harmonica

Just released today. Joe Filisko talks about the HOHNER Affiliated Customizers Program https://youtu.be/IkCGb7HXw1A

Fellow harmonica player Steve Webster found the case company My Case Builder at http://www.mycasebuilder.com where you can design your own foam insert to fit in their selection of case designs and sizes. Take a look at the pics I just posted at https://www.facebook.com/bluesharmonica of Steve's final design. Thanks for sharing Steve!

Our series on overbending starts with instructor Ross Garren interviewing the harmonica players that have pioneered the use of overbends in the blues. Our original intention was to do a written article, but it quickly became apparent that we should video record these Skype interviews for you to watch. Skype video quality is not the best, but we thought you would appreciate seeing and hearing them over just reading an article. After watching these interviews Ross will start to walk you through the art of overbending in the blues.

Just announced from HOHNER Harmonicas today...

---

You and your harmonica in the most unusual location!

You and your harmonica – that’s all we want. Be it on a backpack trip through Asia, on your vacation in the Caribbean, or in the middle of a desert. In fact, the more unusual the location is, the better!

What do you get in return? How does 1.000 Euros sound to you? That’s right: We’re giving away 1.000 Euros for the best photo and for the best video.
What are you waiting for?

All you have to do is follow the three steps below: continue reading...

Before you can explore how to use the opening and closing of your nose to balance your breathing while playing the harmonica, you first need to learn how to close it. Here are some ways to explore closing your nose. Try all them, you may find one that works better than the other. If you're not sure if your nose is closed while trying one of these (in other words, if the technique is working or not), simply plug your nose to see if there's a marked difference. Another way to check is to place your finger under your nose. continue reading...

Let's take a quick break from learning about the nose and breathing and read this interview released today at Blues Blast Magazine on Bob Corritore http://www.bluesblastmagazine.com/issue-9-22-may-28-2015/

In this video Aki rehearses the band and records "Bombay Stroll" http://www.bluesharmonica.com/lessons/recording_study_4_professional_studio

For most students, the slippery slope of opening the nose while playing the harmonica begins unconsciously. Their body learns that if the nose is opened, the issues of unintentional bending of holes 1 and 2 are fixed. When opened, the tuned size of the mouth cavity that was causing issues with that hole/note is combined with the nasal cavity, creating a cavity that's lower in pitch than those reeds can be bent to, which results in better tone and no possibility of unintentional bending. continue reading...

Your nose (nasal cavity, controlled by the raising [closed] and lowering [open] of the soft palate) should be closed while playing the harmonica. If you find yourself running out of breath quickly while playing the harmonica, an open nose may be the issue.

Let's test your nose. continue reading...

New videos have been added to the popular Minor Playing lesson. In Sections 2 and 3 of the lesson I've teamed up with Richard Sleigh and asked him to write a study song using the Minor Pentatonic Scale (same as the Blues Scale, minus the flat-5) to write a head that uses the same notes in four positions... 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th so that you can see how a melody can be directly transposed to one of these minor-friendly positions. I also requested that he solo two choruses in each of these examples so that you can hear the cool things that are unique to each of these positions. continue reading...