Ask Instructor David Barrett

ive just started to learn to bend I'm using the harp ninja and I'm finding that I've had a good bit of success when I'm not tongue blocking I can hit the bends Db Gb F,Db on hole four, Ab on six and the half bend on five .I struggle with anything on the three draw. On the other notes I can find the pressure in my mouth to get the bends ,but on three draw there isn't any. I can hit the f if I growl at the back of my throat but it's painful. continue reading...

David Hi, I feel embarrassed to ask for your advice on this but I am totally stuck. Feelin the blues 4th Chorus bars 7 and 8   6+ 5+ 6+ 5 4 5 5+ 4+ 5+    I can do this lick, stand alone,  as fast as you like but simply cannot get into the rhythm of the beat when playing it with the recorded MP3. I have put the emphasis on differnt notes but simply cant get it to work. Have slowed it down to crawling speed but that hides the rythem and doesnt help. Do you have any exercises/suggestions that will help. continue reading...

For example, Submission #58.... his latest submission.   As well as some of the other sumissions.   Thanks.

Hi David! Not really a lesson question, but I'm really curious about this. I really enjoy listening to the interviews that you have done for the website and I wonder if you have any plans to have a conversation with Phil Wiggins. The man is the real deal and I'm sure he would have tons of interesting things to say and show us. 

Cheers,Julius

Good afternoon David,

I've just completed L.O.A.3 and felt that I needed to really get a handle on Chorus Forms so I'm pitching in so to speak.

Couple of points that I could use some clarification on please. Firstly a lick, are there any rules that a lick has to follow, for instance must it contain all or part of a I, IV or V chord or can it be simply a short ( 1,2 or 3 bars long) musical phrase that has a nice hook/swing/feel to it? which leads onto the question, are there any notes that shouldn't be played in the same lick or phrase that woudl cause a dis-chord? continue reading...

i thouroughly enjoyed Hob's harmonica journey and very likable personality.  Will her return anytime soon to continue his lessons.  I too am a beginner and it was fun studying with him.  Vic

David Hi

Two issues please one comment and one question.

When I started this journey I never expected to deal with and understand music theory. I am enjoying it very much. Find myself trying to analyse music I hear all the time now. continue reading...

Hi David, on Solo harmonica study 2 excercise 1.2 is it acceptable to tongue slap the 3+ and 3 draw slide over to the first 4 draw then TS the second 4 draw? Even at 65 bpm I am struggling to fit those first 3 notes into 1 beat slapping the first 4 draw.

Regards Alan

Hi Dave,

Your notation for Section 2 Bass Lines shows to 3 blow for the root note of the 1 chord.  You previously presented a rule that you generally draw the notes of the 1 chord, blow the notes of the 4 chord, and mostly draw the notes of the 5 chord.  I am aware you can do it either way, but am wondering why you chose to deviate from that rule?

Thanks,

Frank

Hey David.

I uderstand in accompaiment playing that we  have root notes and that we build chords from this note.... and that chords are build in triads...

But i dont understand how I know what is my root note are if band say to me

let s play  song    xxxx in the key of G  - (I use C Harp) but what is my root note ?

Or  song xxxx in the key of A - (I use D Harp) but What is my root note again?

and so on ...

Thanks

  continue reading...