Fast Triplets

Yes, the jaw shift can be helpful on this one. It's funny you bring that up... I just read this in Chapter 8 of Moonwalking with Einstein. The researcher says to put the metronome (or jam track) 10% faster than you can actually do... reach for it! I also just ready in the Talent Code today...

“Struggle is not optional, it’s neurologically required. In order to get your skill circuit to fire optimally, you must by definition fire the circuit sub optimally. You must make mistakes, and pay attention to those mistakes… you must slowly teach your circuit. You must also keep firing that circuit, i.e. practicing, in order to keep myelin functioning properly, after all, myelin is living tissue.”

“Nerve firings grow myelin, myelin controls impulse speed and impulse speed is skill.”

I majored in Neurobiology at U of Wash. Here are a few things I've found about learning a new skill (although you don't need a degree to learn this stuff, there seems to be new articles out every month about this stuff). These are some things I find most helpful.

Take Fish Oil, and/or other Omega Fatty-Acids EVERY day. These are the building blocks your body needs for myelin sheathing, which is basically the insulation for your cords (creates resistance in axons which makes the electrochemical "firing" faster. As you are learning, your brain is forming new connections (synapses) and omega fatty-acids are in high demand. Think of it as eating a lot of protein when you're working out. Come to think of it, protein is good for the brain too. Other good foods to eat are ones that are high in anti-oxidants (blueberries, cranberries, acai, etc.). Drink plenty of water.

Get good sleep. During sleep your brain compiles all the stuff you did throughout the day. Sure, you can learn things during the day, but it's a structurally different process at night when you sleep. When you don't get a healthy full night of sleep your brain doesn't have the opportunity to create this long term memory. It's basically like throwing out a huge chunk of all the effort you put into learning throughout the day. About a decade ago I spent 3 months in Ranger school with an average of two hours of sleep a night. I remembered almost nothing. Try not to drink, take sleeping pills, or smoke pot before bed as this can inhibit this process while you sleep. Take it easy on the caffeine. It has been shown to make you more alert but there is good evidence that it can actually impair your ability to form long term memory. Oh, and definitely don't smoke.

Exercise! Not only will this keep your body healthy, but it will keep your brain operating at maximum capacity. Exercising also strengthens your cerebellum which is responsible for your body's fine motor control (definitely needed for harp playing). Martial Arts are great for musicians btw.

Do other things. Learn new skills besides just harmonica. This creates more connections in your brain. It's like amping up the overall CPU on your computer. It makes everything faster and run more smoothly.

De-stress. Find something that relieves stress. If you're learning something new on the harmonica or anything for that matter, rather than get frustrated, take a break periodically from what you're learning and play something you already know well. You'll find improvement when you come back to what you were raking yourself to learn. Playing or listening to music is a great way to de-compress.

And like David said, PUSH yourself to the next level. Our bodies and minds expend a lot of energy keeping us in a state of stasis (maintaining steady temperature, nutrients, etc). It's super easy to stay with what we are comfortable with. Get out of your comfort zone and try out stuff that seems out of your grasp. Children are great at this while their brains are developing. As we grow older, many of us lose that childlike curiosity to push ourselves and try new things. Do some things that may not seem that interesting to you, like learning music theory, different positions, or a bit of another style. Most of the big name harp players out there are famous for pushing the limits and doing something new and unique.

Never say "I just can't do that". This is more psychology that neurobiology, but it's good advice. It's better to tell yourself "I haven't learned to do that YET". Our brains are plastic, which means they can be changed. If you suck at math and have always sucked at math, YOU CAN, become better. People weren't born great harmonica players, everyone has to work at it. I've been reading the biography on Little Walter and it doesn't seem he was a natural born musician with perfect pitch and timing. He practiced A LOT, and was always pushing himself. You think he told people "I just can't do that" very often?

I could go on. If you're interested in music and the mind, I recommend checking out Daniel Levitin and Oliver Sacks. You can also find good articles in Scientific American Mind. Scan the science sections of the magazine stands. Almost every month there's new articles on memory, learning, music, etc.

Hope this helps. I'm new to blues harmonica but these tips have helped me in many other areas. Happy blowing.

-Taylor

Thanks for that... great information. Kind of you to share. By the way, Scott Dirks, coauthor of the book you're reading is going to be joining the team at bluesharmonica.com soon to write info about the artists that you're studying.

The Blues as a genre is such a rich and important piece of american pride, culture, tradition, and history. It's influence can be heard in most popular music around the world. Having a better understanding of the people and places where it came from can only enrich the learning experience. I'm anxious to see what he has to offer to the school.
-Taylor