harmonica lessons

Your lips are only used as a seal... around the comb and coverplates. Your lips should stay soft and relaxed... at no point should your lips tense (like when trying to bend).

Focus... what YOU like... these are all subjects to get you thinking of what your focus will be for the new year. Even though this is what I do for a living, it's very difficult to set aside quality practice time. When I do get focused practice time (not just quick moments of jamming), it's VERY valuable to me and it's imperative that I have a focus so that I can grow as a player with the limited time I have. continue reading...

If you're traveling or having family visiting over the holidays it will be challenging to get practice in, but you can use the lulls between activities to think about your music. Use this time to take stock in what YOU like... the style of music... specifically on the harmonica... the sounds... the keys... the techniques... use this opportunity to tweak your studies in the direction YOU want to go in the new coming year.

Want more warmth, bass and punch for your amplified sound? The Lone Wolf Harp Attack fits the bill. A student just brought in their amp and mic and it was pretty ho-hum... but then he pulled out his new Harp Attack and with some turns of it's three knobs he was sounding like Rod Piazza! Unlike other pedals I've tried it's not that prone to feedback and it doesn't distort too much or in an unnatural way... just enough to give any amp a little more tone. continue reading...

The magic combination is to hear yourself well on the bandstand, be pleased with your tone and have the confidence that your sound is BIG in the house. If you can’t hear yourself well, you’ll play too hard, putting undue stress on your harmonicas (I’ve destroyed MANY harmonicas playing too loudly) and hinder your dynamic range. Achieving what you hear to be good tone on the bandstand inspires you to play at your best. The louder a single-source is (an amplifier not mic’d), the less likely you’ll hear the same sound on the bandstand that the audience is hearing in the house. continue reading...

The final two videos are now on the site for Joe Filisko's "18 Harmonica Insights." These two are on Holding the Harmonica and Hands. As you watch these videos you'll notice Joe has a different approach to holding for acoustic harmonica players. You can use the way I show you, or the way Joe shows you... whichever feels and sounds best to you.

18 Harmonica Insights Introduction
18 Harmonica Insights, #18 - Teaching
18 Harmonica Insights, #17 - Harmonica Care
18 Harmonica Insights, #16 - Great Players
18 Harmonica Insights, #15 - Repertoire
18 Harmonica Insights, #14 - Failing continue reading...

Join us as we change the tubes on our 1990 Fender Bassman Reissue Amplifier to make it come alive! Videos Include: 1990 Bassman Journey; Comparing Stock 1990 Bassman & Fully Modded 1990 Bassman; Bridging Channels 1 & 2; Tube Values; Changing Tubes on 1990 Bassman, Part 1; Changing Tubes on 1990 Bassman, Part 2; Before & After Tube Changes; Comparing 1990 Bassman with Tube Changes & Fully Modded 1990 Bassman

Adam Gussow just released his new CD today... it should fit nicely in the stocking! P.S., I'm editing his interview right now... it's damn good and will be up before the end of the month.

"Dear Blues Harmonica Player:

I’m pleased to announce the release of Southbound, my second solo album. Southbound isn’t just the album’s title: it’s the opening track—an Allman Brothers remake—and the story of this particular harp player’s life over the past decade. continue reading...

The 1959 Fender Bassman Amplifier has been the standard for gigging blues harmonica players since we've had to deal with loud bands in the 1960's. Priced around ~$10,000, the originals are now collectors items and are no longer practical options. The 1959 Fender Reissue Bassman (originally released in 1990), though not the most friendly amplifier to play stock, can be purchased for a very reasonable price in the used market (~$700) and with some tube changes it can sound fantastic. continue reading...