Posted Fri, 09/26/2014 - 06:47 by David Barrett Admin
Magic Dick shared this with me today. It's great to see players expand what the harmonica can do and the settings in which it can play. Thank you Dick!
Posted Thu, 09/25/2014 - 11:59 by David Barrett Admin
Students commonly ask what the best model of harmonica is to play, or at least what I personally recommend. This is of course up to personal preference, but the gold standard has always been the Hohner Marine Band. The current flagship model is the Crossover... this is what the majority of my students play and the model I play if I'm not playing my custom Marine Bands (by Joe Filisko). The Marine Band Deluxe is my second choice. continue reading...
Posted Wed, 09/24/2014 - 06:25 by David Barrett Admin
Joe Filisko and Eric Noden have been busy in the studio creating two new albums that will release in 2015. On the Move by Joe Filisko & Eric Noden and Solid Ground by the Eric Noden Band. Listen to a track from each album here: http://www.rootsduo.com
Posted Tue, 09/23/2014 - 06:41 by David Barrett Admin
Tremolo (change in amplitude) is what most of our classic blues harmonica players used (pre-1960). Vibrato (change in pitch) became popular in the lat 1960's. If a classic player used a vibrato they tended to have a strong vocal vibrato as well (Howlin' Wolf is a great example). Players that are heavily influenced by Paul Butterfield (many are) they'll tend to use a strong vibrato. continue reading...
Posted Fri, 09/19/2014 - 07:11 by David Barrett Admin
The use of tremolo/vibrato is greatly emphasized in your lessons and submission critiques. It's used so much that it can be a dramatic effects to not use it. Listen to the opening of "Blue Midnight" by Little Walter and notice how hounting it sounds to not use it in the opening lines.
I'm off to camp through Sunday afternoon and then come in to do a lesson with Ryan Walker and record the last of the Masco Chronicles with Mark Overman. Have a great weekend everyone!
Posted Thu, 09/18/2014 - 05:55 by David Barrett Admin
Focus Notes and Texture go hand-in-hand. As each chorus passes, you're keeping track of what you've played. You're not trying to remember every lick, it's more of a simple scorecard of what focus notes and the textures you've used.
For example...
Let's say you've played three choruses so far. Chorus 1 focused on the 1 draw and you used single notes. Chorus 2 focused on the 2 draw and you threw in some dips, slaps and pulls. Chorus 3 you focused on the 3 draw, mostly emphasizing the bluesy sound of the 3' and didn't use any new textures. continue reading...
Posted Wed, 09/17/2014 - 06:07 by David Barrett Admin
I stated yesterday that once you play a focus note for a chorus that it should be mentally crossed off... not to be started on again for the rest of the song. BUT, you can use it again after a number of choruses if you present it differently. For example, if you played the 4 draw earlier using the standard slap, you can present it later with a flutter, shake, octave or powerful two-note combination. So, presenting notes with different "textures" (combining a focus note with other notes) you expand your ability to keep your solo fresh and interesting. More on textures tomorrow.
Posted Tue, 09/16/2014 - 06:48 by David Barrett Admin
To sum up the concept and importance of focus notes...
1) Focus notes are the notes of your I7 Chord, G B D F if you're in 2nd Position on a C Harmonica. This gives you the hole numbers 1 2" 2 3 4 5 6+ 7 8 9 9+ continue reading...
Posted Mon, 09/15/2014 - 15:15 by David Barrett Admin
Not only does the use of a focus note answer the "what do I play next" question, it helps us to move around the range of the harmonica. A common trap new improvisers get into is overplaying their comfortable note range, commonly holes 2, 3 and 4. If you play a 2 draw focus note one chorus, then cross it off in your mind and don't start on that 2 draw again for the rest of the song. If the next chorus you play a 4 draw focus note, then it too is no longer an option in subsequent choruses. continue reading...