Chunking Memorization Homework

When the Music Theory Lessons first came out, I was very excited. I plowed through them until I hit the part where I had to memorize every hole's pitches and scale degree for each chord. It just seemed so overwhelming and not that fun to just honk notes through the endless G major Shuffle. I got distracted too easily and ended up learning new songs or working on other things during my practice time instead.

About a month ago I realized I really need to get this stuff ingrained if I was going to get to the next level. So I started a hole of the week. Every Sunday I pick one "hole of the week", I go through and watch the focus note video on Improv 2, the blocking video on Improv 8 and then run through that G major shuffle honk thing a couple times. I have a cool app called Flashcards Buddy on my Android that I use to add in all the stuff I need to memorize on that hole.

Each day pick a new harp to focus on (you should have 6 or 7 if you're following along with the site lessons). That way you can pull out your tuner each day and spend a few minutes making sure you're hitting and holding those bends with laser accuracy on that hole. If I'm focusing on pitch accuracy on bending, I'll also try to practice dynamics (bending as quiet as possible is a challenge).

Throughout the week I'll play along with songs using just that note or the notes under it (for example if I'm on week 3 I can use holes 1-3 for my improvising and accompaniment practice). I'll also go through all my transcripts and find licks that focus around these holes and harvest them for my improv/accompaniment practice for the whole week.

Some holes like 2 and especially 3 might require more than one week, but you get the gist.

Doing this means that I can have fun, play harmonica, practice harmonica, learn songs, and do all the other stuff I would normally be doing, but still be internalizing that not so fun stuff (at least to me) in the mean time.