Level 9 - Levels of Achievement
Within this study plan you’ll learn how to use articulate bending in 3rd Position to play with a light and swinging feel; use blow bends in 1st Position; play the C Blues Scale; play to non-12 Bar Blues chord progressions; and improvising tools such as Soloing Blocks, Chord Tone Soloing and how to listen to a song and choose the correct soloing approach.
Watch the video at left for more details.
When you've completed the material below, submit it to me (David Barrett) for review and LOA recognition. After submitting your material, a confirmation page will provide you with a link to pay the $65 testing fee. Reminder... to receive LOA recognition the program is to be completed in order (starting from Level 1).
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Lesson Plan/Requirements
"Rollin’ Rhumba, Version 3" or “Blowin’ My Horn” 3rd Position Studies 3 & 4
Choose one of these lessons to study (listen to each song and choose the one that inspires you the most). Each of these lessons incorporate bending in 3rd Position to create a light and swinging feel.
"Blowin’ the Blues" or “The Stretch” 1st Position Studies 2 & 3
Again, choose one of these lessons to study (choose the one that inspires you the most). Each of these lessons incorporate high-end playing in 1st Position.
Movement Exercises – C Blues & Chromatic [Full Range]
The C Blues Scale is the reference scale for playing bluesy in 1st Position. The Chromatic Scale is a great scale to focus on to develop your bending skills across the entire range of the harmonica. There is no lesson that specifically shows this scale, but you've worked on all of these elements in past lessons. The notation for this scale is provided in the test material linked below.
Music Theory Study 6 – Beyond 12 Bar Blues
In this lesson you learn how to approach playing to non-12 Bar Blues chord changes.
Once you’ve completed this material it’s now time record and submit the written section to David for review.
Take Level 9 TestAdditional Helpful Material
Continue to develop your improvising and songwriting skills with Improvising Study 8 - Soloing Blocks & Chord Tone Soloing, Improvising Study 9 - Approaches and Improvising Study 10 - The Improviser’s Mind: The Big Picture these will all come in handy in preparation for LOA Level 10.
