Ask Instructor David Barrett

Hello, David, hope all is well. Mpman24 asked a question in another thread and you answered:

"2) Correct... only full speed. Slower versions are not necessary... you'll want to be able to play the song at full speed with me before attempting to play to a backing track. You can use a program like the Amazing Slow Downer to do this if you wish (there is a lesson in the Equipment > Software section of the site on this)." continue reading...

Hello David,

This question pribably has it's answer on the higher levels but I am still at the beginner stage so I decided to ask for guidance.

I am curently listening to a piece performed by you called "easy" by big walter horton and i can hear clearly the blow notes which are obviously articulated but not all of them with slaps. Is it by "k" or smth else?

The bigger question I would like to ask is: what other ways are there to articulate single blow notes, besides slaps and "ha"?

Thanks in advance!

Angel

Hello David and all,

From the Music Theory Study 2, I understood that the difference between 1st and snd positions is that 1st position has F and 2nd position has F#. If we have the song that does not use F or F#, does it mean that we can say that we are plying in the first or second position and it would not matter as the final melody will be the same? Thank you.

Anton

Hello David,

In Excercise 3.1 for F# harp, my mode is C#, D#, F, F#,G# but in the solutions is C#, D#, E#, F#, G#. Is E# possible?

In Exercise 6.1, the song description says that it is in Eb Alto, but when I look in the solutions, the notes for the degrees that you list are for the key of F. Could you please clarify how does Eb relates to the F scale because to me, the first notes are 6th degree but in the solutions, it is 5th degree... that is how I assumed it is key of F. Thank you.

Best regards,

Anton continue reading...

Hello David,I have 2 questions:Is there a method to easily determine the key and notes of a song? For example: a video on youtube by a harmonica player who plays a nice solo, but of which there are no notes/tabs/key available. continue reading...

Hi  I have a G and a C harp- where do you suggest I start in the lessons? Thanks Patti

I've been watching the Hob Bosold study videos which seems to be very helpful for me. But I would like to know how long the time is between lessons to give me a reference for my own progress. Was each lesson every week or every month?  Thank you.

Did Forest City Joe use side to side tongue flutter?

I've been practicing for about 3 weeks with a new Hohner Special 20 in A, and draw 2 and 3 are now hard to draw. 2 draw has no sound and 3 draw sounds extremely flat already. They used to work fine. I'm not drooling in the harmonica when I practice and I'm definately not playing hard and loud. I've even tried the pucker technique and can't get them to sound. I viewed the harp tech lessons on this site and took it apart...there's no debris in the reeds that I can see and they all look normal. They are centered over the comb openings and play when I flick them. continue reading...

Are you still selling the harmonica case that mounts to a mic stand?