Tip of the Day

For those of you looking to decrease the file size of your MP3s for submission to me on the site, or change your recorded file types to MP3 from your recording software's default (.wav or .aif for example, are way too large for submitting), then the following programs can help.

If you don't mind paying, Adobe Media Encoder is an industry standard:

Adobe Media Encoder
http://www.adobe.com/products/mediaencoder.html?promoid=JNUAM continue reading...

It can be challenging to hear if a tune is just very bluesy (in Major) or in Minor. To check if a tune is in Major or Minor, play the following in 2nd Position...

2 3 4 = Major - The 3 draw is the defining note. If it matches, then it's Major continue reading...

Today's tip comes from Joe Filisko's "B1 Blues Room" class...
"Hey, for those of you suffering dry mouth when playing harp, especially if it is a result of medications you're on, Joe has heard from other players that this stuff really works - check out Biotene over the counter at your local pharmacist and get back on the bandstand!"

If you're studying a classic blues harmonica song and are looking for a jam track to match it, there's a good chance that you'll find it here: http://www.bluesharptracks.com/home/buy-individual-tracks

A student recently commented on the challenges of tapping his feet in time and the difficulties of playing in precise time playing with a metronome. You might also benefit from my response... continue reading...

Now that you've become comfortable centering your shake between the two holes you're shaking between, let's start with the common 4 draw shake (4 and 5). Again, focus on keeping your nose at 12 O'clock between the two holes, shaking to the left to 11 O'clock (4 draw) and to the right to 1 O'clock (5 draw). Play the shake for a moment and then take the harmonica away from your lips. Keeping your nose at 12 O'clock, move the harmonica to the left and perform a 2 draw shake (this is a very uncommon shake, but good practice of extremes). continue reading...

Steve Baker defines the Country, Natural Minor and Harmonic Minor tuning in this video.
http://youtu.be/ptkCrQBW7LU

Fellow blues harmonica player Olaf Bohme has released a CD jam track in Europe titled Blues PLAYALONG. The seven jam tracks include the following songs (with and without harmonica): You’re the One, Caledonia, Dark Walk, Walking By Myself, Boogie All Night Long, As The Years Go Passing By and Got My Mojo Working. More information can be found at: http://bluesclass.de/

Now that you've practiced having your nose centered between the two holes you're performing the shake on, we can use this as a tool to get better at doing shakes across the range of the harmonica. Let's first focus on general movement on the harmonica. continue reading...

The Shake (also known as a Warble or Trill) is one of the all-time great sounds on the harmonica. The shake is used as a substitution for a single note. Using the 4 draw for example... play the 4 draw first, and then move to the 5, and then back to the 4, repeating the process (4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 etc.). The speed of the shake is up to you, but generally floats in rhythm somewhere between that of a triplet and sixteenth-note triplet. You can move your head, hands or both for the shake... this is up to you... but you may find choosing one (head or hands) and sticking to it best. continue reading...