Tip of the Day

When placing your tongue on the face of the harmonica for the tongue block embouchure, use the tip-top of the tongue (the top of the tongue just past the tip). Since your tongue is commonly blocking the holes to the left (except for hole 1, where your tongue is at the right), you do use a a slight amount of the right side of the tongue, but not much... it's still mostly the tip-top (if you feel like you're using only the side of the tongue you'll need to adjust this). continue reading...

Now that the King of Swing contest submission period is over and judging has begun, this gives you the great opportunity to test your listening skills. Go to http://www.bluesharmonica.com/king-of-swing and listen to the first entry... not looking at any of the comments. Listen once just to appreciate the song. Listen again and make note of what you hear from chorus to chorus (texture, range, rhythm, dynamics, execution, head, hook, soloing theme, etc.). You'll most likely need to listen to the song four to five times, but that's the point... focused listening takes time. continue reading...

The majority of the jam tracks we use on BluesHarmonica.com are from the Ultimate Blues Jam Tracks by Pete Schmidt. You can purchase his entire series of 30 jam tracks at http://www.ultijamtracks.com/blues.html. These jam tracks and Jimi Lee's GrooveTrax http://www.harmonicamasterclass.com/groove_trax.htm are the best on the market for blues harmonica.

Your lips are only used as a seal... around the comb and coverplates. Your lips should stay soft and relaxed... at no point should your lips tense (like when trying to bend).

Though holding the harmonica will surely become important within time... for techniques such as the Wa Wa, Hand Tremolo and playing through a Bullet Mic when it's time to have fun playing through an amplifier... focus more on your embouchure at first (lips, tongue, throat and jaw position), making sure your hands are not in the way of your mouth and are relaxed so that you don't introduce tension into your embouchure and body. So... relax your hands... use a loose hold (generally in the shape of the recommended hold) and focus on proper technique on the harmonica.

Focus... what YOU like... these are all subjects to get you thinking of what your focus will be for the new year. Even though this is what I do for a living, it's very difficult to set aside quality practice time. When I do get focused practice time (not just quick moments of jamming), it's VERY valuable to me and it's imperative that I have a focus so that I can grow as a player with the limited time I have. continue reading...

If you're traveling or having family visiting over the holidays it will be challenging to get practice in, but you can use the lulls between activities to think about your music. Use this time to take stock in what YOU like... the style of music... specifically on the harmonica... the sounds... the keys... the techniques... use this opportunity to tweak your studies in the direction YOU want to go in the new coming year.

Grab a jam track and matching harmonica to play in 2nd Position (A Harmonica in the Key of E for example). Check that the jam track starts on the I Chord (one chord... beginning of the form), if not, wait to play until the introduction is complete (visit "Performance Training: Openings" if you're not sure you're hearing it correctly). continue reading...

To focus on everything is to focus on nothing

Want more warmth, bass and punch for your amplified sound? The Lone Wolf Harp Attack fits the bill. A student just brought in their amp and mic and it was pretty ho-hum... but then he pulled out his new Harp Attack and with some turns of it's three knobs he was sounding like Rod Piazza! Unlike other pedals I've tried it's not that prone to feedback and it doesn't distort too much or in an unnatural way... just enough to give any amp a little more tone. continue reading...