What's New!

In this lesson Ryan plays his original Solo Harmonica Study 2 compositions. Ryan also starts his studies on improvising.

For those of you that are SPAH members (spah.org), the voting period for SPAH president is winding down. The deadline is 7/1. This is the first contested election in SPAH's 50 year history. Your voice counts. Regardless of who you vote for, please cast a ballot. If you're sending your ballot by postal service, please allow enough time to for it to arrive by the deadline.

Procedure for E-mail Ballots
Put your first name, last name, address and telephone number, along with your vote (“Bob Cohen”, "Winslow Yerxa" or “Other [fill in name]”) in an email to spahvote@yahoo.com. continue reading...

In Mark Hummel's latest submission he talks about why he uses positions on the harmonica and what the reasons are behind choosing those positions.

Join me for the Basics of Music Theory for the Blues Harmonica Player. In this lesson you'll learn: how pitch is produced on the harmonica; music notation; sharps; flats; naturals; half steps; whole steps; key signatures; the construction of the major scale; how the harmonica received its note layout/tuning; how to move melodies up or down the harmonica's range; and how to take any sheet music, written for any instrument, and figure out how to play it on the harmonica. continue reading...

In our fifth study harp tech expert Kinya Pollard (aka The HarpSmith) walks you through how to change reeds on the harmonica. This lesson video is for all skill level players. continue reading...

I'll be teaching and performing again this year at SPAH. I hope to see you all there! http://spah.org/content.asp?pl=20&contentid=20

In this submission Gary Smith and I dig into the Rhumba... speaking of accompaniment, improvising and the approach to writing an instrumental in a Rhumba.

Join intermediate student Ryan Walker in his latest lesson. Videos include: CHECKING IN - Between Lessons #5 and #6; Lesson 6 - Intro; Lesson 6 - The Strut, Ryan Plays Entire Song; Lesson 6 - The Strut, Comments; Lesson 6 - How to Play The Strut with a Band; Lesson 6 - Solo Harmonica Study 2, Example 1.7; Lesson 6 - Solo Harmonica Study 2, Examples 1.8 and 1.9; Lesson 6 - Solo Harmonica Study 2, Examples 2.1 through 2.4; Lesson 6 - Solo Harmonica Study 2, Example 2.5 and Homework Assignment

Join me for a study of one of our four great post war Chicago Blues fathers, George "Harmonica" Smith. It's generally accepted that George was the greatest Blues chromatic harmonica player of his time, and that's what our focus is for this lesson. The majority of the licks used in the study song "Swingin' with George" comes from George Smith, providing you with great vocabulary for you to study and draw upon for your own improvising. You may record yourself playing to the provided jam track and submit it to me for review if you wish. This study is for advanced skill level players. continue reading...

Salgado’s been perfecting his craft since he first began playing professionally in the late 1960s. He fronted his own group (The Nighthawks), inspired John Belushi to create The Blues Brothers, was co-star of The Robert Cray Band and sang and toured with Roomful Of Blues. He released his first of eight solo albums in 1991, hitting the road hard year after year. Salgado and his band toured with The Steve Miller Band and Curtis spent a summer singing with Santana before being sidelined by serious health issues in 2006. continue reading...