Ask Instructor David Barrett

Hi Dave,

I'm just learning how to tongue block and have found your Level 1 lessons to be extremely helpful.  I'm now working on learning to play Walk with Me and wonder if I should be aiming to play the whole song with the tongue block method.  It's a bit of a challenge to move around the holes on the lower end of the harp (3, 1) using the tongue block method.  But I'll keep at it if this is the goal.  

I also found your "switching" lesson to be helpful in going back and forth between holes 1 and 4 with tongue blocking.

thanks continue reading...

Hi David,

I have only been on the site for a week and really enjoying it.  My question is that when I set up for tongue blocking my mouth covers 4 holes.  After I have been up and down the harp doing scales etc my mouth only seems to cover 3 holes. My question is will this improve as time goes on and my mouth muscles tone up or is this something that I really need to work on now as it will hinder me playing octaves later on.  Thanks.

Andy

Hi David,

The LOA-Program is really cool to not lose the red line and get back on track for me when I find myself somewhere else on your site. Especially the Submission 2 by Gary Smith is very helpfull for me at the moment to develop routine for the Study Song (even though I know that each additional loop I take delays my submission to get to the next level :-) continue reading...

Hi David. I'm brand new to the harmonica (3 weeks in) and have really enjoyed the direction that this site has given. There's a ton of information and it would probably be an overload without the systematic approach of LOA. I'm sure you have this info somewhere but I couldn't find it. I have been able to practice most days 30-60 minutes. I can play single notes up and down, most of Walk With Me & Solo Study 1. My question is how would you structure 30-60 min of practice time per day? What are the most important things to be focusing on? continue reading...

Do I get it right that when performing pulls, one more hole is to be blocked? For example, if in transcription holes (123) are notated as a pull, does it mean that holes (1234) are to be blocked before performing a pull? In your tutorial on "Gary's Blues" Chorus 1 when talking about Bar 2 you say: "you do a deep slap on a 3, stick your tongue out, block more holes". It means that holes (1234) are to be blocked before the pull, altough notation says (123). Also in tutorial with a Tongue Block Trainer you block one more hole. continue reading...

DAVE,  HAS   MY  MEMBERSHIP  EXPIRED?

  SO  LET  M

DAVE,  HAS   MY  MEMBERSHIP  EXPIRED?

  SO  LET  M

Hi David.  All snowed in here in St. Louis so I'm working on Blues in the Dark today.  Do you know of a good backing track to use?  Shoji doesn't have one, unless I missed it.  If it's in the wrong key (likely) I can change it with Audacity.  Something in E might work.

Thanks,

Steve

Happy New Year, David!

Should I be reviewing old material? continue reading...

I''m working on level 1 solo harmonica study 1.

In exercise 2.1 to 2.3, we have much draws and very few blows: after a couple of measures I'm full of air.

How can I manage that ?