Tip of the Day

Today's tip comes from the tenth and last song of my concert set at Steve Baker's Harmonica Masters Workshop.

"Matchstick" is in E and is played on the A Harmonica in 2nd Position.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDr9wLIcDD0

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Today's tip comes from the ninth song of my concert set at Steve Baker's Harmonica Masters Workshop.

"Butter Strut" is in G and is played on the C Harmonica in 2nd Position.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QXCJFbBK7o

Your tip...
Blues Scale... Blues Scale... Blues Scale! When playing Rock, Bluesy Blues, Minor Blues or Rock Blues, stay 100% to the blues scale. Most importantly be cautious to pay the 3 (B) as 3' (Bb). Below is the scale. continue reading...

Today's tip comes from the eighth song of my concert set at Steve Baker's Harmonica Masters Workshop.

"Unchain My Heart" is in Am and is played on the G Harmonica in 3rd Position.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBimv4Uzy-c

Your tip...
#1 - Notice at 1:49 when the guitarist (Steve) takes a solo I stop playing. This is a great way to give the new soloist sonic space. If the solo were multiple choruses you could enter the second chorus and play softly... if there were a third chorus you would play stronger, helping the soloist to build in intensity. continue reading...

Today's tip comes from the seventh song of my concert set at Steve Baker's Harmonica Masters Workshop.

"Feelin' for the Blues" is in A and is played on the G Harmonica in 3rd Position, D Harmonica in 2nd Position and A Harmonica in 1st Position.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfnTUu6fhKw

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Today's tip comes from the sixth song of my concert set at Steve Baker's Harmonica Masters Workshop.

"I Love You More Everyday" is in D and is played on the G Harmonica in 2nd Position.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwfoRcavEDU

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Today's tip comes from the fifth song of my concert set at Steve Baker's Harmonica Masters Workshop.

"Dimples" is in Fm and is played on the B-flat Harmonica in 2nd Position.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhhnMWEEhiQ

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Today's tip comes from the fourth song of my concert set at Steve Baker's Harmonica Masters Workshop.

"The Tub" is in G and played on the G Harmonica in 1st Position to start and then goes to 2nd Position on the C Harmonica at 2:45. This is one of your 1st Position Study songs by the way (Study #1).
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxHiJTRl3wg

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Today's tip comes from the third song of my concert set at Steve Baker's Harmonica Masters Workshop.

"Left Overs" is in C and played on on the Low-F Harmonica in 2nd Position to start and then goes to 3rd Position on the B-flat Harmonica.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-buAX5XNhKg

Your tip...

Notice the unison lines played in the opening of the song with the guitar... this is the head of the song. If I were to be the only one to play it the head would be less substantial. continue reading...

Today's tip comes from the second song of my concert set at Steve Baker's Harmonica Masters Workshop.

"Highway 59" is a funky minor tune in A played on on the G Harmonica in 3rd Position.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-0Jgw478W4

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Over the next 10 days I'll release a song per day of the performance I did for Steve Baker's Harmonica Masters Workshop in Trossingen, Germany.

Your tip...
By using repetition you can engage the band to help lift your soloing to the next level. Note the opening two choruses (2:19) and the last chorus before the guitar solo (3:52). By using repetition and body language the band, especially the drummer, helped to accent what I was playing. Without repetition they wouldn't have been able to latch on to what I was playing.

Video: continue reading...