What's New!

This Repertoire Builder song "Perfect Shade of Blue" does not teach you any new techniques, but places into context what you've worked hard to learn in Bending and Tongue Blocking studies 4 (after LOA-L5). This song will continue to work these techniques, along with giving you a fun song to play that contains valuable lick vocabulary for your improvising down the road. This study is for upper-intermediate skill level players. You'll need a C Harmonica for this study. You can view this lesson here https://www.bluesharmonica.com/lessons/tongue_blocking_study_45_uptempo_...

In the latest Amp Reviews equipment video lessons, Gary Smith shares his favorite tube and speaker upgrades. We also speak of upgrading an amp's cabinet (I start the process of having a MojoTone cabinet made for the Laney Cub 10 and Gary Smith shows us his Fender Blues Jr cab that he just had made). You can see this lesson here https://www.bluesharmonica.com/amp_reviews

In Sharon's latest lesson she reviews: Solo Harmonica Study examples 1.7; playing the Major Scale from 4+ to 10+; Two-Note Combinations; and Shakes. In this lesson we cover: Solo Harmonica Study examples 1.12 through 1.14; Tongue Block Study 1; Choruses 3 and 4 of "Walk With Me;" and Articulation. You can see Sharon's lessons here https://www.bluesharmonica.com/contributor/sharon-barrett

In this segment of the New, Small Amp Trials, I show you how to upgrade a speaker in an amp. The Laney Cub 10 already sounds fantastic (#1 overall pick in the amp trials), but by changing the speaker (in this case to a new Weber Vintage Series AlNiCo speaker), we achieve a louder (by two decibels) and cleaner, full-bodied tone (reminder, more distortion equals more feedback, so a cleaner amp will be less prone to feedback). You can see this lesson, and hear a recording of this amp, here https://www.bluesharmonica.com/amp_reviews

This Repertoire Builder song "Passin’ Time" does not teach you any new techniques, but places into context what you've worked hard to learn in Bending and Tongue Blocking studies 3 (after LOA-L4). This song will continue to work these techniques, along with giving you a fun song to play that contains valuable lick vocabulary for your improvising. The groove of this song is based on Jimmy Reed's "Big Boss Man" and Tommy Tucker's "Hi-Heel Sneakers." There are some very cool speed licks that traverse the range of the harmonica in this very melodic song. continue reading...

My review of the Fender Princeton Reverb, Custom '68 (1x10" $899) is now up. You can see the review here https://www.bluesharmonica.com/amp_reviews

In Sharon's latest lesson she reviews: Solo Harmonica Study examples 1.2 and 1.4; playing single notes; and holding the harmonica. In this lesson we cover: the major scale; Solo Harmonica Study example 1.7; Tongue Block Study 1; exercises 1.2 through 1.4; hand and throat tremolo; dealing with excess saliva; embouchure choices for playing hole 1; and choruses 1 through 4 of tongue block study "Walk With Me." You can see Sharon's lessons here https://www.bluesharmonica.com/contributor/sharon-barrett

My review of the Fender Pro Jr IV amplifier ($499 with 1x10" speaker) is now up. You can see the review here https://www.bluesharmonica.com/amp_reviews

My review of the Marble Max amplifier ($1,050 with 1x10" speaker) is now up. You can see the review here https://www.bluesharmonica.com/amp_reviews

In Gary’s latest submission he puts the Fender Blues Jr, Fender Pro Jr, Fender Super Champ X2 and again, the Marble Max, to the test. You can find this lesson here http://www.bluesharmonica.com/contributor/gary_smith