Ask Instructor David Barrett

Hello David,

Two questions

1- Scales

Ive noticed on other forums outide yous that many believe that scales are under-practiced by most and are very valuable in buiding technique.   While I am still working through (level 4) of your coursework I want to add scales.   

Do you have materail on scales I may not yet have found?

How are scales best practiced?

I read there are many different tyles of scales although in my prior band work it seems we only worried about major scales.  How many varients should we focus on?   continue reading...

Hello David.

I am still a beginner and I am trying to play the basic ,"tongue agility",I  always can't use tongue to block the holes, I try to light touch ,sometime I make it but sometime not. when I try to blow 4while I block the 2,3, the 5  or 1make sound , also, when I try to blow the 4,1,the 1 don't make sound. Please get me some tips. 

Thanks.

Chrissy.

Hi David

Could you provide some instruction or is there any on your website on how to efficiently switch harmonica while playing with a mic?. For example I am working on a song where I want to switch between a low-c towards a c harmonica at some point in the song.  Is there any technique allowing to switch with a minimum of time loss? Sorry if my question is not clear, please let me know in that case. Thanks a lot. Joris, Belgium

Hi David,

I love your site. It is wonderfully constructed and I love the way you explain with every detail all the material you teach.

Wonderful site.

I have been playing the guitar for more than 25 years (mainly for dark 80s etc. - google Observe & Control) and have always wanted to playThe harmonica for blues.

I always wanted to just "know how to jam" but I have become obsessive since I have picked 2 harmonicas:

1)      Blues Harp by Hohner in the key of C (I don't like it as it is not responsive enough for my taste) continue reading...

Hi David. I have only a C harmonica and thus am taking the intro lession. Really enjoying the lesson thus far. My question is when should I consider that my level of mastery is enough to move to the next section in the lesson. Is it ok to move on in the section or should each video lesson be mastered first in ordre >> breathing >> cords >> folks songs. I feel it might take me some time for just the cord video, and I know that the <strong>Tongue Blocking</strong> will take some time.  I hope this question made sense.

Hey David,

I’m on Level 3, Accomp Study 3 - chords, and confused about the difference between the blues scale and the blues notes. 

For example, in the PDF, example 2.5, on one of the bars you use following notes for the IV chord for second position :

6+ 5+ 4+ 3+  ( C E G C)

I understand how these notes are all notes for the C-chord (CEG). What I don’t understand is that the blues scale is this:

3+ 3‘ 4+ 4’ 4 5 6+ continue reading...

Hi David,

I've been working on Gary's Blues since October but the 3 draw on the G harp is really slowing me down.  I can get a fairly decent pull if I use a lot of breath, but not much of a dip or bend.  Even playing at 30% slow is too fast for me to get the full note.  I don't have problems with any other notes on the G harp or on the other harps (A, C, D and Bb).  I can play Gary's Blues much better with the other harps (playing in a different key).   continue reading...

Hallo David,

in the LOA 3 Solo Harmonica Test you wrote:

Example 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.3 or 2.4 with a Metronome

Does that mean 1.7 & 1.8 & 1.9 & (2.3 or 2.4)?

Or does that mean 1.7 or 1.8 or 1.9 or 2.3 or 2.4?

I'm afraid today is not one of my smarter days....

thanks

Thomas

Hi David,

In the video from Richard Hunter, he is playing into a guitar amp with a low impedance microphone. I thought that it was expected to produced a bad sound.

Do you have any explanation ?

Thanks,

Bod

Hi

 I have no idea what the harmonica world does but playing guitar all my life I can not 

immagine a music sheet is some thing and the instructer plays in differetn key. 

It is confusing . It is not helpful . It wasts my time . It makes me upset 

If

https://www.bluesharmonica.com/sites/bluesharmonica.com/files/private/to...

is what you are playing in 

  continue reading...