Levels of Achievement
LOA represents the most complete learning system for the blues harmonica ever developed—focusing on all of the major areas of skills development needed to create a great harmonica player and musician. This includes: Study Songs (technique in motion and repertoire/vocabulary development); Chording/Chugging (the foundation of rhythmic playing on the harmonica); Movement Exercises (speed and agility); Scales & Arpeggios (essential to chord development); Accompaniment Playing (what to do in performance when you’re not soloing); Improvising (the art of improvising and song writing), Recording; Performance; and Music Theory (the understanding of how all of these work).
As students complete each section by recording and filling in written material for submission to David Barrett, students are awarded recognition on the BluesHarmonica.com forum and their profile. Students also receive a letter of completion and LOA harmonica pin to wear.
There is no extra cost to participate in the LOA program, though a small fee is charged when submitting your material for testing to cover the costs involved in the testing process. Everyone starts with Level 1... no matter your skill level. It's common for harmonica players to have holes in their playing and knowledge set, so let's make sure you're a complete player by going through all of the levels. I look forward to receiving your first submission!
Though there is detailed information on the program in the following pages, here's a Quick Reference Guide of all the LOA Level material requirements for your convenience.
