Ask Instructor David Barrett

I was interested in reading about harmonica studio work so found the Ross Garren article very intersting. I searched the site for Ross and found a May posting from you talking about Ross. But then I also saw Ross' LOA achievements. Not surprisingly, he's going through the material very quickly. Is he testing the site and making suggestions as it seems unlikely he needs instruction at those levels?

The instructions indicate that if Bending Study 3 has been completed then we're ready for Accompaniment Study 4. Would it be fair to assume that was written before Bending Study 2.5 was available and that completing 2.5 is the equivalent prerequisite? Note I plan to do both Bending Study 2.5 and 3 so I can learn the different songs but I was planning to do Bending Study 2.5 early in LOA 4 and then Bending Study 3 down the road as I'm wrapping up LOA 4. Thanks!

Hello David...I have a question about The Split.  At the end of the 6th chorus, the turnaround consists of playing the root, G, five times.  I am just wonder why we alternate between three blow and two draw.  Why not just play two draw five times?

Thanks, Homer.

Hi David,

If I am listening to a track which has no harmonica playing, how would I find out what key the musicians are playing in. The reason why I ask this is because I want to start playing over these tracks by putting into practice what I have learnt so far, so need the correct harmonica key

Also, I'm really interested in blues rock, country blues and boogie woogie style of harmonica playing. What chorus forms do these styles follow. continue reading...

Hi David,

I really love this study! Before I signed in to BHM.com I playes along with "don't let your rigtht hand know" and "the sky is crying". The blow-draw pattern of sonny's bird drove me mad the forst three days when I was practicing becaus I always had the wellknown patterns in my head. just for interest: which of sonny's tracks can I listen to to get the sonny's bird pattern memorized? 

regards :-)

kai

Hi David,

I really love this study! Before I signed in to BHM.com I playes along with "don't let your rigtht hand know" and "the sky is crying". The blow-draw pattern of sonny's bird drove me mad the forst three days when I was practicing becaus I always had the wellknown patterns in my head. just for interest: which of sonny's tracks can I listen to to get the sonny's bird pattern memorized? 

regards :-)

kai

Hi David,

Loving the web site although struggling with tonuge blocking. I've been playing or learning to play for about a year. I have started with JP Allen technique the deep relaxed embrochure not really a pucker and I'm finding it differcult to switch to the tonuge block. Do you have any further tips, trick or techniques that could help me further?

Thanks for the lessons really enjoying them :-) Garry

In the Contributors area the videos of Joe T and Ryan are fairly obvious in how they relate to the study material and much of it correlates to the LOA methodology. The videos of Aki Kumar, Mark Hummel and Gary Smith are a bit less obvious. They're labelled as Submissions. But these great players are also in the Interview area but with what appears to be different material. Can you clarify what the intent of Contributors was to help me sort through how to approach the huge amount of material you've made available to us?

The 7th degree for the F# major scale is shown as E#????   Shouldn't it be F?

On your History of the Blues you perform Walter's Boogie. On the 3 CD set Walter Horton Blues Harmonica Giant the song is titled Little Walter's Boogie.

Two questions. 1) Do you have that CD and is your version patterned after take 2 or take 3 or is there another version elsewhere? 2) Any idea why the reference to Little Walter? Was he using the name as a selling point possibly renaming himself like Sonny Boy? Or was it a tip of the hat to his competitor?

Thanks!