harp

HarpNinja is an invaluable program for those working on their bending skills. Join me for a quick screen-cast lesson on this software. For more information and to purchase this program visit: http://harpninja.com/wp/ This is lesson is for all skill level players. No harmonica is needed for this lesson.

In this lesson Ryan continues his work on Improvising (V-IV-I licks), Accompaniment (Hole Changes), Solo Harmonica playing (Charleston rhythm) and the slow blues study song with breaks, "Blues Creapin' Over Me."

Lesson 23 - Intro & Accompaniment Study 3: Harmonica and Chord Review
Lesson 23 - Accompaniment Study 3: Hole Changes Review
Lesson 23 - Accompaniment Study 3: Blues Creapin’ Over Me
Lesson 23 - Solo Harmonica Study 3: Ex. 1.4
Lesson 23 - Accompaniment Study 3: Ex. 1-8

http://youtu.be/Vijs5OOqELY At 7:15 he plays his famous "Hootin' the Blues"

Open HarpNinja, click on D for Diatonic, play the YouTube video of Buddy Greene's speed playing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0fusOgxp_8 and watch what HarpNinja reads at 3:45. This is a pretty cool way to use this software to learn riffs (this doesn't work well when there's backing music, so solo YouTube clips are great).

The most basic way of playing with a vocalist is to play when they're not singing, called playing "fills." This naming comes from the idea that you're "filling" the holes left by the vocals.

The first challenge is to know when to start playing (this tends to be fairly intuitive) and when to stop playing (which is a little less intuitive... it's easy to play too long and step on the next line of the vocals).

There's a simple answer... sing the vocals. continue reading...

Last year fellow student Hank Stefaniak reviewed the new harmonica pitch reference software HarpNinja for everyone (thanks Hank!). I've been using this with students at my School of the Blues for a while to test its effectiveness and have been working with the developer on suggested improvements (he's been great about implementing my suggestions). continue reading...

When students work on their improvising skills, they find it challenging to come up with cool fills for their Af Af At and Af Af B Chorus Forms. The easiest place to find lots of fills is in songs where there's harmonica playing fills between vocals. The study song "I Want You With Me" in Accompaniment Study 4 is a good example.

Here's a fun hour of harmonica-focused content. Thanks to Nedra Russ for sharing this

Harmonica Heroes Take Over WNPR
http://wnpr.org/post/harmonica-heroes-take-over-wnpr

I've found the Tascam series of recorders to be very user-friendly (I use these at School of the Blues in all my teaching rooms) and in the case of this sale, extremely affordable. Musician's Friend has the LR-10 on sale for $40 right now. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/tascam-lr-10-instrument-vocal... Do quick recordings of songs you’re working on or for recording a live band. continue reading...

Here's the actual footage of me in the MRI while bending on the harmonica. Enjoy!
http://youtu.be/I5kogDrivvQ