Ask Instructor David Barrett

Hi David, I just started playing the harmonica a couple of weeks ago and I really like it, but I have an issue. When I record myself playing I can hear myself blowing in the background of the song, do you know if I’m doing something wrong or do you have any tips to help me correct it, please?

Thank you in advance,

Diego

david,

i Have noticed that when I play the 3 draw with my nose open and breathing through my diaphragm and all that

- everything sounds right. When I close my nostrils I cannot produce a natural note on the 3 (also the 2). 

While this, in theory, does not bother me it produces a limitation. 

When ever I try to play afast lick - for example 3’-3-4-3’-3-4 the nose needs to open and close fast

eniugh for me to choke :)

is it normal? Or am I a freak? :))

also, continue reading...

Hi Daviid,

I see that Amazing Slow Downer has a phone app.  Is it possible to transer the study songs onto my Iphone and then play the song inside the ASD phone app?

Thanks

David,

Could you clarify what are the bmp for the Temperature song? - this is to practice the rhythm for diferent choruses.

Where do you take the breath between at 5th and 6th chorus?

Thank you.

Best,

Anton

Hi David:

I am in LOA3. In the accompaniment section for the song "Blues Creepin' over me", why does 4 blow which is the root of the IV chord work with in the head of chord I in measure 1,2,3,4. 

Hi David, if I was to record myself playing Temperature amplified would you be happy to review the recording and tell me whether or not it sounds reasonable. You will have a much better ear than me to distinguish any tweaks I need to apply.

Cheers Alan

Hello David and all the others harmonica players! I`m a harmonica beginner from Finland. continue reading...

David Hi  Watching you video lesson with Ryan, lesson 18 the first measure, Ex 1.1 you demonstrate the “Side Pull”. It appears that you are holding the trainer/harp at an angle rather than a flat plane to your mouth. Am I seeing this correctly (possible camera distortion) or is this a specific embouchure for this technique?

In your interview with Aki Kumar when talking about practice he talks about  ”jamming this thing (the harp) into my check (demonstrated the right cheek) to get better tone”.

Am I missing something re the embouchure in general?

Mighty amount of frustration trying to hit all 3 bends on the 3 draw. (And of course I'm talking about the TB bend. Using lip purse I can hit the 3 whole step bend quite easily.) On a C harp, I can somewhat quickly get to the 1/2 step bend but almost always drop to the 1 1/2 step Ab note when trying to reach the whole step bend A.  Today I had a G harp and decided to go after the 3 whole step bend and it seemed like I was there so I used harp ninja to check myself and yes I was within reason of it. continue reading...

David

I am a very new beginner and feeling my way around harmonca playing, so does garage band do everything that the amazing slow downer does? if so why get amazing slow downer.

peter southwell (Sydney Australia)

psouthwells@gmail.com