blues harmonica

“If you do practice straight scales, practice them in a musical way. Change the dynamics, or even vary the phrasing or the time timing. Most important, listen to each note. A scale is a fantastic thing. It’s the basis of our musical language. Each note has a psychological value, a tendency to settle or lead to another note. Take the time to appreciate the effect of each sound. Notice how it feels in the context of the entire scale. You can discover endless possibilities by enjoying scales this way.” Pg 143, The Art of Practicing: A Guide to Making Music From the Heart by Madeline Bruser

In this insight Joe Filisko speaks of how to Relax and Breathe

“An exercise is simply a series of notes taken out of normal musical context, and usually sequenced and repeated. Many written exercises are lengthy and unmusical, and practicing them can easily become tedious.” Pg 17,
The Art of Practicing: A Guide to Making Music From the Heart by Madeline Bruser

This is why most of your study on the sight is focused study songs... one chorus equaling about two weeks worth of focused practice.

“I sometimes point out to a student that their frustration with a piece is an indication that they care deeply about it.” Pg 15, The Art of Practicing: A Guide to Making Music From the Heart by Madeline Bruser

Which embouchure is fastest... Pucker or Tongue Block? There's no difference... they both can play as fast as the other, BUT, Pucker can play faster articulations due to the back AND front of the tongue is free to articulate (in Tongue Blocking the tip is on the face of the harmonica)... think Ta Ka Ta Ka Ta Ka... etc. So, in the end, we all need to know how to do both to be a well-rounded harmonica player.

Philadelphia is home to one of the finest blues harp players in the world, much to the surprise of people not "inside" the blues scene. Over the past thiry-plus years, Steve Guyger with his band, The Excellos, has been dishing out some of the finest blues to be heard anywhere. Steve has toured with the late Jimmy Rogers, among others, and has played with many of the great Chicago bluesmen and contemporary players, yet he remains one of the best kept secrets in blues. continue reading...

Now play the same note you played from the last tip... starting as softly as you can... and I mean softly... making it slowly sound from nothing, raising in volume slowly... until it's very loud!

This is two levels of volume and is more desirable than one (which means NO dynamics)

Now do the same in reverse... loud to soft.

Now improvise, making every lick start at one volume and ending at the another. More tomorrow on this.

Join Joe Filisko for his latest insight on bending.

What can I say... the harmonica is portable. Throw it in your shirt pocket and away you go! continue reading...