Ask Instructor David Barrett

I completed level 7 of the LOA program in January of 2019. Some things came up, including COVID and  never got back to the LOA program. However I still am suscribing and enjoying learning new songs. After I completed one of the levels you suggested that perhaps I could take lessons on teaching the harmonica. If that is still the case, I think I may be interested.  Also, I have tried to get going again on the LOA program, but have struggled with the accompaniment and improvising lessons.  Any thoughts on jumpstarting the LOA program in those two areas again? Thanks

Hi David,

I am in the initial stages of Improvising Study 1 and I'm not quite sure how to dip just before playing a 2-hole combination. For instance, you develop the AAA chorus form from single notes to 2-hole combinations. If I use holes 4 & 5 as an example, which of the notes do I dip before playing the 2 holes? Is it just the 4 draw?

Thanks,

Mark.

Hello David,

I saw Ryan Walker perform Walkers Shuffle. Did he bring that in himself or is it a studysong? I have not been able to find it in the lessons or artist studies, but is sounded interesting. I guess he composed it himself.  The improvisation assignment!? Sorry, silly question!

Els Rensink

David, I feel pretty good about my progress with bending (working on Level 3) but I feel like my tremolo is suffering when I work on Feeling for the Blues. Chorus 1 still seems challenging although I've worked up to Chorus 5. A more general question is am I doing something wrong if I have good days and bad days. Sometimes it feels like I take 2 steps forward and 1 or 2 steps back. Is that just normal or is there a different approach or mindset I should have about practicing?

Hi David! I hope you are doing great!

I need some advice for improving my warble (thrills) technique.

My warbles aren't great but I'm studying the Blues Chromatic Study 3 Easy Baby and I'm really having trouble playing the 3rd chorus 5th bar lick involving thrills. I just can't navigate the melody using the technique. Do you have any suggestion to improve this? Thanks

Hi David,

I've been working on the music theory lessons and am currently watching the lesson 6 videos you did with John Garcia. I was wondering, given what he said with regard his quick changes preference verses the possible monotony of long changes, is it usual for musicians to put those in the 20 and 24 bar progressions? I'm even thinking of the possibility of mixing in some of the 12 bar variations there. Or would this cause too much confusion?

Thanks,

Graham

Another 'technical' question - when playing two holes at once, I am not sure if I should keep my tongue on harmonica, or I play them in a 'puckering' style of playing. I noticed that I sound better when I switch to pucker two holes. Is this correct way, or am I cheating? When dirtying hole 4 with hole 5, (3rd chorus 5th bar), I keep my tongue on harmonica, that comes natural. 

Reminding you that I actually U-block play, just I find that for now this is the only way I can 'tongue block'. continue reading...

I posted this question in General Discussion Forum for people who recently passed LoA3, and then realized that I could ask David directly in this section, and who better to give the answer to me than the creator of the course.   continue reading...

Hello David,

Plugging away on the final choruses of The Strut and can use some advise on breathing.

Meas1-4 is preceeded by 2 meas of inhale shakes, inhaling  continues thru beat 1 of meas 4.

The long inhales continue throughout the rest of the chorus.

As I am asking this question I am thinking that I need to read the information on breathing that you have supplied.

Thank you,

Hank H,

Hi David, 

I learned to play harmonica puckering and now i'm going the the LOA and learning how to tongue block! For Solo Harmonica study 2 Ex 1.4 C and D would you slap the 3+ but then slightly bend 3 blow with a pucker and keep puckering until you then slap the 4 blow in C and 6+ in D?

Maybe while i'm practicing it makes sense to slap them all but in the future if i was just playing and doing both tongue blocking and puckering would what i describe above be a good approach?

Andrew Pfeiffer