Ask Instructor David Barrett

I'm sorry if this posted in the wrong forum, but the "contact us" on this site is broken. And the "contact us" on the harmonicmasterclass has an invalid email address (email bounces).

I love the site and I'm excited to learn more but I have a problem with the videos. I'm a deployed Marine so I am using the internet via a ship at sea. I can download pdfs and mp3s just fine (if slowly) and can watch some videos, but most videos will not load. (Even the short 1-2 min videos take 15 mins to load if they load at all.) continue reading...

Dave,

Do you have any idea what the problem is when Cakewalk starts stuttering and breaking up, sometime going into Dropout? I can't get through a whole track to record my tunes.

Hi David.

Sorry about my bad English. I'm not native speaker.
This site is excellent. It's very helpful for me.
But There is few lesson about harmonica rhythm, especially like Sonny Terry Style.
Do you have a plan for new lesson for this topic?

Anyway, thank you for good lesson.

Sorry about the triple post - tried to delete through the edit feature but it just reposted. I'll ask in the admin section how to delete.

If covered somewhere else, please refer me there David.

What would be an approach to tackling one chord songs? Got hit with one at the last jam and never really thought about it before. I know there are 8 bar blues and 16 bar blues but they have a chord sequence like the 12 bar blues. Can you take a similar approach to chorus forms (A,A,B)?? Are the varied in chorus length the same way (eg. 12 bars)? How do you know when the chorus is over and a new one is starting? Turnaround? etc.

Would this be a possible lesson or is it so obvious that I'm missing something??

If covered somewhere else, please refer me there David.

What would be an approach to tackling one chord songs? Got hit with one at the last jam and never really thought about it before. I know there are 8 bar blues and 16 bar blues but they have a chord sequence like the 12 bar blues. Can you take a similar approach to chorus forms (A,A,B)?? Are the varied in chorus length the same way (eg. 12 bars)? How do you know when the chorus is over and a new one is starting? Turnaround? etc.

Would this be a possible lesson or is it so obvious that I'm missing something??

If covered somewhere else, please refer me there David.

What would be an approach to tackling one chord songs? Got hit with one at the last jam and never really thought about it before. I know there are 8 bar blues and 16 bar blues but they have a chord sequence like the 12 bar blues. Can you take a similar approach to chorus forms (A,A,B)?? Are the varied in chorus length the same way (eg. 12 bars)? How do you know when the chorus is over and a new one is starting? Turnaround? etc.

Would this be a possible lesson or is it so obvious that I'm missing something??

Hi David I'm having trouble with all the 1 hole draws in the Strut I fill up with air very quickly. I think that I tense up when I see all them 1's coming up any advise ?
Many thanks Ron

David,
I have paused in my lessons to back and take a closer look at learning rhythm. I dont think it is that easy..at least for me. Your book CLASSIC CHICAGO BLUES HARP #1, has an excellent section on rhythmic training...but it is very fast, at least for me. It like learning to dance...I have to go slow.
I have sought out local teachers but the lessons bog down immediately as each one has his own way and frankly they dont have the talent you do in teaching. Not even close.
Any plans on making LEARNING RHYTHM a subject of learning on the website?

Hi David. I feel one of my weaknesses so far is a strong tremelo, and I've been working on it in different ways. One thing I'm doing is practicing Walter Horton's "Easy". Is he using the tremelo effect or something covered later in the lessons.
Thanks