blues harmonica

Ever play the harp into a glass, ceramic or tin cup... if not, give it a try, it sounds really cool. Bullet mics are 2.5" in diameter, so if you find a cup around that size it will feel comparable to what you're already used to holding. Experiment with different materials (glass, tin, ceramic, etc.) and depths, it does make a difference in the sound. Try hand effect like the Wa Wa, Hand Tremolo, etc. If you decide to use this on the bandstand, place the vocal mic on whichever side you open your hands for your hand techniques. continue reading...

In Joe's latest lesson he covers the importance of posture.

“Have your student keep a special type of practice log. Instead of recording how much practice they did, or what type of practice they did, simply have them record what breakthroughs they made each day. What can they now do that they couldn’t do when the practice session started?” Pg 62, The Practice Revolution: Getting Great Results from the Six Days Between Music Lessons by Philip Johnston

“Many people will study hard trying to understand all that information at once, not realizing that it probably wouldn’t make them play any better. Knowledge is not meant to be gathered all at once.” Pg 212, The Music Lesson: A Spiritual Search for Growth Through Music by Victor L. Wooten

On the record "Legacy" David Holt speaks with Doc Watson and asks about his and his father's harmonica playing. In the cut titled "Dad Was a Harmonica Player" (available at the iTunes store) Doc talks plays examples of both puckering and tongue blocking as well as plays position examples. Pretty cool stuff.

“It is easier to build upon this beauty than it is to pretend it is not there and try to create it from scratch.” Pg 54, The Music Lesson: A Spiritual Search for Growth Through Music by Victor L. Wooten

“The elements of Music are the individual parts that make up Music as a whole. Many musicians like yourself struggle because you are not familiar enough with all the elements. You rely on mostly one or two of them when you play. Doing that is a great recipe for frustration. A musician like me, who appropriately uses all the elements, will be one of the greats even though he may not be aware of the fact that he is using them. continue reading...

The more airtight your cup is, the more muted your sound is. The more muted your sound is, the darker your amplified tone is and the stronger the difference between your closed and open cup for the Wa Wa and hand tremolo effects. continue reading...