Ask Instructor David Barrett

Hi, I've just joined.  I've been learning for a few months puckering, not lip blocking.  I do not want to start again, go backwards and lose my momentum through doing lip blocking (and many great players do not lip block).  So how can I use this site and what is a program of lessons that will help me progress?  Thanks Jenn

Hi David, continue reading...

Hello!

I've bought my first harmonica recently and got a code for free lessons here, and I'm more than satisfied - but I'm concerned if I can use the harmonica in key of C in study songs (I see they are made in the key of A).

Thank you in advance for answering ;)

Hi David,

In 2nd chorus bars 1-4 there is repeating lick notated in the PDF as 3 3' 2 3' 3. It's also one of the licks selected for the chorus forms study.

It sounds to me that recording of the song does not match the sheet music. It sounds like the lick mentioned above is played more like:

3' 3'' 2 3' 3

I confirmed it with Transcribe at 20% of the tempo and piano.

I tried to play notated version (checking pitchs with piano first) but it sounds much better and more natural to me starting with 3' 3'' (like the recording) instead of 3 3'. continue reading...

I don't think your website programming allows for actual bookmarking of pages, but is there any workaround to save your place so that when you return you can pick up where you left off?

Dave Hi

I have come a long way in understanding “position” playing on the harp and why we would chose positions but… This may be a trivial question that you must get thoroughly sick of.  This is the question. How do I work out the position I am playing in. Simple example, I pick up an A harp and start playing “She will be coming round the mountain” (I did say simple). The tune starts on 3+   and most of the first few bars are blow notes. This would imply first position but how would I know. continue reading...

Im hearing you and lots of others have great, complex and very bluesy sounds.  I would compare it when I played sax and a good player could make a sax "growl".   I see proper cupping to be part of the key to that sound but it seems to focus on the blow side.  When I cup on the draw side, I often see I cut off air and the sounds dont work.  My draw sounds still sound elementary and not very bluesy.

Any hints

gary 

Dave - I have been practicing some songs that I have liked along the way, and even committed the notes to memory, but I still feel I have hit a wall when it comes to primarily to speed and breathing somewhat. Cant seem to play these songs faster. Any suggestions beyond practice for improving speed?

I've been playing for about four years now, and have gone through the entire LOA system. Everyday (mostly), I've been following your suggested study times: 10 minutes on technique (for me, scales), 30 minutes on a study song, 20 minutes of chorus form improvising. Each day, for improvising, I would take one lick from my study song and use it in different chorus forms. So I've gotten familiar with the chorus forms, sequencing, and good phrasing. I've been putting in the work. continue reading...

Hi David,

I seem to have damaged another reed -- third harmonica down. :-(

I think it's time for me to buy a repair kit. Is this one from amazon.com adequate:

https://www.amazon.com/HOHNER-REPAIR-KIT-Service-Set/dp/B014LPAQ30/ref=s...

Thanks,

Jay