online harmonica lessons

Enjoy the following videos where we try common professional blues harmonica bullet microphones through our 1959 Fender Bassman Reissue amplifier from 1990

Submission #4 - Mics & The Bassman: Introduction
Submission #4 - Mics & The Bassman: Shure CM and CR Elements
Submission #4 - Mics & The Bassman: Shure & Astatic Crystal and Ceramic Elements, Part 1
Submission #4 - Mics & The Bassman: Shure & Astatic Crystal and Ceramic Elements, Part 2
Submission #4 - Mics & The Bassman: Impedance Matching
Submission #4 - Mics & The Bassman: Kinder Anti-Feedback+ continue reading...

The majority of the jam tracks we use on BluesHarmonica.com are from the Ultimate Blues Jam Tracks by Pete Schmidt. You can purchase his entire series of 30 jam tracks at http://www.ultijamtracks.com/blues.html. These jam tracks and Jimi Lee's GrooveTrax http://www.harmonicamasterclass.com/groove_trax.htm are the best on the market for blues harmonica.

Though holding the harmonica will surely become important within time... for techniques such as the Wa Wa, Hand Tremolo and playing through a Bullet Mic when it's time to have fun playing through an amplifier... focus more on your embouchure at first (lips, tongue, throat and jaw position), making sure your hands are not in the way of your mouth and are relaxed so that you don't introduce tension into your embouchure and body. So... relax your hands... use a loose hold (generally in the shape of the recommended hold) and focus on proper technique on the harmonica.

Our 1959 Fender Bassman Reissue from 1990 hits the stage in our latest installment of the Bassman Chronicles!

We all have areas of our body that are tense while playing. Tension leads to poor tone (when this tension is from the neck up), slower playing (tense muscles are slow muscles) and fatigue (upper back, neck and tongue). It should be a goal of yours to practice and perform as relaxed as possible (body and mind). Put a jam track CD on and play through the entire CD. You could also make a playlist of the songs you've learned so far and play through all of them in one sitting. After this long playing session make note of where you're getting fatigued... continue reading...

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...

Join Mark Hummel for his insights into Little Walter's sound...

One of the challenging bending combinations found in 2nd Position is in playing the notes of the V Chord (known as an arpeggio when you play them in order). As you've learned in Improvising Study 4, the more experienced a player is, the more notes of the chord they use on the V (bar 9 and the last half of bar 12).

For the C Harmonica in 2nd Position they're the notes D F# A. This is 1 2' 3" on the lower octave. continue reading...

Many of you will be using jam tracks for your backing for the King of Swing. Jimi Lee's GrooveTrax - Every Groove a Bluesman Needs To Know 2xCD Set is a good example of what can be used. This can be purchased in the US at: http://www.harmonicamasterclass.com/groove_trax.htm and outside of the US at http://jimileeband.com/

Today's tip comes courtesy of student Justin, who has a love for all things rock harmonica! Below is the bagpipe parts at 1:30 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuFd4MIa2eU).

Key: Bb

OPTION #1 - Bb Harmonica in 1st Position

Opening Bend = 3' 3 4+ (slur all notes)

Solo = 6+… 6 6+ 5 6+… 6 6+ 5 6+… 5 6+ 5 5+… / 5+ 5 6+… 6 6+ 5 6+… 6 6+ 5 6+… 5 6+ 5 5+… / Guitar, then 8'+ 8+ 10+, repeat this for a total of 4x / long held notes = 3' 3" 2, repeat for a total of 4x / Ending slides = 2 2" 2+ 1+

OPTION #2 - Eb Harmonica in 2nd Position

Opening Bend = 2" 2' 2 (slur all notes) continue reading...