Ask Instructor David Barrett

Hello instructor! how are you doing??

I just have a quick question about bringuing the harp to the side, towards the right cheek. I know this is good to get a darker and deeper tone, but it gets more difficult to do the tongue switch, and octaves, but it´s easier to bend.I´ve been tilting the harp for so much time, and now i´m having trouble to do the bends with the harp in front of the mounth, and specially to always cover four holes with the mouth. Right now I´m at LOA 5, and I did get there tilting the harp to the right., and back to left when I need to tongue switch. continue reading...

Hi David,

When improvising, could I mix riffs (I think thats the right word) from say a Garys Blues (Which would I be right in saying is a shuffle) and The Strut (Which is a rock beat).

Many Thanks,

Paul

Hi Dave

I have  questions in relation to solo harmonica 2 Ex 1.8

What is the technique indicated by the solid note combinations with an x under them (bars 5 & 6) in contrast to the pull technique indicated by sloping lines.

Also the music indicates that the single note is followed by either a combination of 2 or 3 (bars 5 & 6) when playing the blow notes, but it is all three note combinations for the draw notes (bars 9 & 10). Why is this so?

Best wishes

There are a number of videos in Ryan's list that clearly indicate they're associated with Improvising Study 2 or 3. There are also a number that just say Improvising. Some of the titles seem a bit outside of Improvsing Study 1 or at least seem to indicate the material is a bit different. Would it be reasonable to continue on through these Improvising videos at the LOA 4 level? Thanks!

Hi David.

I've started looking at blow bends, trying to follow your advice to tongue-block them if you're new to blow bends and tongue block all the rest.  I'm finding that getting full-toned puckered blow bends is no problem, although accuracy will take quite a bit of work, but that, when I tongue-block, I really have to seriously restrict my air flow to get any kind of bend at all, and tone and volume suffer.  Is it worth it?

Hi there,

  continue reading...

Hello again David. I hope you're doing fine. I have a couple of questions again!

ex1.I am able to play eights with ease (1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and) and tapping my foot on the downbeat and raising it on the upbeat.

ex2.I am also able to play eight triplets with ease (1-and-a,2-and-a, etc) tapping my foot on the downbeat and raising it on the "a" continue reading...

I've been using four or five different B licks that I got from you earlier on as part of Tongue Blocking Study 1 and 2. The licks are blow note oriented and give a strong sense of the IV chord in A B/A C. Coming to LOA 4 Improvising Study 1 I really like Ex. 5.1 but noticed that the lick does not rely heavily on the blow notes but is much more like any other blues scale lick that could easily have been an A lick. Did you mention somewhere that the B lick can be almost any lick and doesn't have to always give a strong nod to the IV chord? Thanks!

Hi David, i have one more question. I was wondering if you know any other website like yours, associated with blues singing though?? Do you have any suggestions??

Hi David!

One question, how would you organize your practicing, assuming you had 8 hours per day to practice?

Can you get a little bit specific?