Ask Instructor David Barrett

I'm just starting out with the harmonica and I have gone through level 1 videos.

One thing I'm a bit confused about is how to tongue block for holes 2 and 3. All of the excercises leading up to Walk With Me used holes 4 and above.

So for 2, for examble, would you suggest placing lips over holes 2-5, and blocking 3-5?

And for 3, placing lips over 3-6, and blocking 4-6?

Hi David,

 When I get the 9+ hole in the 6th measure, It's ok for me to let some excess airs out through the nose as I'm doing the tremolo on 9+ ?

Thanks,

Tung

I think I've watched all of the videos related to improv and music theory.  A couple queestion to clarify.....

When soloing using the key of G blues scale......When you are on chord change IV, should you avoid notes of the G blues scale that are not chord scale notes of the C chord?  When your on the IV, can you add notes of the C blues scale that are not part of the G blues scale?

Also.... continue reading...

For the long sustained notes in Gary's Blues, I can sustain a single note (3rd chorus) but I often run out of breath with the double notes versions (4th and 6th chorus). I think I start fully empty.

I suspect several causes. continue reading...

Breathing is challenging in Gary's Blues. I have followed your lessons about breathing, but often those techniques are not enough to make me confortably breath (I will post another question about that). When I have filled all my lower "stomach" space, I need to finish with some breast ("upper") inhaling. Then everything becomes tense, shoulders and throat...

Can breast-breathing be used as a last-chance "reserve"? and in that case, should I learn to stay relaxed even when doing it (seems hard)? continue reading...

Hello Dave,

Here I am with another musical dilema.

I am curently trying to learn the 'mean old world' piece by little walter.

The recording where he does a lot of 3 4 trills.

On the solo he goes into a 'bent trill' and then releases.

Thats pretty common in other pieces as well in a couple of songs i have studdied here.

So my question: how deep can I afford to bend that trill before it nolonger sounds musical? 

can it be 3''' 4' or i should aim for 3" 4' or even 3' 4' ?

Hello, David! I've been of BluesHarmonica.com for a bit, just after I achieved LoA4, but I never stopped playing. Although I was drawn to this site becuase of the LoA structure, I felt I had reached a point where I needed something a bit more free-flowing and less structured, especially since this is my only experience as a musician. I started my own journey and feel I have grown quite a bit in my improvisational ability during the last year. continue reading...

While working on The Strut and doing the 1 4 draw octave I'm noticing that it's possible (though difficult) to bend both draws, as well as get a crazy psychedelic intonation related beating if you bend one slightly out of tune with the other. Obviously, working on level four, there are tons of things I could prioritize practicing, but it was a fun distraction. Are these useful techniques moving forward that I might revisit and keep in my back pocket? 

While working on The Strut and doing the 1 4 draw octave I'm noticing that it's possible (though difficult) to bend both draws, as well as get a crazy psychedelic intonation related beating if you bend one slightly out of tune with the other. Obviously, working on level four, there are tons of things I could prioritize practicing, but it was a fun distraction. Are these useful techniques moving forward that I might revisit and keep in my back pocket? 

bonjour David est se que tu aurais des bon backing blues chicago  et rein d'autre a me passer ou sur youtube  ou que toi tu as pour improviser dessus ?? merci