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As you learned yesterday, context is everything… what you play relates... no, is dictated, by... what the band plays.

In the “Sounds Real Good” category, our flat-7th was matched by another instrument, still sounding bluesy (“bluesy” means slightly dissonant by the way), but since another instrument is playing it, it caries with it a message of uniformity. continue reading...

When students work on Accompaniment Study 5 they learn about the bluesy flat-7th (this is the seventh note from the root of the chord, lowered down by half step... what's called an interval of a minor 7th). This is your 5 draw in 2nd Position for example. When you first started to jam on the harp you soon found that the 5 draw was a great, bluesy note. In fact, it's the ONLY blues note on your harmonica (and its octave equivalent 9 draw) without using the technique of bending. continue reading...

A comment I commonly give students after they play a passage for me is to play their blow notes softer... especially the lower three holes (they're more sensitive to higher pressures). We play so many draw notes in blues that when a blow note comes along, our bodies use that blow note as an air dump, and the tone quality of our blow notes suffer. So, if you listen back to yourself on recording (you record yourself for personal critique, right?) and notice a more airy, flat tone, make a point to play your blow notes 20% softer.

It's no secret that most of us have a tendency to rush. The most common reason for this in the blues is playing the upbeat eighth note too early in time, causing the following downbeat eighth note to be played early and the cycle continues until you notice it... usually three beats in where you swear that the dang metronome is slowing down!

Here's a great solution... continue reading...