Posted Thu, 02/06/2014 - 09:19 by David Barrett Admin
Here's my personal approach to playing the harmonica...
1) Tilt face of harmonica slightly downward (around 30 degrees)
2) Open mouth
3) Insert harmonica, bringing the harmonica to the tongue (not the tongue to the harmonica)
4) For a standard tongue block (single note at right, with lips over four holes and tongue blocking three holes to the left), the tongue moves just one click to the left (11 O'clock)
5) To tongue switch, move to the right to 1 O'clock
6) To play an octave, center the tongue and use a lighter touch continue reading...
Posted Wed, 02/05/2014 - 09:09 by David Barrett Admin
Your tongue blocks two holes in the center, leaving the left and right holes open when performing an octave (1+ C and 4+ C for example). You can either use the tip of your tongue to block those two holes or use the tip-top of the tongue (called the blade), by using an ultra-light touch so that the natural convex shape of the tongue doesn't flatten out and cover too many holes. Give this light touch a try and I'll discuss some other interesting advantages of this light touch technique tomorrow.
Posted Tue, 02/04/2014 - 10:13 by David Barrett Admin
Knowing that we use the top of the tongue for our tongue blocking, and we commonly cover four holes with our tongue (the pull articulation for example) and even at times five holes (5-hole octave pulls and pull-slaps), it makes sense to tilt the face if the harmonica (the hole side, what faces you) downward. This downward tilt (10 degrees to as much as 45 degrees) allows the harmonica to match the angle of your tongue, instead of raising the middle of your tongue and pushing it outward towards the harmonica. Experiment with your tongue blocking while using this tilt, you may like it.
Posted Thu, 01/30/2014 - 12:01 by David Barrett Admin
One of the many areas Kim Wilson excels at is in his use of dynamics. Take a listen to "Hunch Rhythm" from his Tiger Man release. The opening chorus is the AAA Chorus Form and then the 2nd Chorus is A B/A C and as he gets into the 3rd Chorus and onward he drops Chorus Form use and focuses heavily on dynamic and textural change. Listen carefully to this on a good sound system or headphones and notice how well he uses dynamics. After doing this, listen back to the track you recorded yesterday and see if you can add MORE dynamics... louder-louds and softer-softs.
Posted Wed, 01/29/2014 - 10:45 by David Barrett Admin
Yesterday's dynamic change works best with live musicians that can react to your dynamic change. Our next two tips (today and tomorrow) works with both a live band or jam track.
Now use chord change as your trigger to change volume.
Play the I Chord (first four bars) at a given volume. When you reach the IV Chord (Bars 5 and 6) play at a different volume (louder or softer). When the I Chord returns in Bar 7, once again change your volume. Change again for the V-IV-I lick (Bars 9 and 10) and then again for the Turnaround (Bars 11 and 12).
Posted Thu, 01/23/2014 - 09:04 by David Barrett Admin
These are the subjects Joe Filisko will be teaching at the 20th Anniversary Harmonica Masterclass Workshop. There's still limited space in Joe's classes if you would like to join us for this special one-time event.
Posted Wed, 01/22/2014 - 09:00 by David Barrett Admin
Tip of the Day comes from educator Winslow Yerxa in his upcoming interview on the site. In this video snippet he talks about blow bending and the small, frontal embouchure required for the technique. My tip (in the video as well) is to play a 6 draw bend on the D Harmonica... observe the movement of your tongue... and then perform an 8+ bend on the G Harmonica with the same movement (it's the same pitch/bend, so you can use this familiar movement of the tongue for your blow bend). http://youtu.be/f8FDXiwD_o4
Posted Mon, 01/20/2014 - 09:26 by David Barrett Admin
Actively trying to play behind the beat is another great way to fix rushing. As you play each note, make a point to delay its delivery ever so slightly to help pull your playing behind the beat. If your tendency is to rush, then now you're not rushing… you're playing on the beat. Playing behind the beat for those that don't have a tendency to rush is also a cool effect… it's a way to make your music sound relaxed, but still swinging.
Posted Fri, 01/17/2014 - 11:06 by David Barrett Admin
Most players have the tendency to rush (playing faster than the tempo and then commonly adjusting back into time where there is rest or long holds). Where is the most common cause of this?... pickups. Players tend to start their pickups slightly too early and play it too fast. So... in most cases... rushing can be fixed by giving attention to slowing down when your start your pickups and the rhythm of the pickup itself.