Ask Instructor David Barrett

hi im very new to the harmonica, always wanted to try it since i got one when i was a kid, so far ive only learned a bit of the tune jessie plays to the whale in the movie free willy :)..... i struggle to learn off of websites ect and have been searching for any local teachers to me which has ended up not yet finding one :(.... dont suppose there is anywhere else i can search for them? continue reading...

Hi David,

I've been learning Movement Exercises Study 1, Ex. 2 and my question is how fast is fast enough to move on to the next excercise. Even after almost 3 months of daily practice, I can play the pattern only at the speed of 104 bpm at most, but my performance vary a lot day by day -- one day I can't play it faster than 70-80 bpm, another day I get to 100 bpm easily. I can hit all the notes correctly at any speed, but my rythm is not consistent at higher speed. continue reading...

Hello, David!

I just inherited 3 harmonicas, all Hohner Marine Band. However they are in three different keys, C, Bb and Eb.

Beeing a total novise in music (I'm 60 yo, never played anything before, so I've just recently put harmonica and a tenor sax on my bucket list...starting with the harmonica!) I need some guidence...

I now need to figure out which one to concentrate on.

I realized in the first lesson, that I probably need a piece in key of A, correct?

I mean, do I have to purchase an additional piece of harmonica?

BR

Andrew

Hi David, just wondering when the thirty days actually begins. Is it when I submit the test or as soon as I create the account?

Hi David, I would appreciate Your assistance in my case. I am a beginner and I probably made a mistake purchasing me a chromatic harmonica (Hohner Super Chromonica, C tuned, 12 holes). I started to following Your lessons on Level 1, which I find fantastic, but I am not sure if it makes sense to continue with this instrument. For which kind of music is this instrument suitable anyway? Should I bought me a diatonic harmonica?

OldStar

I THINK there may be a mistake in your tab. I'm listening to Minor Mambo, Chorus 6, that very last run of notes that starts on the V.

In bar 11, you have it notated as:

1 2+ 2 3" 2 3 4

When I listen to Minor Mambo by Gary Smith and when I listen to your playing, I hear:

1 2+ 2 3" 2 3 4+

I am probably wrong on this, but there is a very small chance that I may be right. Are you and Gary both playing the 4 blow?

I have unlocked "Blues for Big Nate". Is there a PDF with note notation available or should I try to learn by listening?

Hi

I have been practicing breathing into the harmonic but when I breathe into certain holes (1,2,3,4) it sounds like only hole 4 will play (even when I'm not tongue blocking). Does my harmonica need maintenance?

Hi There,

As I progress through the level 1 material, I find myself quite comfortable with the Tongue Block Study material. I can play the song all the way through, several times in a row - with no real issues. When it comes time to record however, I seem to begin to make mistakes - notes are missed, technique becomes sloppy - everything seems to fall apart. My question is this: When submitting our recording examples, what are aiming to achieve? Is it a perfect recital of the song (as per the recorded example), or is it a clear demonstration of the ability to tongue block?  continue reading...

Dave,

Im addicted to the Walkin' Talkin' Blues by Joe Hill Louis back in the 1950s. Im trying to tab it out by slowing it down and watching the bendometer light up. I think its in the key of A as that what seems to make the most sense when I watch the Bendometer. For some reason I cant find the sheet music which would help me, and improve my accuracy. Any suggestions where this sheet music could be found? Any other general suggestions that I should follow to learn to play some of these old classics.