Ask Instructor David Barrett

Hi David - just finished a 3 week "break" from the harp playing not much time up at my bro in law's winery where I help out each year during harvest. Yes you did enjoy the glass(es) of wine I had for you ;-) continue reading...

Seems like I can slap a hole, after breathing air through the whole chord, but without giving enough time for the reeds to start vibrating. Or, I can give the whole chord time to sound fully, then slap to the single hole. But, this can be difficult with quick notes. Should I still work on getting the full chord to sound, on every slap?

David,
For as much time as I have spent on 3 Hole draw bends .... it seems to me that my time has not been very productive. I thought I was getting somewhere but when I listen to what it is suppossed to sound like...Wow...not even close. 3 half and whole steps are elusive and to just got to that note from somewhere else takes too long for me. I can start on 3 natural and draw in down to a whole step but not just go there and hit it. Especially when it has to be done in all the different Keys.
Where can I got to escape for awhile? I have been at it for a year at least. continue reading...

in your last tip you mentioned a lee oskar lick. Since it´s only tab, I don´t know how to play the lick in rythm.
Is it done with triplets? thanks!

Just got a low D harp, which I'm really liking. I've noticed listening to various players that some play softly to avoid the lower reeds clinking against the cover plates, but others seem to play with a normal volume, especially on more intense passages, and let the reeds clink away. Does it matter either way? The sound doesn't really bother me and I can play play softly enough to avoid the noise (as long as I focus on it), but I don't want to get into bad habits!

David, when I'm trying to play several different bends on the 3 draw (which I've been trying to do on the 3rd chorus of 'Off the Wall'), I struggle to make them sound like distinct notes. Rather than hitting them as different notes, I tend to slur between them, so you can hear the bend in between. When I try to articulate them separately, I often lose the bend or accidentally bend the reed down too much. Any tips that would help fix this?

G'day David,

I'm sorry if this is too far off-topic...(its not harmonica, but it is blues...) continue reading...

Hey Dave!

Just when I thought I wasn't going to have any other interest I decide to just look at the chromatic lessons and now I've got the fever. I had an old Hohner key of C Chromatic called THE "CHROMONICA" . When I try to play along it doesn't sound the same is that because it's 10 hole or is it not solo tuning or is it possibly got problems it is old??

Thanks!

David,
I am working on the 3 hole bends....in this case Key of A.
Using my tuner I can reach F# or 3" but as I do my volume goes way down....the lower I go.
Why is that and what to do?
Also on the 3 hole....I reach a certain point and then the reeds let out a squeal...what does that mean?
Thank you!
Steve

Hi David!!!

in the Joe Filisko interview "Approach to accompaniment playing ",
I love how he approach to accompaniment in this video,
the rhythmic percussive example at the end of that section ,Filisko used "pulls"?

Thanks

Best Regards

Marko