Ask Instructor David Barrett

Hi again David.

I am practising the scale of C Major (on an A harp, which makes it A Major) over the entire 3 octaves. You ask for the entire scale ascending and descending. My question is, 'how good do the bends have to be on holes 2 & 3?'

As I'm doing LOA 4, I am classed as an intermediate player which could mean that the bends need to be OK but not perfect.  I seem to be getting the bent notes fairly accurately but the tone is not as good as the pure notes.

Thanks,

Mark.

Hi David,

I have suddenly become aware of the different articulations that I use when playing. For instance, on Accompaniment Playing Study 4, Ex. 1.1. I seem to be randomly using 3 different types of articulation. For the I, IV and V root notes, I am breathing purely from the diaphragm (no articulation), but for the pulls, I seem to be using 'Ta ta' and for some other notes, 'Ka Ka'. Should I be developing a specific articulation for a specific technique or am I worrying about this unnecessarily?

Thanks,

Mark.

Hi,

I would appreciate some guidance on when to use scales and their chords or soloing blocks and their chords.

Also, should I learn chords for the D blues scale as well?

Thanks in advance.

Dave I printed the music out but cant find the lesson ? need help . Is there a better way to use the site and find practice songs ? Thanks

Hi David, 

In ex. 2.3 of the accompaniment study, you recommend that we use the jam track for I Want You With me and get used to playing Root, 3rd, and 5th notes for accompaniment over a week or two. 

In earlier lessons, you recommended studying the music theory as tho we were playing in the key of C. 

I Want You With Me is in E and we play an A harp. So when writing out the Root, 3rd, 5th, and their corresponding holes, should I do that for the key of C and not the key of E (on my A harp)? 

Is this still the recommended approach? continue reading...

Hello David,

Just wondering if Movement Scale for LOA-4 C-Major Scale if that is supposed to be recorded and submitted with a metronome? I see my choice of harmonica key, but don't see if there is a metronome for submission with LOA-4. Thanks in advance!

Ben

Chicago, IL

Hi David,

How can you combine tongue blocking and bending at the same time? With tongue blocking your tongue is kind of bend. How to move it u and down at the same time? I assume it is required if you want to play individual notes.

Regards,

Jelle H

Hi David,

I am struggling with the tongue blocking. Do you have to keep you tonque at eleven oclock also if you move from right to left?

regards

Jelle Hollema (Netherlands)

Hi David,

I'm currently working on Level of Achievement 9 "Movement Exercises – Scales". The PDF lists the C Blues Scale and the Chromatic Scale. I'm assuming you want both scales performed on a C-Harp, so I recorded them that way. However, the blow bends are a bit "screechy" on my C-Harps. I tried different models, and they're all about the same. I can get the bends, but they are not as smooth sounding as they are when performed on a lower key harmonica. Note that I can't get the 10'+ (B) at all in the chromatic scale. continue reading...

Hi David,How do you create the music tabs found here on your site. Do you use software for it?I want to make my own music tabs with your notation and wan't it to look nice and clean.

Alex