Ask Instructor David Barrett

Hi David and good morning,

I'm learning all these wonderful licks from the study songs and placing them into the various chorus forms. So far so good. But as we know there are various genres of music. My question is, if we played licks from say my blues over a rock beat, it would neccessarily sound right because of the two differing genres of music. How do we make the licks fit.

Its driving me mad trying to get it right but I love the improvisation and want to try and nail it once and for all

Once again thank you for taking the time to read this.

Kind Regards, continue reading...

I have read where it is easier to play single notes if you tilt the harmonica up about 40 degrees.  Is that a good practice to use.

Orville Bierman

Hi David. 

Sorry to bother you.

I was studying the level 5 of LOA solo harmonica 2.2

Is the pdf correct? Seems like you are playing something different in the end of the first 1 chord. 

Best regards.

Emanuel

Hi David, when I'm apply the licks ive learnt from the study songs to say for example 12 bar blues rock track, should i be aplying licks that come from the blues scale or licks with half step and whole step bends due to the genre of the music. The reason I say this is, if I try and jam to a rock track with a lick that has no bends, then it doesn't sound quite right, the lick sounds to bright. continue reading...

I seem to have lost the Jerry Portnoy MP3 that was unlocked for me upon completion of Level 1. Is there still a link available to me for it? If so, where?

So I've been working on the study song #1 for about a month now.  Things are going pretty good, however, when I hit my 1 draw I'm getting kind of this metal on metal clanking sound.  Is this an indicator that the reed is bad or going bad?  I'm aware enough of the troubles on 1, 2, 3 draws to know that most of the time 'its not the harmonica' but this seems different.

Hi David,

Thank you all of the information and adbice you have compiled n this site. It is really appreciated by novice musicians continue reading...

Hi David,

I have an amp coming my way and it has a DI input. Not something I was looking for specially but it's there. 

Anyway I don't recall this mentioned in the many videos on amps. Could you share any thoughts on this and the potential use of this feature?

Andrew

I'm a beginner having trouble with tongue blocking. My question is, can i tongue block on the lower or higher notes? Like the 2 draw/blow?

Deer Teacher

lesson1 Ex 3.5 Major scale.  I apply (step,step,half,step,step,step,half). IM not sure but I understand Ab replace Gsharp because double sharp its not good. You says we have 12 scales. On the chart Csharp is a scale, right? But I can replace Cshap scale by Dflat. Its working when I apply (step,step,half,step,step,step,half). Wich one is the right scale and whats happening with the signature?