Posted Tue, 11/15/2011 - 08:06 by David Barrett Admin
I just received an email from a student asking questions about the Hohner 364... the 12-hole Low-C Harmonica (the 365 is a 14-hole). Though it no doubt looks cool in pictures (it's big!), the untreated wood comb and larger body size is not desirable. Now that the Hohner Thunderbird is out, you can get a Low-C in a standard body size... my first custom harmonica was from Richard Sleigh many years ago, and it was for a Low C Marine Band... again, so I could have a standard body size Low-C. It will cost you $200+ to have this done, and Thunderbirds are going for around $135 out the door. continue reading...
Posted Mon, 11/14/2011 - 14:57 by David Barrett Admin
Gary Smith and I cover the challenges of playing to the Tramp Groove. In this lesson we cover the history, rhythmic variations that can be used for improvising and we play a whole bunch. Gary also shares some stories, one having to do with Junior Wells' tongue in Gary's mouth!
Posted Thu, 11/10/2011 - 08:02 by David Barrett Admin
“As a general rule, rest 10 minutes of each hour that you spend in the practice room. Rest more if you’re working vigorously or adopting new techniques. A sensible practice-to-rest ratio, widely recommended by teachers and medical authorities, is to practice no more than 25-30 minutes before pausing for a 5-minute respite. Many musicians opt for more frequent breathers and rest 2-3 minutes every 15 minutes or so.” Pg 12, The Musician’s Way: A Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness By Gerald Klickstein
Posted Sun, 11/06/2011 - 12:47 by David Barrett Admin
Do you have a mental model of the harmonica when you play? Lee Sankey's research says that it's a determining factor in your ability to create on your harmonica. I speak about this in the "Improvising Study 8 - Soloing Blocks & Chord Tone Soloing." Read about Lee's research (read the PDF) at http://brainstruments.com/
Posted Fri, 10/28/2011 - 07:56 by David Barrett Admin
"The four laws of learning are explanation, demonstration, imitation, and repetition. The goal is to create a correct habit that can be produced instinctively under great pressure. To make sure this goal was achieved, I created eight laws of learning: namely, explanation, demonstration, imitation, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition and repetition." John Wooden
Posted Wed, 10/26/2011 - 08:05 by David Barrett Admin
Though chrome bullet mics look great, they can be very tough to hold due to how slippery chrome feels... especially after a bit of performance sweat. A chrome grill can bring some holding challenges as well.
Solution #1 - Focus on FIRST bringing your palms together, allowing your mic to rest in the cradle created between both hands. In this case you're not HOLDING the mic, it RESTS on your hands. Your fingers then form into their normal cup. This is good cupping advice period... say goodbye to cramping hands! continue reading...