Ask Instructor David Barrett

I finally got my feet back on the ground from a global whirlwind over the past couple of months. I open Bluesharmonica.com for the first time in a while this weekend, and what do I find?

You were in Trossingen?!?

I was literally down the road from you in Neckartenzlingen for three days the same time you were in Trossingen! JEEZ, I wish I had been checking the website more frequently.

Wow, small world... continue reading...

Your advice on using second position licks over the IV chord in third position has been a real eye opener - I hadn't made that connection between the different positions before. It's definitely helping my playing. continue reading...

Hello David! of all the harmonica's, the 3 draw on tha A, is the most difficult. you use the A harmonica for the walk with me lesson, i am working my way through it, but i need some advice as to getting a better sound from the 3 draw...it not only sounds like a strain, but it also is hard to draw on...
help?

thanks, T-Bone
T. Hoovestol

Glad you're having a great time in Europe. Hope the trip home is smooth and safe.

As a technical writer, I learned to ask the "dumb" questions, because if I have it someone else will too: So,

1. What's a monitor? and

2. In your awesome site with so much information, is there a spot I can go to that talks about monitors?

(I can't keep up with what you have already, and my guess is there's so much more to come.)

If you go from a 4 dip bend to a 5-2 side flutter, do you

1.play the 5 first

or

2. play the 2 first?

(As in Off the Wall, 5th chorus, 7th bar)

Thanks,

Anne Marie

(Sorry I wasn't clear. I write for a living, so I tend not to be clear unless I'm being paid :-)

Dave,
Ex. 2.6 Rhumba 3
after the 3 combo..
it goes 4 5+ then a chord 4321
you say to take your tongue off ...but dont you have to move down one hole first to the 4.so that your not drawing draw 1-5 holes.?
Thank you!

Blowin' the Blues - 4th chorus. The notation says "normal pitch". I'm not sure what this means. If its covered somewhere else, my apologies but the video doesn't mention anything and it sounds just like its "normal" - or is that the point? I just don't get it. Thanks.

Hi David,
Before subscribing to this site i was primarily using a puckered embouchure. i did some tongue blocking, generally on melody pieces which didn't require bending. i found it awkward changing between puckering and TB, so decided to just learn to play TB.

Now i tongue-block almost 100%, and am quite happy with it. continue reading...

David,
Solo 1...
Ex. 2.6 Rhumba.....are the notes after the rythmic breaths always slapped?
should I be trying to slap everything (except 1)..all the time in my blues studies?

Ex. 2.8 Slow Blues....is it OK to hit 3" instead of 3'.....before going natural?
is it preferred?

Ex. 2.3 Shuffle ... you mention the 5 draw is the FLATTED 7TH which sounds most bluesy.
Is that why my JUST TUNED harp has a 5 Draw tuned FLAT?

Thank you!
I am really enjoying Solo 1......your instruction as always is superb.

ok im having difficulty not sounding like others nd making it original i wanted to do a fox chase stlye rythem with some train stuff as well but the stuff i have studied mainly through youtube and deford of course makes it sound as them with some of my own twist i guess its a combo between joe filisko, richard sleigh, deford bailey, palmer mcabee and some shorty medlocke train stuff but im afraid it wont be looked at as original so do i scrap it or submitt it anyway and just let others listen and yall scrap it. HELP PLEASE!!!!!!!!