Ask Instructor David Barrett

G'day David, i'm looking for jam tracks suitable for All Night Long (Rock Me), Early in the Morning (as per jr wells hoodoo man blues album) and Wish You Would, such as Billy Boy Arnold played on his Back Where I Belong album.

Have you put out a set which would cover all these?

Thanks,
Dave

Hi David,
when you applying the 5 type of chorus forms during improvisation,
you choose the chorus form before play it or during a lick and choose where to go in the moment?

thanks

Best Regards

Marko

Hi David

I found a lick chart ( Mel Bay's Blues Harp Licks Chart by you .But lost the CD is there any way I can get another copy ( MB 20719BCD )

Thanks

Question about phrasing: I often find when playing to jam tracks that my phrasing is becoming too regular - everything starts on the first beat, lasts two bars, then there's a pause, repeat the lick for two bars, etc., etc. I think partly it's a consequence of concentrating on using chorus forms and partly from having a limited lick vocabulary. I don't mind that too much because I know it's just an inevitable stage in learning - you pick up a structure and apply it too rigidly at first - but it's still frustrating. continue reading...

Hi David,
since you just asked for questions here I am :-)
I saw you reccomend to go amplified the soonest possible (starting with the 2nd song)
To someone on a low budget, what do you advise better: just practice holding a glass to get used to the "mic" (I'm already doing, cool exercise) or a smokey amp coupled with a bottle 'o blues mic will give a better training then with no amp at all?

Hi David,
I'm really sorry to bother you about the 2 hole draw, I've read and listened all your very usefull tips about it.
I'm working hard at it after you told to open it a bit regarding my song submission.
I found the only way to make it sound round and open so far (I dont know how to explain better) is to "kick" the reed starting vibrate attacking the note with the tounge in an almost bending position, to relax it soon after and make it sound open, the note do not sound bended but just closed in that attack, and is almost unnoticable before it start to sound correctly. continue reading...

Hello David,

I've recently bought Finale 2011. It's a tremendously dense program. I especially tried to use the Hyperscribe tool. I let you imagine how the result was funny. By the way, which template do you use to write your songs? Don't you plan to add a topic in the software lessons explaining the minimum skill to write a beautiful score like yours?

Hi David

I found this on Harmonica Session ( No More Excuses - Part IV ) With David Barrett : ) So the D Major scale D E F ( sharp ) G A B C ( sharp ) D . I 'm a bit confussed becuase The 1 Draw is D & 4 draw is D 2 blow is E ect: where do I start to play the scale ? and not sure about the (sharps ) are not on the C harmonica ,( Layout of the C Harmonica that what confuse's me

Thanks

I have a 280 Chromonica which I took apart to clean. I can't seem to get the mouth plate back on tightly. I had Hohner send me some new clear bushings that go into the comb that the screws screw into - but they just don't tighten. The screws just spin and spin, but never tighten which leaves the mouth plate, slide and comb cover loose. There appears to be no damge to the comb or the screws. Hohner wants $150 dollars for an overhaul since it is no longer under warranty and I am not willing to spend that kind of money as everything else on the harp is fine. continue reading...

Hi David

Are the Rock Harmonica Book 2xCD in stores yet?

Thanks