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David's Tip of the Day: Summary of Keys used at BluesHarmonica.com

Posted Tue, 10/27/2015 - 07:46 by David Barrett Admin

Harmonicas come in all twelve keys. To play in a given key you simply grab the appropriate harmonica and away you go. Each harmonica is approached the same—same blows, draws, bends and techniques—the harmonica does the key change for you. We start with the A Harmonica because it’s the most common harmonica used in blues. The common keys of harmonica are G, A, Bb, C, D and F. To learn this instrument and play along with the majority of your blues music selections, you’ll need these keys. continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day: Why is the C harmonica most often recommended by music stores and musicians?

Posted Mon, 10/26/2015 - 14:27 by David Barrett Admin

Most new musicians start out by learning scales on their instrument, and the first scale that’s commonly taught is the C Major Scale. The C major scale does not contain any sharps or flats (those notes represented by the black keys on the piano). This makes it an easy scale to start with and to remember and understand. As I pointed out earlier, harmonicas already come in specific keys and the learning of one key over the other has no merit for us... we play each harmonica the same. continue reading...

What's New: TJ Klay Interview

Posted Sat, 10/24/2015 - 07:22 by David Barrett Admin

A Hohner Harmonica Artist for the past 16 years, TJ was featured on the Hohner Harmonica Artist Calendar along with Howard Levy, Delbert McClinton and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler. TJ was an original member of the country rock band Western Flyer. His Western Flyer days included two CDs, four hit singles, three CMT videos, ten TV appearances, and performances at the Kansis City Royal's season openers, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Foundation, and a White House whistle stop tour gig for President Clinton. continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day: Why does BluesHarmonica.com incorporate the use of other keys of harmonica in its lessons fairly early on?

Posted Fri, 10/23/2015 - 06:46 by David Barrett Admin

Instruments are commonly designed to play all twelve tones in music, and can thus play in all twelve keys. It takes time for instrumentalists to learn their scales (which notes are, and are not, associated with a given key) and ultimately master the ability to move around on their instrument fluidly within each key. This takes a lot of practice over time, but it’s a common necessity. continue reading...

What's New: Bending Study 11 - Overbending Study 4, Study Songs 2 and 3

Posted Thu, 10/22/2015 - 17:06 by David Barrett Admin

In this study we apply overblows on holes 4, 5 and 6 to two study songs. “Highway 456” is in 2nd Position minor and “Swing It” is in 3rd Position. You’ll need a Bb Harmonica for this study http://www.bluesharmonica.com/lessons/bending_study_11_overbending_study...

David's Tip of the Day - Why does BluesHarmonica.com use the “A” harmonica for the majority of its instruction?

Posted Thu, 10/22/2015 - 07:27 by David Barrett Admin

The A harmonica is by far the most common harmonica used in blues. If you were to go to a jam session or sit in at a buddy’s gig, the harmonica you would throw in your pocket would no doubt be the A harmonica.

The harmonica that you first learn will be the key of harmonica you’ll be most comfortable playing for a while, so it’s beneficial to have your “go-to harp” be the common A harmonica. continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day - The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance

Posted Wed, 10/21/2015 - 07:51 by David Barrett Admin

Thanks to fellow student Gary Hayes for sharing this paper, it's the source of most of today's literature on practice.
http://projects.ict.usc.edu/itw/gel/EricssonDeliberatePracticePR93.pdf

David's Tip of the Day - The Practicing Mind

Posted Tue, 10/20/2015 - 07:38 by David Barrett Admin

I've mentioned this book in the past, but a good friend (and fellow student of yours) reminded me that it's time to mention it again. "The Practicing Mind" http://www.thepracticingmind.com does a great job of simply laying out the mental process of practice.

David's Tip of the Day - Challenges of Playing on the High End - 3+ used for Octave Substitution

Posted Mon, 10/19/2015 - 10:09 by David Barrett Admin

Thanks for your patience while I was traveling... Tip of the Day is back! Take a look at "Challenges of Playing on the High End - Octave Substitution" from 10/12. In this I used the opening to "Juke" (minus pulls and such, just the basic pitches) and wrote 3+ 3 4 5+ 6+ 6+. continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day - Challenges of Playing on the High End - Octave Substitution, Part 2

Posted Tue, 10/13/2015 - 07:11 by David Barrett Admin

You can also move licks down one octave to better understand their movement and note selections. Here's a Lee Oskar lick in its original form on the high end and then down one octave...

9+ 9 8, 8+ 8 7, 7+ 7 7 6 6+ (played in a triplet rhythm)

6+ 5 4, 5+ 4 3, 4+ 3 3" 3+

Note that the 6 turns into 3". If you have a lick that relies on the 3" in the lower octave, it may be a smart choice to play that lick one octave higher so its easy availability as a 6. In this case, the high end version of the lick is much more fluid, requiring less movement. continue reading...

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