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What's New: Dark Night, Parts 1 and 2 (Studio Session, Day 2)

Posted Wed, 05/06/2015 - 07:50 by David Barrett Admin
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In these two videos we record the slow blues instrumental heavily influenced by George "Harmonica" Smith titled "Dark Night." Pianist Steve Lucky joins the recording crew for this and two more songs.

David's Tip of the Day: Footage from CD Release Concert

Posted Tue, 05/05/2015 - 07:19 by David Barrett Admin
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For those that weren't able to make the CD release party, here's Aki and I improvising a tribute to Little Walter.

David Barrett and Aki Kumar pay Tribute to Little Walter
https://youtu.be/y0hCpyiBAmg

David's Tip of the Day: Joe Filisko Harmonica Customizing Interview

Posted Mon, 05/04/2015 - 08:45 by David Barrett Admin
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Hohner released this video today with Joe Filisko speaking on camera about the history of his harmonica customizing work. Check it out, it's very insightful.

Customizing Joe Filisko
https://youtu.be/SHBXPaWyrTg

What's New: CD Available! It Takes Three with Gary Smith, Aki Kumar and David Barrett

Posted Sat, 05/02/2015 - 09:46 by David Barrett Admin
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I'm proud to announce that the CD "It Takes Three" with Gary Smith, Aki Kumar and myself is now available at http://bit.ly/ittakesthree (physical or download). The transcription set is available at http://www.bluesharmonica.com/it_takes_three_transcriptions (harp TAB and standard music notation provided).

Here are some YouTube videos of the project. Thank you for your support!

It Takes Three by David Barrett, Gary Smith and Aki Kumar
https://youtu.be/dHhzq2AN99s

Bombay Stroll by Aki Kumar
https://youtu.be/iAPr6qUTufg

Blow! Blow! Blow! by David Barrett continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day: Octave

Posted Fri, 05/01/2015 - 09:44 by David Barrett Admin
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Center your tongue and move it ever-so-slightly back (away from the harmonica) so that you're only covering two holes with your tongue. Again, focus on the convex shape of your tongue, there’s no need to use the tip of your tongue if you use a light touch. continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day: Finding Patterns to Help with Speed Licks

Posted Thu, 04/30/2015 - 07:25 by David Barrett Admin
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It's not guaranteed that a fast lick will have a movement pattern, breath pattern or both, but it's worth looking for... the discover of them can help make a fast lick much easier to play.

Your Tongue Block Study 3 song ("Gary's Blues") contains a great example in Bar 6 of Chorus 5. Note that each beat has you moving up one hole and coming back, all with the same breath. For the next beat you move down the scale and blow, then using the same movement. Rinse and repeat and you have the entire lick. This discovery will help you to play this lick much more easily. continue reading...

What's New: Here We Go, Parts 1 and 2 (Studio Session, Day 2)

Posted Wed, 04/29/2015 - 07:28 by David Barrett Admin
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We're now on to the second day of recording. I move into the smaller isolation room and we start the day with all of my solo tunes. These two videos I record "Here We Go." This Tramp groove, based on Lowell Fulson’s song “Tramp,” has long been a favorite groove of mine. With a rhythm driven by 8th and 16th notes, it allows for fast playing and some very cool runs that traverse the entire range of the harmonica. continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day: Rushing with Fast Licks

Posted Wed, 04/29/2015 - 05:52 by David Barrett Admin
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Fast licks can be challenging to learn due to the number of notes packed into a small amount of time. Difficulty is heightened with awkward breathing patterns or the addition of challenging techniques such as bending or note treatments (dip, cut, gliss, slap, flutter or octave for example). Students will struggle to fit all of the notes of a passage in time, and in their struggle they'll often unknowingly play a lick too fast in order to get to what's next in the music. continue reading...

David's Tip of the Day: Rushing with Consistent Rhythms

Posted Tue, 04/28/2015 - 07:31 by David Barrett Admin
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Be aware that when a passage contains a repetitive lick, e.i., a string of notes that are rhythmically the same (such as a triplet passage for more than two beats), most players will have the tendency to rush. Knowing that this is common, when you approach such a passage make sure to feel the pulse of the music and hold yourself back from rushing.

David's Tip of the Day: Rare Early Blues Harp Recordings by Singers and Sidemen introduced by Joe Filisko - Part 2

Posted Mon, 04/27/2015 - 08:01 by David Barrett Admin
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The second part of Joe Filisko's informative radio show is now up...

Rare Early Blues Harp Recordings by Singers and Sidemen introduced by Joe Filisko - Part 2
https://www.mixcloud.com/PodKast/rare-early-harmonica-recordings-by-voca...