Ask Instructor David Barrett

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.

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...