Ask Instructor David Barrett

Hi David,

Well, after a year of this I find myself playing popular melodies quite a bit, mostly off harptabs.com. For example, lately I've been playing American Pie, Wish You Were Here, and As Time Goes By; that's an eclectic mix for sure. So, my question is this: Should I forego this playing and stick to the LOA lessons or does playing these songs in first position also count as "practice"? 

I'm very new to the harmonica but do have some training in reading music. As I'm going through the lessons I see that the numbers are paired with a "+" sign. What does that mean? 

I have problem with finding lessons for C harmonica ,i founded only for A ..I am a member for 5-6 days ...Can you please tell me where i can learn C harmonica .Thank you!

Hi David, continue reading...

Hi David 

Still working on LOA 3, which is taking me a few months and our Scottish weather gave everyone a cold and couldn't practice much for a few weeks,  but hopefully getting there with it soon. 

David,

I'm in LOA3. I believe you mentioned in in LOA1 that it is acceptable to edit in GarageBand so as to string together segments of different takes in order to record an entire song. That way, a mistake in say the 6th chorus won't necessitate a new recording starting from the 1st chorus. I think this was your point. My questions are two: continue reading...

Hello David,

I found your hole change studies in the accompaniment chapters very intersting and a new insight on how to approach the harmonica. You tell not to memorize "2 hole draw" , but rather G.

Don' we better memorize:

"2 hole draw" is the root of the 1 chord or the 5th of the 1 chord

"1 blow" is the root is the 4 chord, or the 7th of the 5 chord

2 draw 1/2 step bend is the 3rd of the 5 chord

and so on...

I mean, not mention any note names, as the change when you pick up another keyed harominca.

  continue reading...

Never mind. Deleted.

Ace

pologies if this has already been addressed...I'm having a lot of trouble getting all the way through a song like "Temperature" without reeds 3 & 4 sticking, the result being that the sound getts very muffled or absent.  I'm trying to be very conscious of up-tilting the harmonica but still having major problems with this -- any tips on how to avoid excess saliva gumming up the works?

David, I have been away from the harp for about 6 months. I spent about 8 months last year on the site, achieving LOA Level 1. My wife has taken an interest now. I have found I haven't lost the chops I developed, however, I decided to start back at the beginning, and have progressed rather quickly. I'm really lovin' my Crossover to the point that if I had it to do over, I would buy a Crossover and be done with it. Oh well, I guess I can use the Special 20s and other models on which to practice tuning, gapping, etc. Now to my question. continue reading...