General Discussion

I am trying to find a quality source for Blues Diatonic or Blues Chromatic midi files. I want them to be in the Chicago Blues/David Barrett genre.

I can locate songs that are not in the Crossharp style and I want to stay away from them. Does anybody know where I can find them on the web?

Thank you..

Will

Hi...Francis here. I'm a bit new to blues harmonica. I have been using SP20's. My predicament: When a note is sounding flat, when playing softly without bending, does that mean a reed has blown? I've had an A Harp for only 2 months and the 5 draw is flat (or maybe a bit sharp). I can't imagine its blown, but then again I'm new to all this. I have a D and a C that this has happened to also on the 4 draw, although they were a year older than the A. I took the face plates off and put a store receipt under the reeds and jiggled it around, just to make sure nothing was stuck under there. continue reading...

Hey everyone. Maybe you know Hal, maybe not, but he almost drowned recently. He is recovering but need some help with the medical bills (details on the page).

I find he makes a wonderful contribution to the harmonica community and the world as a whole, especially with youth.

I just want to share this with you. Any contribution can help. Thank you.

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/harmonica-hal-walker-emergency-medical...

I play with a blues rock band that, well, let's face it, is never going to turn down the volume. This makes it kind of hard to hear myself. I started putting an earplug in my harmonica case. When I can't hear myself, I just put a plug in one ear. It helps you hear the harmonica in your head space.

If you haven't seen this series of videos, check them out. Pretty interesting "history of the harmonica."

Mostly non-blues history (but some!), but still interesting.

There are four "chapters" on Youtube

The first one is here, and you'll see the others from there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDHtgcWMrU4 continue reading...

As soon as I can play a study song at 100% tempo, I want to record it and send it in for submission. However, I find that if I play it 3-4 times each day for a week before recording it and sending it in, I get more positive results. I think it gives more time to internalize it and work out rhythm nuances and dynamics. If I feel confident enough, I'll move on the the next lesson after I can play it at 100% tempo, but I'll wait about a week before submitting it. Try recording yourself right after you can play it at tempo, and then a week after practicing it at that. continue reading...

Here's an article in today's Toronto Star that I thought might interest some members. Seems to me I read somewhere that the glass harmonica was a predesessor to the harmonica as we know it.

http://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2013/04/10/rare_instrument_makes_a...

Harmonica H.

Continuing from my last post about sax imitation using the Db and Ab harmonicas, another quality that blues sax seems to have is that occasional sax growl (youtube it). We can do this on the harmonica too and get a similar sound. Check out the end of the video on the Gary Smith Artist Study: Minor Mambo Chorus 2. I've found that I automatically will do this now sometimes without realizing it, particularly on the 3' in 2nd position.

I never thought I would need these two keys of harmonicas, but I'm really starting to love them for jump blues stuff.

An Ab harp plays in Eb in the 2nd position which is the same tuning as an alto sax. It also plays in Bb in the 3rd position which is the same tuning as a tenor sax. A Db harp also plays in Eb if you play it in the 3rd position (alto sax). So, if you REALLY want that sax sound imitation, you should have these two less common harps in your arsenal.

So to sum up:
Ab harmonica in 2nd position= Eb= alto sax
Ab harmonica in 3rd position= Bb= tenor sax continue reading...

Here's a nifty trick I came up with independently (maybe others have realized this too.) continue reading...