Ask Instructor David Barrett

I am startin to play the holes as per the Walk with Me song, but I find that my sound is 'airy' when trying to blow hole 3. (using tongue blocking)... as if air is escaping around the harmonica.

How do I stop this or is that normal?

Thanks!

Toby

Hi David,

I am very happy to join your lessons and glad about your tests to give me reasons to practice and make progress. While working with the level 4 test I am not quit sure how to translate the task for the accompaniment study. You are asking for a 'couple' of chorusses. Do you expect 2 chorusses or some of them or all 12 chorusses. It's a big challenge to notate tabs for 12 chorusses without tools and to memorize the rhythm patterns. Do you have some tips to do so?

Hello David,

So I've been going through your lessons and there's two things that are bothering me( not about the lessons but about my playing, your lessons are fantastic). continue reading...

Hi David,

First, I would like to thank you for the quality and quantity of learning material on bluesharmonica.com. Clear instructions and learning path, excellent videos, I really have the impression of having a real and dedicated instructor to help me. An a tech team behind ! This is amazing, and I have been making progress since I started in the end of December. I came here after finding a free month in my Hohner harmonica, but I am here to stay ! continue reading...

Hi, Dave.  I had to take a few weeks off to focus on work, and now I'm continuing my LOA 1, which I've been on since November.  I am working on the LOA Program PDF, Level 1, and right now I'm doing Movement Exercises Study 2.  I feel like I am missing out by not knowing how to bend.  Every blues riff I see involves bending, and every Movement Exercise in Essential Scales involves bending.  Now I know we don't HAVE TO be bending at this stage, but it would make practice a lot more fun.  Would you recommend a sdie trip to a bending lesson, or should I just stick continue reading...

My 2 hole whole step bend is much better in a pucker that with tongue block.  I use less effort and have better consistancy.  I've been trying to do this bend with a tongue block for a year. 

From watcing inverviews on yorr site I know many players pucker bend the lower holes.  I'm wondering if I should forget about bending the 2 hole with a tongue block and just stick the the pucker bend on holes one and two.  

Thanks

Hello David,

Two questions regarding tremolo:

1. I can play tremolo on holes 1-5, both draw and blow, and holes 6-10 blow. It's far from perfect, but the basics are there. However I can't play tremolo on holes 6-10 draw. Once I try it, the tone bends and the reed stucks. The key of a harmonica doesn't matter. Is this usual? How to handle this?
2. Does it make sense to practice tremolo with a metronome? I've been trying that to keep tremolo consistent and to increase its speed, but I am not shure, if it is the best way to learn it.

Thank you very much, continue reading...

I was Reading a harmonica post on facebook where the party plays an example lick and then plays the same lick using 9 different techniques. continue reading...

I am a bit confused about the articulation where a blow chord is written but with a symbol indicating a pull. Is this meant to be equivalent to a slap followed by a pull? An example would be in Gary's Blues, second chorus, third note in (+3, +3 then +3+2+1 but with the 3 diagonals indicating a pull).

Hello David,

i am working on the Corus Form Stuff in LOA 5 and i am much enjoying it. What is your opinion on taking a Book like “100 Blues Harmonica Licks you should know” or so to the woodshed and learning some of the Licks, just to get some new Ideas and a greater Vocabular? Must be great Fun to put all that Stuff in AAB Corus Form or ABAC and see what happens :-)

Or is that a waste of time? Should i just go on with the Licks in the practice Songs and try to use the Licks i am hearing on Records?