Ask Instructor David Barrett

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.

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.

Dave, I'm almost through LOA3 (been a long time at this level). The chances of me playing with others is pretty slim, especially during Covid, but I see that some of what you're teaching to involves playing into a microphone. Is it mic part of the harmonica education to play into a mic? I have an amp so I could purchase the mic but I don't know if this what I should be looking to do at this point. Thanks.

I’ve been studying level one now for a couple of months and am thoroughly enjoying it.  One difficulty I’m experiencing is two-fold and lies in blocking the air passage through my nose.  Firstly, the pitch and tone of single note draws on holes 1 & 2 is horrible (flat and tinny) and secondly, I’m suffocating.  I guess if I can’t solve the second problem, the first is immaterial.  So, maybe I’ll work on that first.  Any suggestions?

Thanks for everything so far.  I’m really excited to have found your website.

Regards,

Julian

Hey, Dave. So, I've been trying My Blues and have run into the most basic problem: breathing. I can't seem to get through the first two bars because they are all draw notes except for the second to the last. Any suggestions as to how to handle this? 

Hello Dave,

I have been practicing blow bends for a while. I know this is way above my level but I know they take time to master so I have included them in my daily practice.

However I have noticed that I have developed a bad habbit, that I need to correct.

I is a little bit frustrating, because I thought I had that figured out, but I have started having troubles with involuntary bending when playing on the high end especially when tongue slapping, especially on a C harp, but on other harmonica keys as well. continue reading...