Ask Instructor David Barrett

What a great interview! So valuable to have all that history: thanks for capturing it. 

Hi Dave

i am having trouble bending hole 5 on the D harmonica for the song in verse 6 "the strut". i can get all the bends on 1-4 and 6.

Please assist.

Hi! R there any begginer level lessons for C Harmonica? I checked most begginer lessons are for A harmonica. Please do let me know! Thank you!

Hi David,

The lowest pitch on a given harmonica is the 1 blow, in that particular harmonicas major scale's first note.  What are the lowest to the highest pitch of harmonicas (in order from A to G)?  I am getting confused thinking that Do, Re, Mi is low to high and thinking that A is Do, Re is B, etc., so A should be lower than G.  Thanks for any help with my understanding of this.

Dean  

Dave - Regarding bending. Im better at it if I just use the pucker technique without tongue blocking. My understanding is that many harmonica players use a combination of tongue blocking and the pucker technique particularly when it comes to bending. I also can visualize the bend better if the tip of the tongue comes off the harmonica and is drawn back with the tip remaining down below the bottom teeth. continue reading...

Hi David:

came across octaves in the strut. which lesson and instruction covers octaves. i cant seem to find it.

Excited for the new series! Thanks for doing it. Is the Audix Fireball on the docket for review? I  think it’s a moderately popular choice for newer players. I’ve got one that I bought early in my playing, and I’m pretty wishy-washy on it. I’d love to hear your thoughts. 

HI David,

 You probably have answered this question 1000 times but here goes:

 I am working on "The Strut".  Using the TB embouchure I can make the 2 hole full step bend and the one hole half step bend on the D harmonica.  However I cannot make those bends on my G harmonica.

 Is that common with beginners?  Do issues like that go away as my benidng becomes stronger?

 Thanks

In example 1.6 we are to fill in scale degrees based on C major scale in place of pitch names including bends. Some of that would be unknown to me. For example on Hole 1 =  1 Blow would be C Scale degree 1. 1 Draw would be D Scale degree 2. 1 Draw bent 1/2 step would be Db, but what scale degree is that - 1 1/2??  Also I am guessing that  on the Whole Step Bend line holes 2 & 3 would be degrees 4 (F) and hole 3 would be degree 6 (A)

David Hi

Working on my solo harmonica exercises I realised that I was playing the 3rd and 4th measure as I was hearing it (I think) and not as written (2 3 4 5+ 6+ 5 5+ 4 with pulls). As usual when in doubt I referred to the lesson with Ryan. In that video you pointed out that there is a change in the 4th measure so that accounted for what I was hearing and matched what I have been playing rather than what is noted in the PDF. I rather like the change. Should I play as noted or as per your playing example.