Ask Instructor David Barrett

I don't have a band to play with. All I can do is play with jam tracks or a metronome. What is the best way to work on making sure I am playing in time with a band especially on 1/8 notes or faster. I have a hard time telling when I am playing in time especially since no one is here to tell me I am not. Thanks for your help.

i have been fiddling with the harmonica on and off for 30 years. During that time I have developed some terrible technique. I have been a pucker player this whole time. I just joined the site this past week and I am learning so much! What tips do you have on breaking my pucker habit and developing a good tongue block? I am really struggling with tongue blocking, but I really want to do this right. Any extra tips?

on shakes there are 2 notes listed do you play one note then shake to the second one

How can these scales contain E# and B# notes that dont exist on the chromatic scale? Am I just way behind the curve or what?

Thanks! Biscuit Boy in Petaluma

Hello Dave,

Is Slowdowner still the best choice for a PC windows?

i lost my last version as i have a new computer.

Thank you

Dave, Do you have a book that includes the study download material on the Chromatic series?

Just nicer to have it all bound in a book.

Also and comments on learning to articulate the notes on this harmonica...all the same as diatonic?

Its a mouthfull....

steve

Just starting out and love the "blues sound" the harmonica (player) can make, but I haved not yet made a single note or sound that resembles "blues" on my Special 20 harmonica.  Need to know the key technique(S) to at least making a blues chord or blues sound.  Is it tounge blocking?  Help!

Hey David, continue reading...

Hey David,

I'm currently working on the G Major pentatonic scale, I increase the speed and incorporate some jason ricci's scale excersizes.

- should I also study in parallel the C Major Pentatonic and D Major pentatonic and wait for LOA 6 to study the blues scale in all the chord changes? or just stick to the G major pentatonic for now?

- I am finding it weird to try to play the G major pentatonic on top of jam tracks, are there any recommended ones for trying that so I can try to improvise and stuff :D 

Thanks

David,

When playing i often have a tuner in front of me to make sure i am hitting the bent notes correctly. My question is since some of the notes on the harp are tuned + or - a few cents when playing an unbent note what should i be shooting for? 

For example if the 2 draw is tuned 4+ cents, is the target on the turner when playing an A harp to hit the E 4 cents sharp or hit the E dead on?

Also, How are Chromatic's tuned? Just intonation? if so i would want to be dead on the note correct?

Thanks for your help!

Mark