General Discussion

What was the first song you heard with harmomica on it that made you want to learn harp?

Mine was "Hey! Baby" by Bruce Channel the Delbert McClinton on harp. 

https://youtu.be/ZiYWL3FURmc?si=oh63pKX1ZVw__SJe

Hello Everyone,

I am enquiring regarding the importance of piano training for harmonica players.

I saw on a couple of music podcasts 2/2 drum players saying that piano training is extremely important in how they interpret, analyze and relate to music, both having about 12 years of piano training besides drums.

Is this the same case for harmonica players?

In the section Improvizing study one on LOA 5 - a new key is introduced. It says I will need b flat harmoniica. 

Looked at Amazon to buy one. 

I assume that we need Major Key of B Flat, not Natural Minor Key of B Flat? 

Am I correct?

Thanks

Hi All,

I want to play along to a track which I have on the laptop but I would prefer to have a version without the harmonica part on it so that I can use it as a jam track. Has anyone had any success in removing the harp part of a tune and if so, how have you done it?

Thanks,

Mark.

Finally watched "Sinners." (Checked DVD out of our local public library.)

What an amazing movie! I'd love to hear what those of you who have seen it thought about it. A lot to digest. I've read essays about it, talking about all of the alegorical stuff going on. E.g., was Sammie Moore's name taken from Sam Moore of Sam & Dave? (After all, Sam Moore was also the son of a preacher, and lived to be 90, passing away just this past January.)

Was the movie soley about racism and Jim Crow? Or also about vampires? Or about the blues? continue reading...

The rythm guitarist in my band recently quit. We used to play BB King's 'The Thrill is Gone' as part of our setlist, which has some iconic guitar solos which our lead guitarist (still in the band) loves to play. Without the rhythm guitar backing, the overall sound during the guitar solos has become a bit thin. I'm trying to step in with the harmonica to fill the gap that is left by the absence of the rythm guitarist, but I'm not sure what to play. The 'solo harmonica' lessons have several chord grooves, but they are all in major and don't work for The Thrill is Gone (which is in Bm). continue reading...

Found through our public library system Jerry Portnoy's new (2025) book, Dancing With Muddy: Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, and My Lucky Life In and Out of the Blues. continue reading...

I thought I was doing so well. Then I started recording myself. Ouch!

The UK's Neil Warren recently interviewed Shane Sager on his "Harmonica Happy Hour Podcast." (If you're not listentening to Neil's great interviews, you're really missing out.) Shane talked about his new book, Beyond Breath: The Journey of a Harmonica Player (Manuscripts Press 2025). I bought a copy, and just finished it today. continue reading...

All eyes turned to the young man in the back of the room, who had raised his hand to ask, “How did you get that note?”

The man onstage with the thousand-watt smile and the shock of blond hair had an old gramophone horn perched on his shoulder, with its slender base curved to where he cupped it in his hands around an unusual looking harmonica. continue reading...