Ask Instructor David Barrett

Hi Dave,  I've taken your advice and memorized (pretty well :-) the notes for each hole, draw and blow for the C harmonica.  But when I'm playing on a harmonica with a different key, it takes me longer than I have in the moment to figure out what the note is.  I've thought of re-learning the C with Do - Re - Mi or with Solfegg which I don't know well at all.  But do you think that would make it easier to orient myself when I'm playing a non-C harmonica?  Other ideas?  Thanks in advance.

David,

I've been working my way through the study song Temperature and while I'm still struggling a tad with the transition from CH5 to CH6 and a few other issues in the song, I've gotten to the point where I think with a little bit of focused effort I'd be ready to submit for level 2.   continue reading...

It's not working very well. I have a problem play continuously .The problem with draw the holes. Jaw Movement.Movement Exercises 1. Study, helps me Tongue Block Trainer (TBT) ???Thanks.

On average how long does it take a student to gain proficency at tongue blocking?

I think I know what you are going to say anyway, but I'll ask :)

On LOA4 using the pull technique, (although I understand and can do the actual technique as described), I have found I get the same musical effect by using the very back of my throat like a cough reflex. Like a vibrato but actually closing the throat.  Is this a legitimate way to achieve the same thing, or is there some musical disadvantage to doing it this way? 

Thanks

Hi

I can not high speed train. Is there a special articulation? Speed as Palmer McAbee. Thanks

Hey David,

When playing through my amp I notice that some notes jump out. To be clear i mean that they seem to stand out from the rest...louder. I looked through your amp videos and did'nt catch any discussion on this. Why would/could this be? and how to correct this? is this normal when playing amplified and the player adjust for this? I do not hear this when playing acoustic. Amp? Element? Technique?

Thanks in advance,

Mark

Ive seen a few of the top harp players (James Cotton and more) play live and the most noticable thing I see is the cheeks of these guys going in and out like a bellows.  They go from a fully expanded pair of cheeks as to noticable sucked in look on the sides.  Its a massive amout of movement.

Im still a beginner (but improving).  Is this something to be emulated by beginners?  I still do not not get a very good or rich sound.  I have not yet worked on any bending.

Should I be working on this?

Gary K

Hi David, continue reading...

David:

I've looked all through Lessons 1-3 to find the page you did on scales. I'm feeling a need to better understand and more so, learn and memorize the different scales, i.e., Blues, Pentatonic, etc. As you can tell, I'm sort of jumping a bit, back and forth and all around Lessons 1-3 (mostly 1 and 2 still). Didn't I see one practice page that had the different scales on it? Or was that in a dream somewhere. Heaven knows that would be possible, as I'm putting in about 9-10 hours a week on harmonica. Family says they're noticing a difference. That's a good thing! :) continue reading...