Ask Instructor David Barrett

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?. 

this might not be the right place but ... I just received a notice that flash will be done at the end of 2020 . Will I need something else for my computor to continue playing or am i fine ??? Thanks

Hi Dave

Is improvising study 1 any different in levels 4 and 5?

Hi David,

Thank you for the lesson on high end playing. I am still trying to figure out scale degrees and how to use them and you always teach as if we are using the C Scale or C harmonica.

In the PDF for high end playing the notation is in C i.e. 7 is a B 7+is a C, but the scale degrees seem to be for the key of G. Or am I misinterpreting things?

What is the best approach to think of scale degrees moving forward and is it good practice to know the scale degrees for each chord?

regards

Alan

Hello David

Now i am understanding the C harp layout...ie  CEG CEG and DGBDFA along with little quotes used to always remember them is there a formula i can use to then know all the other positions.

To be clear i mean your PDF Diatonic Harmonica Note Layout . memorising the C harp positions should be the key to knowing all the others if only i could work out how to get there. continue reading...

Hi David...I really would like to get the tongue blocking technique down pat, as it seems to be important. How long do I need to work on it?Also,  with the tongue agility ex.1.1, where it has 4,1 or 5,2...is a matter of using the tip of the tongue to block the middle two holes?

Many thanks

Craig

Hi David,

If you don't mind can you please give me a link for the first lessons on octaves?

Thank you

Greetings. 

I'm trying, unsuccessfully,  to emulate your slaps on Temperature. I can't get the nice, sharp, short slap you play on the MP3 examples. How many holes do you try to typically include on 3-6 hole slaps?

Thanks.

Hey David - I have been using the site for 8 years now and believe I have some kind of adhd possibly . I have done a lot of the lessons and memorized  a lot of bass lines , pent scale ,and blues forward and back and a couple of note patterns and watched a lot of lessons but  jumping around a lot . Problem is that I try to play to a jamtrack and feel like a beginner still .Seems evertytime I log on there is a new song and I get into learning these songs and that is taking up a whole lot of my practice time . continue reading...

Dave, in the video explaining LOA 3 you say that it's a good idea to check out Joe Tartaglia's lessons. I looked and I cannot find those lessons. Can you please let me know if they're on the web site. Thanks, David.