Beginners - Learning Process
First of all, bluesharmonica.com is an amazing site! I am thoroughly impressed!
As a beginner, I have chosen to work on the following with my practice time:
* Tongue Blocking Study 1 (Ex 1.1 - 1.3) - tongue blocking is totally new to me
* Walk With Me - Currently working in Choruses 1 - 4.
* Solo Harmonica Study 1 - Currently working in Ex. 1.1 - 1.6
I have watched the Joe Tartaglia lessons as well....extremely beneficial!
Any other beginners out there following a different pattern of learning? Any other suggestions?
David, previous to your website, I purchased your Beginning Series 1 Series. I was up to 12 Bar Jam #7 in your BASIC BLUES HARMONICA METHOD BOOK...lip pursing these lessons. Should I try to continue through these lessons lip pursing?? Honestly, I don't know that I have enough time to commit to the book series right now, with your website material. Would apreciate any thoughts.
Thank you David for this fabulous website!
Thank you both gentleman, I'm glad you're enjoying the site! I do recommend you continue in tongue blocking from now on... pucker skills are good to have, and you will use them now and again for particular techniques, but tongue blocking is where you want to put your time now.
I'm new to to the harmonica world and my teacher recommended this site because you can only learn so much in an hour. It is awesome and everything is becoming so clear to me and I'm grasping the whole concept! I'm a local Pastor and I'm looking to incorporate some gospel harmonica licks while I'm delivering the message. Elder Roma Wilson was a preacher who used the harp while bringing the word. The Older CD is intitled "This Train." I'm currently on the fundemental excersises and the first chorus of "Walk With Me." Also I'm learning a few Gospel Favorites. Keep up the good work! Your site is alot of fun and encouraging and especially for those whho want to give back.
God Bless
Rev
P.S. I've only been at it a month and my wife can actually name what I practice around the house!
Thank you so much... really glad you're finding the site useful. Keep the practice up and I look forward to hearing your submissions. Yes, Elder Roma Wilson is VERY cool... and his style is a tongue block style, so you're on the right path!
Rev, have you heard of Darrel Mansfield or Buddy Green... they're worth checking out... both completely different styles, but play praise music on the harp.
I thank You so much for your encouragement. I've got a contact on Buddy Green from where I live and Darrel Mansfield I'll have to do some research on.
Thank You!
REV, I'm listening to Darrell Mansfield right now...he is incredible.
A while back I was looking for some gospel/blues/harmonica artists and came across him. Take a listen!
I will be sure to take a listen today! I thank you for your support!
Be Blessed!
Greetings!
I've been practicing on the average of 2 hours a day ad going through the "walk with me" study, and as I'm practicing I'm noticing with the TB I sometimes have a difficult time getting a clear single note compared to the lip pucker. Are there any suggestions to what I can work on to make the single notes clearer? I have the song down but the single notes sometimes are a giant.
Thanks!
Rev
Rev, I've found that relaxing the embouchure and cutting back on the blowing (or drawing) volume helps a lot. Let the tongue slide lightly across the face of the harp rather than stiff and tight. You can also try just doing a round of scales every now and then to get the "feel" of where the single notes are in relation to your new embouchure.
This has helped me greatly.
Thank You for the response. I have one more TB issue I'm trying to overcome and it may be strange to some, but I have so much excess moisture coming from my mouth verses puckering especially when I get deeper in a song with longer playing. Are there any suggestions out there?
Be Blessed!
REV
Not so much a suggestion - just to let you know you are not alone. Mine comes and goes and tends to be more 'fluid' when I'm learning or working on something (hunger makes the beast drool???) When playing something that I'm comfortable with,it doesn't seem to be as bad. In fact at jams, I'm now finding that I will 'dry up' so I take a bottle of water (honest) to drink once in a while and even swish my mouth.
I guess what I'm saying is it gets better as you go so hang in there and keep a small towel handy for now. ;-)
It's good to know I am not alone and for now I will keep a towel close by! Thanks for the encouragement, I'm now not afraid to drool!
I'm off to keep practicing, and TB
REV
i have been working on "walk with Me". i got some questions and can use some feedback.
1) is the idea to memorize each verse before continuing?
2) is the idea to memorize anything at all?
3) on chorus 3, the last 2 bars; how do you keep track of the multiple 3+?
4) since this is an 8 bar blues w/ "key to the Highway" changes- could this be played as a solo for that song?
5) why do i love chocolate so much?
(just seeing if anybody is paying attention. i know the answer to #5)
"Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates.
You never know what you're gonna get."
P.S.
Is this eharp from Dirty-South Blues Harp?
