Ask Instructor David Barrett

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

Good evening David,

I am going on a two week vacation to Sweden in a week and will not have internet access. I have some ideas for practice (Artist songs, Bending and Chromatic) but wanted to ask for your input. I am pretty much complete on LOA5 so aside from that what would you recommend? Looking for somthing outside the norm.

Thanks,

Mark

i will bring forward my contact with you, your answers/questions, and my answers also:

From Jeff:

I just started listening to The Essential Sonny Boy Williamson on Rhapsody. Very distinctive!! At times he has notes that sound like a wa-wa, but just one wa. Do you know how he does that?! His tremolo is also amazing, Do you think that is all pharyngeal or does he move his harmonica for that effect. He has a nice vibrato at times when he sings.  

From Dave: continue reading...

Hi David,

listening 4th Chorus V7 in Gayry´s Blues with amazing slowdowner I always hear 4 1 4 4´4+ 1+ instead of the notated 4 1 4 4´1+4+

am I wrong?

best regards

Klaus

David,

I've been working on the bending exercises for a few weeks now and can get consistent bends to varying degrees on holes 2-6.  As I try to bend the draw note all the way down (ex. on the 4 draw bend to the flat 5 in 2nd position) I start to get get a slirping sound in my mouth that affects the tone of the note.  It feels like I'm cutting off the air flow to the point that my tongue and cheek are almost touching, which creates the sound in my mouth. continue reading...

Hi David,

I watched the Performance series on openings and endings and breaks and I wanna jam one time with walter's boogie, but I can't figure out the opening, wonder if you could shed some light about this type of opening.

Thanks,

Kobi

Hi David, 

I have been thinking about song writing and specifically solo pieces. My question is regarding if some of the chorus forms are more appropriate for a solo harmonica piece than others. continue reading...

TB 2: Section 2 - Study Song “Temperature

2:48 - 6th Chorus (ABC Chorus Form)

The opening note F, which is very quick and short, but was marked as a staccato. continue reading...

Hello David, 

I am loving your site and videos. So I am practicing with the LOA 1 material and had a question in tongue blocking-

What side should my tongue be on while playing Hole #1? How about Hole #2? Is there a switch with those two or should I always stay on the same side? I tried taking a class years ago that may have learned more toward puckering on Hole #1 and #10 so I am stumbling there.

Thanks for your thoughts,

C