Ask Instructor David Barrett

Hello Dave,

Can you please write me how should I approach example 8 from movement studdy 1 when playing it in the "other" direction from the bottom up?

would it be more approprite to go: 1+  | 1  1+ | 2+ 1 | 2" 2+ |...

                                                  or: 1+  | 1+ 1  | 1  2+| 2+ 2" |... continue reading...

Hi dear, 

first of all I wanted to thank you for free lessons. I have a problem when I click on the links. A window opens and after a while I get this massage: The connection was reset.

Would you please help me solve the problem?

Hello David,

I hope you and your family are keeping well during these crazy times.

I believe that you have answered this question in the past, but I hope you don't mind reflecting on it again.

I believe that you are a proponent of building a lick vocabulary and I believe that I have heard you say that improvising efficiently and well, is the ability to recall these licks more or less at will, when playing to a jam track, for instance.  continue reading...

Hello David.......I am considering purchasing your book called " Building Harmonica Technique". I have several of your other lesson books on blues harmonica and they show some harmonica technique in them.  My question....is the material on harmonica technique presented in the lesson books that I already have much the same information that is presented in the book called, "Building Harmonica Technique? " Perhaps the purchase wouldn't be necessary. Thx John

Hi David,

I am practicing Solo Harmonica Study 2 Example 1.5 in order to submit to the LOA 

thecnially i can play the right notes but i am not sure how to play it with a Meronom

can you please furher explain what do you mean by "Note that the pickup...3+3 4 +5 

starts on the "end" of 3 (Upbeat after beat 3). 

Also what about the other bars that are diffrent from this 3+3 4 +5 progresion 

Thank you,

Moran 

In the C Major Scale - Tongue Blocking Study 1 Technique video,  it shows a blow, draw image with notes. The diagram shows that it is a C Harmonica. I noticed that you are playing an A harmonica. Does every harmonica have the same notes. For example on the C harmonica, a 4 blow is a C. Would a 4 blow on an A harmonica be a C too?

I’m getting close to submitting the LOA 3 material for review.  I have some questions about what is being ask for.

In the Accompaniment Study 3 videos you don’t cover the bent notes when filling out the exercise charts.  Do I also skip using the bent notes when filling out the written test exercise?

For the recorded Accompaniment exercise where we record 1 chorus per hole; we don’t use the bent notes, just move up or down the harmonica to get the note we need that fits the cord when that cord’s notes are not available for the hole we are playing? continue reading...

Hello David,

The LOA at a glance doc states that Bending Study 1 is part o LOA2, with no submission required. Should I take this is a prep study for next level or do I need to master those bends to advance to LOA3? In other words, how proficient I need to be in bends to jump into LOA3?

Thanks 

Hi Dave,

  I need some clarification.

When you typically talk about the I chord, it is GBD; the IV Chord CEG and the V Chord D,F#, A.

In you lesson on understanding position playing (and the end of L.O.A. 3), you talk about continue reading...

Dave, if this question is too complicated to answer easily, please let me know. I don't mean to make extra work. I am never going to progress beyond following along with the notes on your sheet music if I don't learn and memorize the blues scales. If I can't get my hand around scales I can't master position playing. So here is the question: can you recommend lessons on the site that I should review to learn the concept of the blues scale. I'll take a month just learning this if it pushes me to the next level. (Incidentally, I just passed LOA3). continue reading...