Ask Instructor David Barrett

Hi David,

I'm learning accompaniment playing study 5, 7th chords and I'm practicing blues creepin'over me. I wonder how to do the tremolo on the 3 hole half step draw bend (Gb) (IV7 chord in verse 3) because as I try to open/close my throat, the pitch is going to rise up to the G. Do you have a tip ?

Thank you 

Ive been mulling this idea after watching and reading the work the author speaks to about playing harp.  Its an interesting idea and I am sure good players do this.  His work was a bit too achedemic for me get into my head.  

I was fortunate to be able to meet a touring/studio musician last night at a party.  He's a wizard on lead guitar and I ask him.  He did not pick up on mental model but said he goes from mental vision of the song to guitar fingering and music.  But this guy has been playing since he was 9 years old.   continue reading...

Hi David,

Are you able to comment on best practices with regards  to approachping each section within a LOA?

Should we spend an allotted amount of time on each section/practice session  or should we be working on one section until completed (then move on to the next section)? 

As always, your thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

G~

When I practice scales to jam tracks, I notice that certain grooves tend better to different subdivisions of notes. For example, tramps and rhumbas have that straight eighth feel, and it's easier to play eighth notes and sixteenth notes for me. In a slow blues or a Jimmy Reed shuffle, maybe triplets feel easier. This comes naturally to me.

Do you think that certain subdivisions of notes tend to feel more right in certain grooves? 

Or should I be fighting my natural inclinations? Should I work hard to train myself to play EVERY subdivision of notes in EVERY groove?

David,

In your latest amp review for the Valve Train Tall Boy, you mention something that piqued my interest. You said that you're no longer using the Dan Echo pedal for your reviews because the circuit had recently changed. Can you elaborate on this a bit? I thought they stopped making this pedal back in the '90s. Have they introduced a new version of this pedal? Why did you decide to drop your old model that you've been using? When did the circuit change happen? And lastly, what is it in the circuit change that you dislike?

In the LOA 3 test submission for SOLO harmonica study it says Example 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.3 or 2.4. Are we submitting any one of these examples, or are you looking for 1.7-1.9 and 2.3 or 2.4? Thanks David!

Hi David,

I'm working on the Improvisation Study 1. I really enjoy the first excercise on AAA chorus form and trying to "comppose" as many licks as possible. One of those is:

4 +6 5 +5 4 2 (pause) 4 +6 5 +5 4

Basically this is a 2-bar lick repeated with slightly different ending -- 4 2 in the 2nd bar and just 4 in the 4h bar.

If I play this lick(s) in all three rows of a 12-bar blues, which chorus form is it? AAA with one 4-bar lick repeated three times? AAA with two variations of a 2-bar lick repeated six times? Anything else?

Thanks, continue reading...

Hi David,I came across a problem when studying the 12 bar blues progression. So ususally,  the 12 bar blues structure goes by the below patten.

The first 4 bars just use the I chord - I, I, I, I.

The middle 4 bars go IV, IV, I, I. continue reading...

Hello David, I want to start playing on harmonica, I have read on a few forums, that Golden Melody C is good harmonica for the begginers and I buyed it, but on "Blues Harmonica Fundamentals" video you recommended to buy Hohner Special 20 A.

I will be glad to know is it okay to start learning playing harmonica on Golden Melody C?

Brgds

FILILIN

Hi David, is there any help in how to read the sheet music, particularly the chords?

Many thanks,

Kevin Tarrant.

Info@kerrygems.com