learn to play harmonica online

You've most likely heard that tapping your foot is a good idea while you play. You've also probably noticed that it can be hard to do, especially along to new licks that you're studying.

Give yourself a test... continue reading...

Apply the licks you learn into the Chorus Form system. Chorus Forms are the study of how great players and song writers use repetition to create memorable solos and songs that stand the test of time. Simply stated, students that do this develop their improvising skills exponentially faster that those that don't. For more information on this subject dig into the Improvising Study 1 lesson on the site.

Some subjects that I write about I'm an expert... something I have taught many times in many situations... the focus is to just write it down. Other areas I write on I am not an expert, and the research I do helps to educate me AND others. You don't have to be an expert to help the harmonica community by creating something new. Get started today on a project that excites you (and doesn't take away too much practice time... I'm dead serious about this).

Here are some Ideas for you:
- Create a listing
- Catalog something
- Gather historical data on an artist or artists that interest you continue reading...

If you're not interested in participating in something someone else is doing, then create something yourself. Do you like history? Are you mechanically inclined? Do you like working with databases? Do you like design?

Most likely you didn't have anything to list when I asked you what you were doing for the harmonica community yesterday. Let's look at three paths of thinking though... supporting, helping and creating... you're surely doing one of these?

Supporting continue reading...

Have you heard of the 10,000 hours rule to mastery? Chapter two of Malcolm Gladwell's book "Outliers" does a good job of covering it. Dan Levitin's book "This is Your Brain on Music" also speaks of it in reference to the musical mind. Joshua Foer's "Moonwalking with Einstein" covers the subject in reference to skills development for his memory project. K. Anders Ericsson, the leading expert on skills acquisition, coined the phrase and is the source quoted in all of these texts (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anders_Ericsson). Fascinating stuff. continue reading...

The most effective way to encode a lick into your long term memory and ensure that it shows up in your improvising is to apply the chorus form method. Learn the lick, then play it as an: AAA; AAA with fills; AAB; AAB with fills; the three variations of A B/A C; change the presentation of the lick (dip, add a little of the upper note, shake, slap, pulls and slaps, flutter, octave, etc.); move it up and/or down an octave; break it into smaller pieces (fragmentation)...

This process is not only VERY effective, it's very fun!