Ask Instructor David Barrett

Hi David, 

I saw in one of the interviews someone (I forget who now) said that both tongue blocking and puckering were important skills to learn. That made a lot of sense to me (articulation and speed for puckering) and you seemed to like that idea (even though you focus on tongue blocking in your course). The tongue blocking is coming pretty easily for me and I totally understand why you focus on that technique as being the foundation for new learners. My tongue blocking technique is now much better than my puckering.  continue reading...

Big thanks!

your fine lesson

Blues Chromatic Study

has surprisingly ressurected a proud  harp of mine that I had eventually bought and never been able to use, a fine harp that was just rusting away forgotten in a box..

It is a great seydel pro 12 C in solo tuning (I am not endorsing that company, am just a happy customer).

After listening to Stevie Wonder, I have tried some chromatic harps but have  been scared off by their complicated set-up and their poor efficiency continue reading...

Hi David, 

First question is what is your current testing fee and is it one fee per level, per submission - how specifically does the fee work?

If I send you in a recording without doing the LOA, do you still give feedback?

Is the feedback different when doing LOA? continue reading...

Hi, Dave.  I'm on LOA 3.  I have started Accompaniment Playing Study 3, and am having a real hard time with what might be called music theory, but involves root notes, chords, positions and things like that.  When you lecture I can follow you but I cannot follow through on, or build on, what I have learned.  So, here is my question: is there a source I can use to learn about music theory, or the basics, which I can apply to my harmonica studies? Thanks, David.

Hi, Dave.  I'm on LOA 3.  I have started Accompaniment Playing Study 3, and am having a real hard time with what might be called music theory, but involves root notes, chords, positions and things like that.  When you lecture I can follow you but I cannot follow through on, or build on, what I have learned.  So, here is my question: is there a source I can use to learn about music theory, or the basics, which I can apply to my harmonica studies? Thanks, David.

I already am a great sight-reader in the treble clef (classical violin). I've been working on my ear training and harmony with other instruments (harmonica just added to that list). Having music in the key of C and playing and HEARING another key than what I already know that I'm seeing is so very confusing. 

If I could hear the C harmonica AND learn on the C harmonica while reading the proper notes and then transfer that muscle training to harmonicas in other keys while no longer looking at the music, it would be much less confusing to my eyes and ears.  continue reading...

Hey David, 

I've done the first three Music Theory lessons and I've memorized the pitch names of each hole with blows, draws and bends for the C harmonica. But I'm starting to think that the truly complete way to get the music theory of blues properly infused with the physical layout of the harmonica would be to commit to memory the different scale degrees that each blow, draw and bend is capable of producing. That way you'd have the same information for each key of harp since the transposing would be the same. continue reading...

I really enjoyed the private lesson with you in san Jose. You set me straight on a number of problems I was having and gave me some great advise on accompanyment playing. I have been advancing well since then.

I found a few of your transcriptions in Newsletters. Is there some way to find more? For example Big Walter's 'Walter's Boogie'. Also do you take commissions to transcribe harmonica songs?

Richard E Hamilton

Dave, I'm having trouble on a Marine Band Crossover, Key of D, bending 3 draw to full step ben . There is air escaping. Is it my technique or should that hole be gapped closer to be more responsive?

David Hi

Im going through a period of revision of my study and am looking for the lesson on sequencing. You talk about the three kinds of B chorus form namely small change something totally different and then a sequence. This is the video when you ask us to imagine graph paper. Not sure if it's in Music theory or in the improvisation segments. Looked in both without success. Many thanks in advance. Hoping this will give me some ideas for my song writing segment LoA8. 

  continue reading...