Ask Instructor David Barrett

Hi David, I've recently joined and am loving the site. I'm just polishing up Walk with me in LOA-1 and have been working through the other sections. The theory is fine and getting there with the scales but I'm not sure how far I should be getting through the solo section? I'm happy down to 1.9 but struggling to coordinate my tongue a bit after that at the moment, and the bass lines section mention describe pulls which confused me a bit too. continue reading...

Inadvertent double post.

Having purchased gear from Greg I believe he's not far from Napa. Any word?

Great introduction to 3rd position but I'd like to switch the jam track up a bit by singing two choruses, playing accompaniment for three choruses as if another instrument was soloing, plus taking two of the choruses in the middle and making them my solo. The problem is the solo is in 3rd position but I only know how to accompany a rhumba in 2nd position. Is there somewhere on the site I can learn an easy 3rd position accompaniment so I don't have to switch harmonicas during the song?

I like the interviews where the player is also a teacher. I think they sometimes provide a little extra insight as they've answered related questions throughout their career so they've seen more of what a student might need compared to the experience of a pure touring and recording pro. So far I'm enjoying Gary Smith, Gary Primich (RIP) and Dennis Gruenling. Are there others you could recommend who fit that model?

David:

I have been listening to some jam tracks to see what I may want to use for the song writing improvising study for LOA5. I had a few questions on backing music choice.

1. Some of the jam tracks I am considering have a quick turn around in bar two and/or go to a one chord in bar nine. Would I follow the band to those chords or move away with the standard chords? Or should I just simply avoid these jam tracks and use something more standard?
2. Most of the jam tracks have the turn around in bar twelve. Should I make sure to follow this chord progression? continue reading...

Obtaining a chromatic is now on my radar as LOA 5 is coming up and you recommend studying No Sweat. Looking through the other LOA's I'm not sure I saw much chromatic work in them. So my question is do you routinely get your students who show some interest in chromatic to include it as part of their daily practice routine? Also, do you believe that chromatic practice can be considered to be highly beneficial to diatonic proficiency or is is it actually more like studying a different instrument? Thanks!

DAVE,  I  AM  TRYING  TO  WATCH  SOME  OF  RYAN  WALKERS  VIDEOS.  I  HAVE WATCHED  THEM  IN  THE  PAST,  BUT  NOW  I  CANT  GET  INTO  THEM.  INSTEAD  OF  A  VIDEO,  I  GET  A  IMAGE  OF A  CIRCLE,  WITH  A  EXCLAMATION  POINT  IN  IT !!!  DO  I  HAVE  TO  INTALL  SOMETHING,  OR  UPDATE  SOMETHING? continue reading...

Hello David,

i'm wondering where does Joe Tartaglia lesson 23 appear on the website? Where is the music notation?

Thanks Roger

Hi David,

This is more a consideration than a question:

I have been working 8 months on diatonic harmonica and only once I worked on chromatic study 1 "no sweat", that was several months ago.

I decided to spread the other three chromatic lessons in loa 6,7,8 and I was a bit scared about going back to the chromatic harmonica because I played a lot the diatonic and I thought not to have much skills on that one..... continue reading...