Ask Instructor David Barrett

This may be a administrative question - How do I change my account name from Bugworks to Ron Wikstrom?

It seems that my 4 draw tone is a little thin. I am happy with my acoustic tone, but amplified it just doesn't seem as fat. There seems to be something about the shape of the chamber in my mouth on the 4 hole that keeps me from getting that fat sound I can get from the 1-3 holes. I can't seem to ge a good "honk" out of it. Dropping my jaw seems to help bit, yet feels unnatural. I understand it is a higher note and not as bassy, but it still seems a tad thin. Any suggestions? Thanks!

The new lessons on improvising (and the related Gary Smith, Mark Hummel/RickEstrin and Joe Tartaglia submissions) are pure gold - fantastic ideas!

When does a repetitive chorus form like AAA become a hook - does it depend on whether the whole band plays the same idea? And how far does the chorus form concept apply to other kinds of chord progressions, like common jazz progressions (not that I can play jazz, but I'm just curious)? It's so much more helpful than the 'tell a story' advice or 'learn your scales first', which is what I've stumbled on in the past when trying to learn guitar.

About the 1 hole tongue block, tongue switching

Can you do it all the time? Like on the turn-around -2 -2" -1 -1 it seems counterintuitive

I have trouble switching from a technique to another. Would be better for me to stick to a method on the 1 hole

Maybe i just need more speed with the tongue

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David,

I'm lovin' the scale talk on your Tip of the Day. This, I think, is the key area for me to work on for what I'm shooting for with harp (I'm still remembering Jason Ricci's interview on the importance of scale work which mimics my own learning experience in rock music work).

Are you planning to do any videos on this stuff? I'm having a tough time grasping the context and would love some exercise work that makes sense (I used to have the same problem with your books, which is why I love that you started this site. I've always been an ear-and-eye-learner).

If you know Steve Guyger's 'Blues from the Darkside' off his Last Train to Dover album (and I bet it's filed on your Mac somewhere!), I wonder if you could answer a couple of questions about it. Firstly, is it a 16 hole chromatic he's playing? Secondly, he often ends the main lick (a great example of dynamics and repetition) with either tremolo or a flutter, but I can't figure out which - I hear it at 0.36 -0.40 ... been trying to match the sound but I'm not convinced I've got it. continue reading...

I am able to get a good tight grip and seal on the mic with my diatonic and I am happy with my tone. However, once I have to play above the 5 hole I loose the tight seal and my tone gets very thin and airy. It becomes especially hard if I am working a run up from the 2 to the 6 or higher and then quickly bring it back down. Any advice on keeping it all tight and buried into my check? continue reading...

Hi David getting into this chromatic playing,so do I slap any notes in the No Sweat song .
Thanks Ron

Dear David

Blowing hole 1+ and 4+ gives the C-octaves.
Drawing hole 1 and 4 gives the D-octaves.....and so on.

We also play two other dissonant chords, 2-5 draw and 3-6 draw.

How is drawing 2(G) and 5(F) called ?
How is drawing 3 and 6 called ?

Thank you.

Paolo