Ask Instructor David Barrett

David:   I’m practicing LOA 5 My Blues and it’s actually beginning to sound like music.   Your lessons are great, challenging, and progressive.  I bought a lesson (on the net) from Sandy Weltman, a great player.  His TAB notation is different than yours, so I spent half a day re-writing it in “Barrett TAB”.   His TAB also doesn’t relate to TIME, nor to NOTES, merely holes.  First, why doesn’t everyone use the same TAB??  Your TAB is great!!!   Easy to understand, accurate, note related, and shows time, expression, dynamics, and mor continue reading...

Hi David, I can't seem to find where my unlocked artist studies are from the LoA program. I'm just studying L4 and would like to spend some time on them. Please could you point me in the right direction!

Thanks, Rob 

Where are the lessons for C note harmonicas?

Level 2 - In the lessons, sometimes it seems like the slap is with the chord starting right on the beat with the single note immediately following.  Other times it seems like I'm hearing the chord start just before the beat with the transition to the single note occuring right on the beat.  Which am I aiming for?

It sounds like everythong should start on the beat but those times when I head the chord portion leading into the single note which occurs on the downbeat, it sounds pretty cool.

Hi Dave,

Now that it's happened to me, I have learned from Kinya's videos that fracturing the 5 draw reed is common, and I think you emphasized that it's especially common with beginners.  I'm working on The Strut for Level 4, and my 5 draw has gone out.  I'm thinking that the 5-4 draw sequence in Chorus 1 and 8 and the second one in Chorus 7 contributed.  How can I play that music without damaging my replacement reed or harmonica (haven't decided yet).

Thanks for your advice!

Nance

2 questions please -  1. In the study song I Want You With me (Accom study 2) there are no tongue slap notations. Is this song to be played with tongues slapping and if so, should I have automatically assumed that? 2. After I have logged in to the site, how do I get to my unlocked artist study of Jerry Portnoy, Blues for big Nate?  Thank you.

Hi David,

Having obtained the chords of a song from say riffstation or chordify, how would you know from those chords what key the song is in. Hope this makes sense.

Thanks,

Paul

David Hi, Im getting close to submitting my LOA 2 and have been working on Bending. Now I have achieved what I think is success rather quickly but I want to make sure I am not developing a bad habit that I will later have to fix.  On the C harmonica I can bend a half note on hole 2, full note on hole 3, with a half note on hole 4. Hole one is hit and miss. The harp Ninja is showing quite a clear note (green) but to my ears it sounds like a dying whale. I will continue to trust the Harp Ninja. continue reading...

I really like the LOA approach to learning to play harp. I have just started LOA Study 3 and was surprised to see that it began with Bending Study 2, not Bending Study 1. I nearly missed Bending Study 1, as there only seems to be a brief and easily missed note about it, that I have pasted below: continue reading...

David;   I've gone through the lessons on positions, but am still quite confused.   Are there any additional videos or student videos (as they go through the lessons) that cover and re-cover this material?   Thanks