1) is the idea to memorize each verse before continuing?
Not memorize, but be able to play with minimal mistakes.
2) is the idea to memorize anything at all?
Yes, memorize each song, if you like it ;-)... this will help you to develop a lick vocabulary for improvising
3) on chorus 3, the last 2 bars; how do you keep track of the multiple 3+?
Count in your mind, or loop it, playing it over and over until you can "feel" it.
4) since this is an 8 bar blues w/ "key to the Highway" changes- could this be played as a solo for that song?
Yes!
PS, post this in the "Ask David Barrett" section next time... as the site grows I'll only be checking those posts.
yes i am.
and who are you?
do you use other forums?
I'm a lurker there :)
hi all,
just wanted you all to know that I am a newly converted pucker - tongue blocker and starting to have fun with "walk with me". I am currently stumbling my way through course 5 :-) I find the 2 hole draw with the tongue blocking is a little strange for me.
I have no questions, just wanted to say hi and I hope you are all having fun learning from this great website!
Thanks so much David for putting all this great information in one place.
Chris
GermanHarp
I am in the same boat but working out the 2 draw with TB'ing. Just takes alot of experimetning until you get a nice clean tone. I find I need to play softer for now . Puckering I can really punch the 2 draw and get it nice and clean.
It is definitely different.
One thing I do which might help is I do a 2 draw puckering and then slowly move to a TB position and try to get the correct feel to play it clean.
Rev,
Definitely when TB'ing I have extra saliva as well and what I do is I try to keep my head at leat level or slightly up at times to kee pthe saliva from going into the holes. IT is hard if you are keeping the sheet music down and looking down. Place the sheet mucis higher up.
528hemi
What I've found on the two draw is to make sure the embouchure is nice and open with the back of the tongue relaxed and down. Breathing through the harp from the chest rather than higher up in the throat helps clean the note, too.
First off-I was talking to a friend of mine last night and made the comment to him about being being disenchanted with radio over the past few years and how I've recently found and fallen in love with the blues. That for me it seems like an untapped "resource"/genre of music I wish I had found earlier in life (I'll be 50 next week). He reminded me of how perfect the time is right now to have found it :) Just sayin'.
Next, learning the blues harp-I could say the same thing about learning the harmonica. So I remind myself of my friend's wisdom that this is the perfect time to learn how do do anything. This harmonica "thing" is something I feel so passionate about it's beyond words.
I hooked up with Mr. Barrett's site here 8 months ago-before I knew it was part of my Hohner purchase, before the LOA and have a tremendous desire to excel and improve to the point where I can play on stage. The tip coming here now...Everything on this site is so helpful, although I found myself getting "stuck". That stuck feeling was due to my focus only being on the LOA testing. I needed to stop, slow down and regroup. I found that exploring the lessons and the site further enhanced my practice. The interiews, going back to Movement Excercises Study 1, TB study 1.5, practicing Temperature again...all somehow relaxed me and enabled me to see how far I've come in just a short period of time. And I've realized, to paraphrase Mr. Barrett, that this is a journey to have fun on, not a destination. I'm about ready for LOA 3 and that wouldn't have happened unless I slowed down in the way I just mentioned. Seeing and truly listening to a live blues act also feeds my passion. I saw John Nemeth and Curtis Salgado recently and was blown away. I spoke to Curtis for a bit and let him know how I reaquainted myself to his music through the Bluesharmnica.com website. His words to me were that David Barrett is a great guy, player and teacher.
Just wanted to throw my 2 cents just in case any beginners feel or felt "stuck" like me.
P.S. I found it more beneficial and accurate to search the forums on the site through Google.
Good day to all,
I am a true beginner in every sense of the word. I have zero musical training to date but I am hoping that my desire to play and my love of music will push me forward. I have always enjoyed the tone and the expression of the harmonica-especially when listenning to the older style blues ie. Alexis Korner etc. I purchased a new Hohner Special 20 (C) the other day and am very excited to begin my lessons. I just activated my account today and would like to know where to start. Your guidance would be truly appreciated. I greatly anticipate my first real bite of the tin sandwhich!
Regards - Craig
As you are a true beginner, follow the levels of achievement and enjoy the process.
All the best,
Eddy
I've been scanning the interviews, lessons and forum the last two days and you have come up with something that players of all skill levels can benefit. Things have come a long way since Tony Glover's book. Your instruction is so clear and even someone like me who might not get something right away can simply replay the lesson as many times as necessary. You have provided a fantastic site. The interviews are interesting and beneficial.
I was going to work on Gary's Blues and some of the theory lessons.
Also, looking forward to the Masterclass Workshop this coming year in San Jose.