Posted Sat, 10/04/2014 - 13:02 by David Barrett Admin
Translation...
When students start working on pulls (found on the upbeat), they forget to slap their other notes (found on the downbeat). This sounds strange... don't do this. The main reason why we tongue block is to use the slap technique, so make it your default... you should have a reason why you're not slapping. Next, when using other techniques, like the pull, don't forget to record yourself and listen back so you can make sure you're not forgetting to use your other techniques, like slaps, dips, flutters, tremolo/vibrato and dynamics. continue reading...
Posted Wed, 03/05/2014 - 10:05 by David Barrett Admin
Instead of taking just one lick and moving it up an octave, try it with an entire song. Use "Temperature" from Tongue Block Study 2 and move it up an octave. Though by now you've probably already memorized the notes on your C Harmonica, you can visit Music Theory Study 1 for a note layout. The process is simple. The first lick of the song is 3 4+ 3, which are the notes B C B. Move these notes up one octave to 7 7+ 7. Print out the sheet music for the song and write below the TAB the octave above version. continue reading...
Posted Tue, 03/04/2014 - 09:27 by David Barrett Admin
The Major Pentatonic Scale we started with in this series was 6+ 6 7 8 8+ 9+ 10. The same notes are found one octave lower 2 3" 3 4 5+ 6+ 6. These are notes we use all the time. Try making up some licks with these lower notes and moving them up an octave. This is called octave substitution and is a tool often used by improvisers to move up to the high end in a way that makes melodic sense, and commonly without the need of a slick transition lick. Take this lick for example: 2 3" 3 4 5+ 6+ 6+ 5+ 6+ and then repeat it at 6+ 6 7 8 8+ 9+ 9+ 8+ 9+. I use this in my instrumental study song "Blow! continue reading...
Posted Thu, 02/06/2014 - 09:19 by David Barrett Admin
Here's my personal approach to playing the harmonica...
1) Tilt face of harmonica slightly downward (around 30 degrees)
2) Open mouth
3) Insert harmonica, bringing the harmonica to the tongue (not the tongue to the harmonica)
4) For a standard tongue block (single note at right, with lips over four holes and tongue blocking three holes to the left), the tongue moves just one click to the left (11 O'clock)
5) To tongue switch, move to the right to 1 O'clock
6) To play an octave, center the tongue and use a lighter touch continue reading...
Posted Wed, 02/05/2014 - 09:09 by David Barrett Admin
Your tongue blocks two holes in the center, leaving the left and right holes open when performing an octave (1+ C and 4+ C for example). You can either use the tip of your tongue to block those two holes or use the tip-top of the tongue (called the blade), by using an ultra-light touch so that the natural convex shape of the tongue doesn't flatten out and cover too many holes. Give this light touch a try and I'll discuss some other interesting advantages of this light touch technique tomorrow.