Tip of the Day

Now that Ryan Walker's performance is up, go to Bending Study 2.5 (Repertoire Builder) and listen to the study song "Take It Easy Now." After doing that, listen to Ryan's performance of "Take It Easy Now" and see if you can recognize what went wrong.

Joe Filisko and Eric Noden just released their new CD "Missed Train Blues" and it's a must have. CD is now available at my favorite reseller, BlueBeatMusic.com http://www.bluebeatmusic.com/product_info.php?products_id=19717

The brother to the dip is the Cut. A cut is where you start unbent (3 draw B for example) and quickly bend. In this case, the 3 draw is sounded on the beat (this is where it differs from the dip, where the first part of the dip... the bend... starts before the beat) and then bend down quickly (again, around a half step). The fourth bar of the third chorus in Little Walter's famous slow blues harmonica instrument "Blue Midnight" provides a fantastic example of the cut.

On Friday I defined how a dip is performed on a standard draw or blow note (any bendable note on your harmonica). You can also perform a dip on a bend, on the 3' (3 draw half step bend, B-flat on a C Harmonica) for example. To perform a dip on the 3' the goal is to start slightly below the 3' (B-flat), say 3" (A), and slide into the 3' without it releasing too far... to the natural 3 draw pitch (B). That's the challenge... to practice playing the 3", which raises quickly to 3' without the 3' completely releasing. Using a tuner or pitch-generating device is very useful for this. continue reading...

The dip technique is where you start a note flat (slightly bent... around a half step) and release it quickly. It's common to associate the "Kya" or "Tya" movement ("Tya" is only performed in a pucker) to help with this technique. continue reading...

Check out the latest podcast of Jazz Insights with Dr. Gordon Vernick , where Joe Gransden speaks of the “Making it As a Jazz Musician” and the importance of the jam session. Though he’s speaking of Jazz, everything is pertinent to the Blues musician. You can subscribe to this podcast at http://itunes.apple.com/us/itunes-u/jazz-insights-media/id405935692

For use of the Major Pentatonic Scale, Paul deLay is my favorite.

The next step in getting to know your scales is to study songs that USE those scales. Take a look at the Andy Just Artist Study song "Misery." In this song Andy uses the Blues Scale almost exclusively (for both the head and his improvising).

To sum up Part 1...

1) Blues Scale = Play with Bluesy Jam Track (Box, Slow Blues, Minor, etc.)
2) Major Pentatonic Scale = Jam Track with Light Feel (Rhumba, Swing, etc.)

Put the jam track on and play the scale in the following ways, both ascending and descending, in this order...

1) Whole Notes - Each note of the scale held for 4 beats (this is your chance to dial in your tone, bending accuracy, dynamics, breathing and tremolo... don't skip this step.)
2) Half Notes - Each note of the scale held for 2 beats
3) Quarter Notes - Each note of the scale held for 1 beat continue reading...

Does the bullet mic feel too large in your hands? Instead of holding the mic with the meat of your left thumb (reference Picture 1 at http://www.facebook.com/bluesharmonica), tilt the face of the microphone down so that the bottom edge of the grill aligns with center of your palm (reference Picture 2 at http://www.facebook.com/bluesharmonica). Though the left-right diameter stays the same, the top-bottom diameter decreases dramatically, turning the shape of the mic from a hard-to-hold circle to a much easier shape to hold, an oval. Tone is not adversely affected. Give it a try. continue reading...