learn to play harmonica online

“Why is targeted, mistake-focused practice so effective? Because the best way to build a good circuit is to fire it, attend to mistakes, then fire it again, over and over. Struggle is not optional, it’s neurologically required. Nerve firings grow myelin, myelin controls impulse speed and impulse speed is skill.” Pg 34, The Talent Code: Greatness Isn’t Born. It’s Grown. Here’s How. by Daniel Coyle Notes

“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...

“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

“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

I provide you with structured lessons on the harmonica... unprecedented in the history of blues harp education. This is your KNOWN element. If you follow the lesson plans I lay out for you, you WILL become a great player. In your journey there will be areas of bewilderment... and this is of course part of the process. You will not always know if you're doing something correctly, or if your time is best spent studying particular areas... but that's part of the process as well. For many, improvising and accompaniment playing is very daunting... it sure is... but again, it's part of the process. continue reading...

In this harmonica insight Joe Filisko discusses the importance of Tongue Blocking to the harmonica player.

Want to play a song that's not a 12 Bar Blues progression on the bandstand in a jam situation?... use your fingers! As you're playing, hold the mic and harp with one hand and with the other use one finger for the I Chord... two fingers for the ii Chord... etc. If you place your hand behind your back the audience will never know. You'll of course need to be familiar with the chord changes (ask your guitarist buddy for those) and will want to practice this before hitting the bandstand (it can be hard at first to make signals and play at the same time).