Posted Fri, 09/18/2015 - 08:30 by David Barrett Admin
The goal of this lesson is to continue advancing your overbend skills while simultaneously filling in the harmonic/theory knowledge that’s required of a traditional blues player to be able to apply/execute overbends well in our common three positions (1st, 2nd and 3rd). This will be achieved by studying chords (arpeggios) and chord scales (a combination of chord tones and scale tones), all to give you more material to play while improvising. continue reading...
Posted Wed, 09/16/2015 - 07:56 by David Barrett Admin
Let's continue with more memorable quotes from artists...
At my 1998 Harmonica Masterclass Workshop, Charlie Musselwhite was fielding questions from students and just answered a question about playing on the high end of the harmonica. The next student asked, "But what happens if you play a wrong note?" and Charlie said, "Well, I'm only one hole away from the right one." continue reading...
Posted Tue, 09/15/2015 - 09:33 by David Barrett Admin
"If you think you got it, record yourself and listen back to see if you 'really' got it" said Rod Piazza in a conversation regarding preparation for the performance of a song.
It's difficult to listen to yourself closely enough while playing to make an accurate assessment of your performance. Make use of the easy tool of recording (most of us have phones or computers that have recording software and microphones built in) for self-assessment. continue reading...
Posted Thu, 09/10/2015 - 08:56 by David Barrett Admin
Open mouth, insert harmonica... that simple.
The common error is to bring the harmonica near your mouth and pucker your lips out to meet the face of the harmonica. Your mouth closes down towards the harmonica, the jaw raises (like when blowing out a candle) and the tongue raises with it, all creating a narrow air passage that's the perfect embouchure for thin, wimpy tone. continue reading...
Posted Wed, 09/09/2015 - 08:22 by David Barrett Admin
Our most common position is 2nd Position, and when playing in 2nd Position we draw (inhale) much more than we blow (gives us access to draw bends). For this reason, every time you pick up the harmonica to play your reflex should be to exhale before starting.
This is consistent with 3rd Positions as well, but not so for 1st Position where we focus on playing more blows than draws.
Posted Tue, 09/08/2015 - 07:15 by David Barrett Admin
Pretty cool editing software recommended by fellow student Sandor. He states, "It's not for live music, but for studio recording... fixing vocals, and works very well with harmonica. Harmonica caused headaches for other software." He also uses this software to convert what he played from audio to midi so that the midi can be imported into notation software to notate in standard music notation what he played. Thanks Sandor.
Posted Thu, 09/03/2015 - 07:52 by David Barrett Admin
When the vocals begin, hold the last note you you were playing softly until the vocal phrase is over and then continue playing (this assumes you were playing a chord tone, otherwise you would of had to change quickly to a chord tone). If you were playing a riff (repetitive lick), keep playing that riff softly through the vocal phrase. Holding a note equals inactivity and continuing an already-established phrase (riff) is inactivity. Change is activity and will distract from what's happening with the vocals.
Posted Wed, 09/02/2015 - 07:39 by David Barrett Admin
Whether you're improvising or accompanying, if your lick focuses on the 2 draw, you can play it through the IV7 Chord as well and it will sound good (like the A A B Chorus Form for example).
The simple theory is that the 2 draw (referencing a C Harmonica in 2nd Position, Key of G) is G, the Root Note of the I7 Chord. 2 draw is also the 5th of the IV7 Chord, so it works there as well. If your lick also includes the 3 draw, remember to obey the 3 Draw Rule and bend it down to 3' when on the IV7 Chord.