Ask Instructor David Barrett

I know this will vary with each person, but I thought I would ask for a general answer. How long should we be at each level before progressing if we are playing 30min-1hr a day? When you came up with the LOA program did you have a timeline for level progression? Should I be on Level 1 for 1 month or 3months..? What is the general expectation?

Hi David, another question.

I was listening to the "Introduction to Accompaniment Playing Study 3". At about the 40 second mark, you mentioned that you hoped we were studying our "note cards".

I must have missed that. Can you tell me where to find how to make these cards? I need some practice on this. I assume these "note cards" are flash cards of some sort.

Thanks David,

Hank

Hello David,

I am looking over the Level 3 Test requirements. It looks to me like I can choose one of ex. 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.3 or 2.4  for the Solo requirement. I just want to be sure. I will practice all of them anyway.

Thanks, Hank

In the Solo Harmonica lessons there is an exercise called Mark Hammel’s Submission.  In the second chorus there are some 3’ draw notes with a plus sign above them which I think means these are half of a half step bend.  If I have that correct my question is why would someone only do a quarter bend for a note?  My untrained ear can’t hear the difference. 

My second question is, how do you reliable do a quarter bend?  I use the Keee sound to get the 3’ and even then, I struggle to not pass the half step bend.

Thank you,

Brian in Tennessee

bonjour David je me pose quant meme beaucoup de questions j'ai peur en fait d'apprendre tous se que tu me donne ici en leçon et de ne pouvoir tous retenir de cela pour apres si un jour ont me demande de jouer en groupe je pense que je ne pourrais jamais tous retenir car sa fait beaucoup de choses c'est une peur que j'ai car la musique c'est un long chemin sa fait deja 9 ans que je pretique l'harmonica et dont 8 ans avec un proffesseur en françe et je doute de mon travaille et de ma memoire a pouvoir tous mettre ensemble c'est assez flippant de se dire que je rique par rapport a d'autres mus continue reading...

Hi David,

should I skip playing Eb in Chromatic Scale exercise for LOA 7?  Or the purpose was to learn overblows/overdraws and Eb have to be played?

Hi David, 

When playing The Tub, should I be trying to slap all the notes (except hole 1 and slurred)? The bent eighth notes are sometimes a little awkward to play and (at least now) don't always sound as musical as I'd like when slapped. Thank you for your advice. 

Eric_C

Greetings David

One of the songs that you provided with the Self Accompained Playing work shop was "Time Machine in my Pocket", what a cool cool tune. By chance is there a lession on Blue harmonica . com for this??

Thanks Thomas

Is there some special difficulty to bend 5 draw? I am studying Take it Easy Now, and find that hard (and also with a A harmonica, to which I am more used).

I can bend 4 and 6 down to the middle pitch between blow and draw. If I could do that for 5, I should reach 1/4 tone, but I don't.

You demonstrate going further down approaching the bottom note, even to the point of being sometimes too low (to my ears) for 4' or 6'. I can't go that far. Is the same skill that is required to really bend the 5? (I mean at least a 1/4 tone down.) continue reading...

Hi David,

I've been playing on and off since high school days, then two years ago, picked up the harmonica again and started playing more seriously. I can play a bunch of easy songs with some blusey melodies, but my dilemma is that I learned the harmonica upside down ( with the scale on the bottom), but got used to it after all those years and have been playing that way since I started. Shoud I turn the harmonica the right side up and start to r e-learn the harmonical the correct side up, or just stick with the way I've been playing all these years?

  continue reading...