Ask Instructor David Barrett

Hi David,

My wife and I recently bought a new house that we plan on being in for a long time. One requirement for our new house was that I have a place to play amplified blues harp, albeit at low volume. The house fulfills that need. So, I'm planning on buying an amp, and the Wezo ME-18 is on the short list. I had a Wezo-45 for some time before selling it to a fellow BluesHarmonica.com member. I loved that amp, and as you said, it is fantastic even at low volume. How is the ME-18 at low volume? Also, do you have any experience with the optional half-power switch?

Thanks,

Gregg

on evan's shuffle at 0:55 is he triple tongueing the 5 draw triplets?

Hey David,

I've just finished the lesson and I learned a lot.

Just a few remarks about the pdf document:
- In EX. 1.1, 3.2 and 4.2, you inverted the order of lines Ab and Eb in the wording. It's Ok in the completed exercise.
- In Ex. 4.5, I think that 8'+ is a b5th and not a 4th.

All the best,

Eddy

I have recently ben playing suzuki promaster vavled harps and I was wondering what your thoughts are as far as bending. Are they more difficult to bend than diatonics that are not valved?

Hi David

I have some questions about Harp positions , The first position is same as the Harmonica tune that I think called as straight harp , for example if we have C harmonica the 1st position is C , but about 2nd position , I think it's the 5th degree of scale , for example for C harmonica is G that called as cross harp .

But I have a question about this Chart :
http://www.bluesharmonica.com/sites/bluesharmonica.com/files/private/Pos... continue reading...

Forgot to mention him as an artist that really does it for me. How the hell did he play so freakishly fast? Was he using repetitive patterns like you talk about in the rock book or something else? It sounds more like guitar shredding a la Clapton than horn lines and such. Is he playing with integrity to the chords and all that or just going nuts?
-Taylor

I am still working on getting Walk with Me up to full tempo with the jam track. Didn't have as much time to practice during May so kind of got stalled there for a while, then yesterday I had a revelation... why not try playing it faster than 100% speed, and then when I go back to 100% it should be easier. The software I use (Transcribe!) has a speed up feature so I started at 98% and sped it up 1% each time I played it up to 103%. It's helping! continue reading...

Hi David

I saw this on a video player . On the play line it has a Loop A B click A where you want it to start than click B where you want it to stop . This would be good to have the video's and interviews

Sounds Good ? : )

Hi David,

I've been working really hard on my tone. I was wondering if in blues, a big tone is always used when possible (obviously not everyone has a big tone). In other words, should I always strive for as open and big tone as I can get or is there a time and place for a thin tone?

-Taylor

Hi David,
I can't seem to get the second hole to draw and the first hole is dull when it sounds. I know your lesson mentioned the tongue is the probable culprit but I can't seem to get the darn thing to behave. Any further advice?
Cheers