Order of study - Order of using the site.
Thu, 05/30/2024 - 04:06
Hi, first time posting. new to this site too.
I can assume this may have asked before, but sorry for my lazyiness, a quick skim wasn't good enough to find it.
In which order should I study? Levels of achievement? or the Lessons?
When do I use Practice-Study1-5?
Thanks guys. I really want to get into harminica before it's too late, getting too old now. XD
Thu, 05/30/2024 - 14:51
#2
Too old never
You are never too old. I started at 75. Have fun and enjoy the journey.
Hi Idyoungjin. And welcome to the site. Hope you find it a great experience!
First off, be sure to watch the "Watch Me First" video on the home page. An introduction on how to use this site.
Next, provided you have a C diatonic harp, check out the Level 1 lesson, "C Harmonica Intro Lesson."
Once you've gone through that stuff, how you use the site may depend on a lot of your prior musical experience. E.g., have you played other musical instruments, taken instrumental or voice lessons, studied music theory, etc., in the past? If so your experience may lead you in different directions. On the other hand, if this is your first experience with playing music, it's hard to beat David's Levels of Achievement system. David's an expert on teaching and learning methods, and a lot of thought has gone into the LOA system. If, like me, you need some structure to keep your mind from wandering off course, the LOA system is perfect.
As for the Practice Studies, they're all great. Maybe go through Study 1 and see what you think.
Some new learners here get a bit confused about harp keys, often becuase they've started with only one, in C, and quickly find that the initial lessons in the LOA series are designed for using an A. David's lessons do a good job of explaining why the standard diatonic harp comes in 12 different keys (and why only some of those keys are used for 99% of great blues songs). If you're just starting out, you can build a set one level of lessons at a time. You'll also learn about chromatic harmonica and harmonicas in non-standard tunings. (Tho' the keys used for the lessons are all standard diatonic tuning.) The interviews of great players will bring all of this stuff out (and are also really inspiring).
And while the internet is full of chat sites and forums about things like quilting, collecting old typewriters, studying lizards, etc., that are more active than the Forum threads here, don't be bashful about posting stuff here. Specific questions to David, Winslow Yerxa, and other expert commentators in their own individual "Ask ..." threads are perfect for that, but also general quesitons to everyone in the other threads can lead to a lot of interesting discussion, and great ideas.
Enjoy!