Ask Instructor David Barrett

In I Want You With Me V1 the accompaniment pattern tends to use lower notes during the guitar solos and an octave variation when there's vocals. The difference is mostly on the IV and V chords. Was this purely musical choice or was there another reason? I'm asking because in Accompaniment Study 4 I'm freely using both Ex 1.1 and Ex 1.2 when there's a guitar solo in I Want You With Me but wondering if perhaps one octave range might be the better choice or if it's just whatever I feel like playing? Thanks!

Hi.

In one of your bending lessons, you covered the technique of slapping into a bent note.  But I recall that, in your answer to one of my questions, you said there are certain bent notes (like 3" if my memory serves me well) that you don't generally use a slap on.  Since I don't want to spent lots of time working on things that are not ususally done, could you please tell me which bent notes you use slaps on? 

Thanks!

Hi Dave:

It occurred to me that it would be great to have a sit down with say James Cotton, Billy Boy Arnold and/or any of the other living guys who played in the 50's and get their answers to your standard questions.  ie to speak with players who didn't have You Tube, or CD's or even many records.  I would love to hear what their learning process was like etc

Hi Dave

Just working through my artist study for Jerry Portnoy doin blues for big Nate. I'm having trouble with the first chorus, basically running out of air with all the draw notes. Any ideas?

By the way really glad I started the LOA

thanks

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I believe you mentioned along the way that your tendency is to use the on/off flutter tongue and that most players tend to gravitate towards that or the side flutter type. My tendency is towards the side flutter but I'm working on the on/off as I figure the tongue is a muscle that needs a variety of exercise if it's going to reach its potential. To that end I've developed a simple practice routine and was hoping for your comment. continue reading...

Hello, Teach, continue reading...

Good afternoon, David:

Yesterday, I started to practice the scales that you recommended in my lesson. I am practicing the C Major Scale and am not sure when it can be used. I guess I need some confirmation of my thinking here.

Let's say that I have a C harp in hand. The band calls a tune in C. I would be okay to improvise using the C major scale on a C harmonica. I will focus my lines to resolve on the C.

Now the band calls a tune in G. Can I still use the C harmonica, and the C Major Scale, but just adjust my playing so that I now resolve everything on the G? continue reading...

Hello Teach,

I'm new here. I'm a subway busker. I sing and I ukulele daily and I accompany myself on just about everything with diatonic harp, played on a rack. I play RISA Solid soprano electric ukes. I stepped out of the woodshed with a couple of tunes on guitar about a year ago. I maintain about a two and a half-three hour repertoire. I'm totally committed to live sound. I love fermata, for one thing. I love changing tempos midstream, for another. You can't cheat the time signature of a backing track, which is one big reason I'm opposed to performing with one. continue reading...

Looking ahead LOA 7 includes Improvising Study 3. LOA 8 includes Improvising Study 7. If I want to work on Improvising Studies 4, 5 and 6 even though my main focus is on LOA when would you suggest they would offer the most value? Thanks!

Wondering who's playing on this jam track or where it came from? I found it in LOA 4 and really like it and am curious to know if it shows up later as a study song or is used in any other context. It gives me a good reason to use a Bb harmonica and to hear a quick change.