music

Here's an interesting short on Gary Sloan, supposedly known in Anchorage as the man who introduced Blues music to Alaska in the 1960's https://www.facebook.com/DODWMPW/videos/1081467821924832/

An enjoyable hour of popular music narrated by The Archivist (Roger Trobridge) from the 1960's containing harmonica. Though we don't study this era of harmonica playing (not known for its high level of playing), it's a fun listen.

How do you tell the listener that what you're playing is important?... you repeat it.

If you're not using repetition, you're telling the listener that what you're playing is not worth remembering.

If it's not worth remembering, then it's forgettable.

Who wants to play music that's forgettable?

For those not aware of Howard Goodall's "How Music Works" series, it's well worth checking out https://youtu.be/U-P55m37hWk

It’s challenging to perform a piece of music. There are techniques (precise bending, tongue blocking, articulation, etc.), movement (conjunct and disjunct), dynamics (volume and tonal), rhythm (individual licks and their chaining together into phrases) and everything else involved in playing a particular piece of music well. continue reading...

Well that's it, these are all of the songs that students of School of the Blues first learn before they start to add their own song selections into the mix. I recommend you look at the listing I provided (https://www.facebook.com/bluesharmonica/) and make note of the different types of grooves that are represented... these are the grooves you'll most likely play in an average set. continue reading...

These are the things to have with you for your first lesson...

1) Printouts of the current songs you're working on (as well as maybe one you can already play well, so you can give them a taste of what you can do).

2) Download the MP3s (original and jam tracks) to your smartphone or burn a CD if that's more convenient (I have students bring their songs on a thumb drive, it makes it very easy for me to load onto my computer and use with my preferred programs). continue reading...

In yesterday's tip you left a message for two instructors. When there are multiple instructors to choose from it's to your advantage to meet them to find which one is the best fit for your personality, learning style and goals. Most likely you'll speak with them on the phone first, so here's how your conversation might go before the first lesson... continue reading...

You of course have me to help you on your path to becoming a great blues harmonica player, especially those who submit recorded material regularly, but there are instructors local to you that can help too. Harmonica instructors are hard to come by, but guitar and piano instructors are not. They can help you with your timing (this is what I spend most of my time helping students with), rhythm training, music theory, improvising, accompaniment playing... all of the elements in music that are common among instruments and not specific to the harmonica. continue reading...

In the BB's radio show The Science Hour on 10/2 (the episode tilted "Flowing Water on Mars") they spoke of timbre, the overtone series, temperament (our harmonica models come in different temperaments https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_temperament) and how active the mind is in the production of music. The explanations are bit shallow, but still a fun listen. Go here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p033n9rm and start it at 23:46.