blues harmonica

Here are the items I suggest you have in your practice room. For more information, visit my videos on this subject in the new Blues Harmonica Fundamentals lesson at BluesHarmonica.com

1) Comfortable Chair - I like ones with armrests

2) Strong Music Stand - Manhasset music stands are the industry standard
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/manhasset-m48-symphony-music-...

3) Device to play, slow down and loop music you’re working on - I recommend the Amazing Slow Downer
www.ronimusic.com

4) Metronome continue reading...

Gary Smith and I cover the challenges of playing to the Tramp Groove. In this lesson we cover the history, rhythmic variations that can be used for improvising and we play a whole bunch. Gary also shares some stories, one having to do with Junior Wells' tongue in Gary's mouth!

“There is nothing more fatal for our musical sense than to allow ourselves—by the hour—to hear musical sounds without really listening to them.” Tobias Matthay, Pg 16, The Musician’s Way: A Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness By Gerald Klickstein

“Your creative capacity is determined by your musical and technical abilities, along with your available practice time. Your capacity will increase as your strength and skills grow. However, for you to make progress with basics such as on-stage confidence and ease of execution, your repertoire choices must be within your capacity. Musicians who pick unobtainable pieces foster destructive habits, such as anxiety and tension, and they miss out on learning how to present secure, poetic performances.” Pg 14, The Musician’s Way: A Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness By Gerald Klickstein

“Wherever you hope to travel on your musical journey, practice is the only route to getting there. You may wonder whether you possess the talent to reach your goals, but musical progress depends more on practice than on talent. Talent symbolizes your underlying potential; practice enables you to realize that potential. But not just any sort of practice will do.” Pg 3, The Musician’s Way: A Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness By Gerald Klickstein

Listen to "How Jazz Works" parts 3 and 4. Part 3 contains a great description of the roll that the bass player and drummer takes... the rhythm section. If you like this, check out the first two parts... you can hear it here http://1690wmlb.com/features/jazz-insights/ or get it via podcast at iTunes.

Kirk "Jelly Roll" Johnson's distinctive, soulful style of harmonica has earned him critical acclaim, numerous awards, and a place among Nashville's top session musicians. A native of Lake Charles, Louisiana, Jelly Roll's career has spanned 35 years. He began playing harmonica at age 19 in Cleveland, Tennessee. After touring with several rock, blues and country groups, he settled in Knoxville to work with the Tommy Cole Band. From 1979 to 1989, Jelly Roll played concerts and club dates all across America with Warner Brothers recording artist Con Hunley. continue reading...