Ask Instructor David Barrett

Hi David,

I've been studying Blues for Paul De Lay for a month now, almost done.

In your video on the 5th chorus you talk about the 6+ 9+ octave and the powerful sound of those octaves.

I've been practising with a small amount of tremolo on those, in acustic.

Now I play through an lone wolf harp break and of course with some drive added.

The 6+ 9+ octave comes out with a really powerful sound but the surrprise is that the tremolo present in your continue reading...

Good morning David,

Wanted to tell you I very much enjoyed the Unstructured Playing tip of the day post. Like the other student I too had trouble finding fills but then I started taking a good look at the study songs, and other sources, and now I have many. I learn and practice them by starting hole and use little names so I can write them down for future reference and daily repetetion. continue reading...

Hi David,

Repetition: How many times ?

Here is what happens often to me: I play a song entirely and I do 1 or 2 small mistakes. I repeat that song paying attention at that point and it goes well.

Now I pick up another song and do the same.

When I go back to the first song (after 2 days normally) I do another mistake, in the same point or even in a different one.

I repeat doing well. continue reading...

i, i like so much to learn harmonica play, but im here in your site so glad, but i dont have my languagge in the lessons, is this lessons for english talk people only, i will be so happy to make this study..thanks, regards...

Hi, David:

I am getting a lot of fun out of Solo Harmonica Study 3. The chording and the basslines would be very good for solo playing or as part of a duo. Would these lines be useful while playing with a full band, or are they too busy?

Thanks,

Marc

Hey David, I am back with it. I have angled the harmonica down a little and the cleavage tongue is not so bad. I believe the U Block is almost gone. 

I need a software that will have me loop and slow down AND PLAY BACK WHAT I HAVE PLAYED.

I have weaned myself off of the tabs for now. I want to train my ears to what I hear and what I am  playing.

I have Best Practice which slows it down with loops etc. but I need the recording capability and maybe even a way that I can hear the harmonica riff and have it pause for me to play it and then record it. continue reading...

Which version of GarageBand will you be using for the videos on recording - GB6 or 10?? I'm used to using 6 and have downloaded 10 but I'm finding it confusing so I'm hoping 10 but at this stage, just curious.

Hi, David:

On pulls, I can use either draw or blow chords. Generally, the note preceding the pull dictates what sort of pull I use. However, in Solo Harmonica Study 2.1 and 2.2, the sequence ends with a Pull,  2+,  Pull. Since the pull is preceded by a 2+, my mouth wants to do a blow pull. However, since it's in a I-V bar, it sounds a bit awkward. Should I practice getting it as a draw pull, or would a blow pull be acceptable?

Thank you.

I am 53 years old and have wanted to play the harmonica since I was 15 but never knew how to approach it. I took it up two years ago, starting with lessons from Portnoy, Gindick and Gussow. I found your site last fall and found exactly what I was looking for; the rich full sound of tongue blocking in a well-structured progressing in learning. continue reading...

Hi David! I have tryed to learn this classic one , with full tongue blocking ! It´s my main focus now. The worries i have is in the 3 bends in  the 1st chorus, 2nd ,4th, 6th the IV section ! I don´t get them clean ..... Do you have any good exercise or any good advice? Thanks/Micha