Ask Instructor David Barrett

Hi Dave:

Exercise 1.4,  when i play the one-two draw is that puckered or Tongue Blocked. Do I cover holes 3 and 4 with my tongue?

Thanks,

John

Hi David,

I have just tried the link to download the Improvising Study 2-focus notes, textures and Rhythm PDF and unfortunately the link is not recognised, stating page not found. I have let the webmaster know also,

Thanks,

G

Sorry to bother you on a Sunday.  I have another question re tongue-blocking holes 1, 2 and 3.  Since my tongue only has to block one or two holes, it has a tendency to use a part closer to the tip, or even the tip itself.  Is this OK, or should I be resisting this tendency, and trying to keep exactly the same position as with the other holes? 

When you write a song, do you typically:

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Hi. Sorry if this question is answered somewhere in your instruction material, but if so I've missed it. In Walk With Me, Chorus 4 for instance, at the very beginning you've got a little squiggle between the first two eighth-notes. What is this? A short tremolo?

Thank you

Hi. I too am a pucker player trying to learn TB. I appreciate your Special Note to Pucker Players, but still, I want to TB all your lessons, because puckering the first three holes on, for instance, Walk With Me, is just too easy and I wouldn't learn anything. The only real problem I still have is airtightness. No matter how much I try, I always hear air escaping on the 2 and 3 blows on my A harmonica, whereas when I pucker them, they're airtight. If I change the angle of my harmonica or try to blow softer there's some progress, but never enough. Do you have any tips? Thanks!

Hi. In Solo Harmonica Study 1, examples 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3, after pulling on the upbeats, do you mark a tiny silence before slapping the next note, or is it all done in the same chord, i.e., is the chord you get from pulling the upbeats the same one you use for slapping the next note, in which case the only silences would be the brief ones between the down and upbeats? I hope my question is clear. Thanks.

Hi David,

At the 7th place, it seems that you mistook "Walter's Boogie" on the album "Can't Keep Lovin' You" for "Walter's Swing" on the album "Fine Cuts".

Have a nice weekend.

Eddy

A few weeks back, I went to a harmonica workshop with Adam Gussow where he passed out a list of his "Essential Blues Repertoire for Harmonica." I'd like to start playing out at blues jams, but I've only learned "Walk with Me" and "Temperature" so far. I want to learn a couple of the standards (for example, "Kansas City" or "Baby Please Don't Go") . Will they come up in the course of the Levels of Achievement, or is there someplace you would recommend (maybe one of the Mel Bay books you've written)? I imagine there might be some legal hurdles to put something like that on this site.

I'm working on the Solo section of the "Levels of Achievement" level 1 study 1and my question is ....

with hole 1 and 2 .... Do I tongue block (with my tongue towards the right) ?
Do I pucker hole 1 and 2?
Do I put the harmonica down and cry?

Thanks

Jake