Ask Instructor David Barrett

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...

When playing a slapped note, it is my understanding the cord comes prior to the beat so that the single note is played on the beat.  What about dipped notes?  Should the bent part (dip) precede the beat leaving the correct pitch on the beat?

Brian in Tennessee

Hello Dave,

When practicing a vibrato (in this case I visualisze holes 1 through 6) should I aim to get the pich as close as possible to the intended note or can I vibrate it a little flatter?

when I bend it a bit I find it easier to get a vibrato out of it.

Bent notes are easy to vibrate but unbent ones not so much..

I guess what I am trying to ask is how flat is too flat?

Another case is when bringing note up from a bend to it's natural pitch and then finnishing with a vibrato. continue reading...

For someone with limited time, how many lessons do you recommend per month? How much time per day?

I'm having trouble with solo harmonica study 1 section 2. What happens is I get too much air in my lungs from all the consecutive draws. It gets to a point where eventually I just have to let some air out and end up blowing when I'm not supposed to. How can I solve this issue?

Thanks!

I'm having trouble with solo harmonica study 1 section 2. What happens is I get too much air in my lungs from all the consecutive draws. It gets to a point where eventually I just have to let some air out and end up blowing when I'm not supposed to. How can I solve this issue?

Thanks!

I think I just wasted another $60 or so, and another week, buying the wrong key of harmonica. I just bought a C Hohner Blues Harp. I could've sworn I watched an introductory video on this site that said to use a C harmonica. Google says C is the place to start learning blues on harmonica. But then I hit another video, and it's not right. 

So, please tell me what key of Hohner Blues Harp I should buy to get the most out of the instruction material here, so that when I blow into hole 6 it matches what I hear in the video, for example?.