Ask Instructor David Barrett

Hi David. I have two questions:

1. How do you record the study songs? What amp(s), mics, software, etc? How do you place the mic(s)? Do you record with your Dan-Echo plugged into your amp, and/or add reverb or delay effects using software? Do you eq the harp track with the recording software? Add compression, other effects? continue reading...

Dave, I am just getting ready to get into lesson 3, with Ryan Walker. Here, you are talking about bullet mic's. I have a shure PG48 mic. I know noyhing about mic"s. WHAT KIND WOULD YOU recomend, for a player, still in the early stages of a intermediate player> Thanks Dan

hi
working while on TB Ex3 Garys Blues ,
hop my slap dip ok Before i go faster
can i send 30% slow ?

thanks
eli

Hi David

I can get a free up grade on my cell phone. There was a post awhile back that said certain cell phone don't have a CODEC or some thing like that so B.H. won't work on them . To watch vid lesson on the Cell.. I remember it said that it doesn't work on Droids.

I have Verizion LG What phone's does B.H. work on? So I don't get the wrong 1 . To $$$$$$$ for me but does B.H. work on Smart Phone's

Also when practicing M.T. 5 C Major scale G Major ect: do I slap them?

Thanks continue reading...

Hi David,
Some corrections and suggestions:

Corrections:
In MT3 a few tables have been corrected. These corrected tables should be copied into MT4 as well:
* MT3 answer 4.18 --> MT4 answer Ex 1.5 & 4.3
* MT3 answer 4.19 --> MT4 answer EX 1.6 & 4.4
* MT3 answer 4.17 --> MT4 answer Ex 1.7 & 4.5

Answer 1.19:
*3rd bar: Bb is a flat 3rd
*3rd bar: Gb should list OT/PT
*8th bar: either B with 3 or Bb with 3' and b on the staff (not sure what you're playing? 3' ?)

Suggestion:
In Answer 1.14 use same representation as in 1.19: continue reading...

Hi David

The 5th note on the C Major Scale is G 2/3 + . So it's 2/3 played at the same time? Not sure because I don't see that on any other scale's and it's not an Ocatve right? so that would be a dirty note asJoe Filisko puts it?

Thanks

I just joined your site and finished Lesson 1 - Blues Harmonica Fundamentals. I consider myself an advanced beginner in that I know some songs, I can do all the bends on the draw holes, etc... I have always u-blocked, and both tongue blocking and puckering seem so foreign to me. I am not adverse to learning tongue blocking as it will give me the opportunity to do things I otherwise couldn't, but I have a few questions.

Should I buckle down and learn tongue blocking and then go from there or should I learn tongue blocking while I use u-blocking to learn other things on the site? continue reading...

DAVE I HAVE been working on garys blues, I HAVE HAD TROUBLE with my timeing in the past, and I am haveing trouble again with G> B>, I wanted to know if I was to use my metronome, what B. P. M., would I use, for this song? This method has really helped me in the past. I cant keep up with the recordings, and I dont want to send a submission to you, where the jam tract finishes, and I still have three measures to go. Thanks for any info...Dan.

Apologies for this as I'm sure it's somewhere in the video, but I missed it and can't find it. In, for example, Ex 1.10 where the opening notes are 1 draw, 2 draw, where are you suggesting the tongue (and face!) go? I was assuming the tongue would be on the right for 1 draw, left for 2 draw, and the face moving left, but it doesn't look as if you are doing that on the video.

Thanks
Simon Hallett

I recently splurged on a Marine Band 1896 after playing on plastic combs for awhile.. Right after I bought it, and before I took it out of the box, I called my friend who has been playing for decades and told him the news.. He told me that it's a great harmonica, but he prefers the Special 20 because it has a plastic comb and the wood can be problematic with swelling and all. After playing it for a few days, my observation is that the wood comb is slightly recessed under the ridges of the metal plates. Compared to my trusty old beginner plastic comb harps, the combs actually hang over.. continue reading...