harmonica

Yesterday's dynamic change works best with live musicians that can react to your dynamic change. Our next two tips (today and tomorrow) works with both a live band or jam track.

Now use chord change as your trigger to change volume.

Play the I Chord (first four bars) at a given volume. When you reach the IV Chord (Bars 5 and 6) play at a different volume (louder or softer). When the I Chord returns in Bar 7, once again change your volume. Change again for the V-IV-I lick (Bars 9 and 10) and then again for the Turnaround (Bars 11 and 12).

Give this a try with your favorite jam track.

Listening to Little Walter's "Off the Wall" you noticed that he played each chorus at a different volume. He started off very strong and then dropped his volume low for Chorus 2. He then brought his volume way up again for Chorus 3 and then down for Chorus 3, and so on.

The turnaround is the most recognizable location in the blues and is a great place to remind us to change our volume. continue reading...

Now that you've recorded yourself to a jam track, listen back to your use of dynamics (volume change). Did you stay at the same volume the entire time?... if you did, it's not uncommon, but it's time to fix this.

Varying volume is the strongest tool available to us to convey emotion to the listener. Along for the ride is tone. As we change our volume, our tone and how our rig (mic and amp) responds changes. This is why we use the term "dynamics" and not just volume change... when we change the volume, many other factors are dynamically changed with it. continue reading...

I'm going to walk you through a lesson of discovery in your playing, but it first requires that you record yourself playing an instrumental or extended solo to a jam track, either improvised or a song you've studied. Do this over the weekend and we'll dig into our lesson on Monday (I can't tell you what the lesson is, it will change the way you play). Have a great weekend!

These are the subjects Joe Filisko will be teaching at the 20th Anniversary Harmonica Masterclass Workshop. There's still limited space in Joe's classes if you would like to join us for this special one-time event.

Joe's YouTube Video Description of Classes
http://youtu.be/v9BdDVcFSZY

Tip of the Day comes from educator Winslow Yerxa in his upcoming interview on the site. In this video snippet he talks about blow bending and the small, frontal embouchure required for the technique. My tip (in the video as well) is to play a 6 draw bend on the D Harmonica... observe the movement of your tongue... and then perform an 8+ bend on the G Harmonica with the same movement (it's the same pitch/bend, so you can use this familiar movement of the tongue for your blow bend). http://youtu.be/f8FDXiwD_o4

My buddy Pete asked me to discuss how loud pro players play on the harmonica...

In my early years, everyone was playing unmodified Hohner Marine Bands. At that time, the combs were not sealed and the harps weren't set up as well as they are now, so most players played with a lot of force/volume. For those that used Hohner Special 20's, they still played loudly, but slightly less so, due to the consistency of the plastic comb. continue reading...

Actively trying to play behind the beat is another great way to fix rushing. As you play each note, make a point to delay its delivery ever so slightly to help pull your playing behind the beat. If your tendency is to rush, then now you're not rushing… you're playing on the beat. Playing behind the beat for those that don't have a tendency to rush is also a cool effect… it's a way to make your music sound relaxed, but still swinging.

Most players have the tendency to rush (playing faster than the tempo and then commonly adjusting back into time where there is rest or long holds). Where is the most common cause of this?... pickups. Players tend to start their pickups slightly too early and play it too fast. So... in most cases... rushing can be fixed by giving attention to slowing down when your start your pickups and the rhythm of the pickup itself.

A large embouchure is required to play the chromatic harmonica (playing a standard single note has your mouth over four holes... just like the diatonic... but those holes are larger. To play an octave your lips are over five holes... now that's a stretch!). Those that play the chromatic find it easier to achieve big tone on the diatonic harmonica, since they're already used to playing with a wide-open, resonant mouth cavity. continue reading...