Ask Instructor David Barrett

Hi David, you have been really busy.

What part of your tongue do you use when doing the Octaves on a Chromatic harmonica? I know the mouth has to be wide. Is it different than the Diatonic?

Thank you so much

Will

Hi David...I am currently in an acoustic guitar duo. Although some of our songs are in the blues category, many are not. I'd like to be able to play harmonica on other types of songs also. Some of our songs are in a minor key, some have a pop strum feel, some are in open tunings, etc. What would you recommend I look to on your site? Would 1st position help me? I am probably an early intermediate in terms of skill level. I haven't tried to learn my high end bends yet, if that helps you at all, but I am pretty good at the low bends. Thanks...

Interesting timing! In your tip of the day, you are currently talking about freqency of tremolo, shakes, etc. When I was recently studying "Walk With Me" for level 1 LOA, I determined that your tremolo on it was pretty much always triplet-frequency. In fact, it sent me back to the drawing board to try to get better frequency control of my own tremolo (only semi-successfully) to try to master the triplet-tremolo technique. My own has alway been, let's call it "eclectic" in frequency. continue reading...

Good morning David,

I'm currently working on Solo Harmonica Study 1. Ex. 1.10 (from James Cotton's "3-Harp Boggie") is indeed, like you said, a tongue-twister! (To really develop my ability to tongue-switch between hole 1 and 2 I've been warming up with Ex. 1.3 and 1.8, switching (or trying) back and forth between holes 1 and 2.) Doing it lip-pursed is no problem, but tongue-blocked... it's tricky.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.
Dutch Martin

Hi David,
Any tips on improving my vibrato? I feel I have 2 types of vibrato: too fast and weak, or controlled but harsh and too "cough-like". Any recommendations on exercises I can do to improve my control and quality of tone? Thanks.

Mackie Sheckfee

Hi David, continue reading...

Hi David...I had recently completed upto Gary's Blues, to my satisfaction, and Solo Harmonica 1 and 2. According to the old classifications, I was about halfway through the intermediate level. Shortly after that came the first chromatic study, No Sweat. Now on the new LOA, correct me if I am wrong, but, at first glance, I don't see any chromatic studies. I was looking forward to my first chromatic studies and had already viewed some of Ryan's lessons on chromatic. continue reading...

Hi Dave

This will the first of many questions about L.O.A. ( 1 ) as you said in the intro to L.O.A. about submission's sent in b 4 L.O.A. you can use that. I sent a submission in awhile ago. " Walk with me ". The best I could do. for my first time . Don't want to sound mad. But you where kinda of " Harsh " on me. I say that in a good way : ) I mention this bc now I cant wood shed bc I have room mates and every 1 comes and goes.. I don't want any 1 to complain and say %^& .to me and laugh continue reading...

Hi Dave:
I would love to see Al Blake being interviewed in depth if possible. Thanks Doug Baz

He David, the website is changing as we speak. It is great.

I am using Itunes to have my songs lined up to play in succession and it has the .pdf tabs right there so it is all ready to be played. This is different from digging in with the slow downer. It all has its purposes.

My question is, for e.g. I am working on Gary's Blues at full tempo with the Jam track. When you are jamming against it, are you listening to where the bass is going, or is it the drums or is it both? continue reading...