towards to hugely-important, though commonly-lacking element on the bandstand... DYNAMICS. Listen to Kim Wilson and I discuss this in his interview. continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day: Setting up your Amp for the Stage - Part 3

Posted Mon, 01/28/2013 - 10:58 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

#1 - Setup your amp off the floor
#2 - Get away from your amp
#3 - Turn your mic to 10 if you have a volume control continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day: Setting up your Amp for the Stage - Part 2

Posted Fri, 01/25/2013 - 12:37 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

#1 - Setup your amp off the floor
#2 - Get away from your amp

Now that you have your amp off the floor, get away from your amp. Imagine you're holding a hose with a nozzle on the end that give you the option to have a powerful stream or spray. If you set it to spray, but are only 1 foot away from the nozzle, you'll only wet a small area. If you step 6 feet away, you'll cover the entire object you're spraying with water. continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day: Amp Tremolo with Harmonica

Posted Thu, 01/24/2013 - 09:55 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

Students walk in with amps that have tremolo and they ask, "what's that do?" and I commonly say, "we don't use it" and move on to the tone controls. It IS used sometimes. Listen to Little Walter's 1960 release "Going Down Slow" where uses amp tremolo (the copy I have is from the "Blues With A Feelin'" release).

To loosely define amp tremolo... it's an effect that takes what you play and quickly fluctuates it in volume... similar to how we do it in the throat, where our vocal chords open and close in a rhythmic fashion to create what we call a throat tremolo. continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day: Setting up your Amp for the Stage - Part 1

Posted Wed, 01/23/2013 - 10:38 by David Barrett Admin
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#1 - Setup your amp off the floor

There are two purposes for having your amp with you in performance...
1) To achieve the tone you want
2) To hear yourself on the bandstand (musician's amps are known as the "backline") continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day: George Harmonica Smith in Session

Posted Tue, 01/22/2013 - 09:02 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

Check out this great footage of George "Harmonica" Smith in session at what looks like a recording session for film. Thanks Dan for this link!

"Hollywood Blues" - 1969 Hollywood Recording Session - Wrecking Crew?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2aiPSZ-AM8

He's playing in the Key of F (B-flat Harmonica in 2nd Position)

What's New: Kim Wilson Interview, Part 2 - Now Up!

Posted Fri, 01/18/2013 - 10:24 by David Barrett Admin
David Barrett Admin's picture

The second part of my interview (of three total) with Kim Wilson is now up. New videos include: Kim’s Approach to Tongue Blocking; Kim’s Approach to 3rd Position Playing & Dynamics; Kim’s Approach to 1st Position Playing; Kim on Position Playing over Chord Changes; Kim’s Approach to Playing the Chromatic and Discussion on Monitors and Kim’s Approach to Playing in Minor and Changing Position in a Song