Practice Hints
Greetings All,
I've been practicing 45-60 minutes per day, most days and progress has been slow and somewhat discouraging. I've been doing the LOA (not for credit), Lessons and watching Hob Bosold and Sharon Barrett. Please share any practice routines that keep things interesting and allow some forward progress.
Thanks.
Phil S.
It may be that I have some sort of OCD, but I find it helpful to have a written-out practice agenda on a weekly and daily basis. Just a rough outline of things I'd like to do, e.g., a song, scales, certain technique, etc. I'm careful to keep it concise (as something I think might use up 5 minutes can end up occupying a half hour), and a mix of easy and challenging. Then I check off things on the list as I do them. It's a way to not only keep track of what I've been doing, but to also provide a visual reminder that I've "accomplished" something that day, even if that something is as small as "hey ... I actually worked on the minor scale in D and G today, instead of goofing off."
What worked for me is to realize when you get stuck and change gears.
Some background on why I say this:
I've played for 5+ years and I am kind of a technique junkie. I spent a lot of time on technique: I started puckering, then moved to U blocking, then tongue blocking. I can bend, play slaps, pulls, flutters, 4 and 5 hole octaves, overblow, some blow bend, shakes, throat vibrato and I'm sure other stuff I forget.
Over these years, there have been several times when I almost gave up. In fact, right at the beginning (learning by myself) I stopped playing for some months because I decided I was not going to be able to learn to bend notes. I even bought a chromatic because I thought the only way I could get those notes was to use the slide and forget about bending. Then after those months I took the harmonica one day, tried a 3 draw bend and got it right away.
About 3 months ago I kind of stopped learning. I was too tired at night and all I did was noodle around playing some songs I had learned before. It was easy, and sounded well, but it wasn't much fun. I was trying to focus on the accompaniment lesson and improvising lessons and I found them repetitive, and my playing was boring (my accompaniment rythm, fills and improvised licks sucked). So I again considered giving up. Then I started looking into the solo harmonica study 3, and when I started learning example 1.2 I just got fascinated by how sweet and nice it sounds. So that got me hooked up again. And after learning a couple of examples from there, I came back to the accompaniment and improvisation lessons and enjoyed them.
So I realized that focusing on the good and the bad is necessary but can also be a curse. Focus too much on the things you do bad or can't do at all, and you'll get frustrated and discouraged. Focus too much on the things which sound good and you'll be bored because it's too easy. Also, what "sounds good" to you will change over time.
For me, the best way to keep it fun has been: switch between the challenge and the comfort. Try to learn some difficult technique and, if you get stuck, realize that this is not fun anymore and switch to learning something else. Possibly something that's easier: a song, an example from another lesson, switch from lead to solo harmonica, from learning bending to learning chugging patterns, pick some song arranged to your level and learn it, play accoustically and spend some time playing amplified, and once you're feeling that's boring again, return to some challenge. That way I have been able to not only keep it fun but also keep growing my skills and maintain the interest.
Record yourself often, and listen to the old recordings over time. Focus on how bad you sound, but also on how good you sound. As I said, that'll change over time, but only paying attention to both the good and the bad I have been able to stoke my interest in overcoming difficulties and celebrate my progress. Revisit old songs you learned and record them again, try new techniques with them, etc.
Hope that helps. It definitely helped me to think about all of this to plan for future practice sessions :)
Hi Scorny,
Intellectually, I understand.
I can't make LOA progress until I'm proficient at tongue block bending. It's very frustrating since pucker bends came so naturally. So I'm waiting for a Shhhh - Key - Kooooo breakthrough or a new tongue.
Phll S
Hi Rob65,
I've been trying to follow the Lessons, LOA and the beginner Contributors but have not tried writting out goals. It makes sense as I've used that system with other things I needed to learn.
Phil S.
As David always says, "it'll happen, you just don't know when". I know that isn't really helpful when you are frustrated, but it will happen. Tongue blocking, especially bending, felt very uncomfortable to me as well after pursing almost entirely for 20 years. After a while the TB'ing became natural feeling to me, and now my bends are far richer sounding, and I can add other techniques to them, which is a whole new world. Keep at it, you will find what works at some point. Go slow with it, it's all about the tongue movement. Be patient with it, and make very small changes to get the feel for where the bends start to happen. Once you feel where they begin, then it starts to make more sense in other holes and on other keys of harp. You WILL get this!
Although I have been playing harp for decades I'm a total newbie to tongue blocking and serious study of the harmonica. What has been extremely helpful to me is keeping a notebook. I'll take notes on the lessons and I log my "lips on" practice sessions, keeping track of how much time I spend practicing each day. I'll even note the times I'm doing bench work on harmonicas, gapping, sizing/embossing reed slots, tuning & routine maintenance.
I have found this very helpful because when I go back later and review material - there's my notes!
The notebook/practice log also gives me some reinforcement that I'm putting in the time and effort even when the results are elusive. I have found that if I introduce a new exercise to myself I'll struggle with it initially. Then I'll move on to something else. Lo & behold, when I come back to that exercise later, it will be much easier to execute.
I try to put in a practice on scales everyday. Then practice some exercises. Then work my study song. Sometimes I'll try the study song first, then go through scales & exercises and finish by coming back to the study song. And all the time I'm taking notes.
That's what is working for me. I only offer one piece of advice - do it every day, however much and whatever it is, persevere!
Practice.
I have done a lot of research about this subject and this is what guides my daily practice sessions.
The Big Picture.: The details of the respective areas will vary depending on the individual.
- Have a Purpose for Practice. That I think is self-explanatory but multiple layers of Purpose are useful e.g. LoA. (The reason you do It). This is your personal reason for practice.
- Deliberate. Don’t practice what you know but focus on what you don’t know. Just playing a tune is not practice its playing. Break down the piece you are working with into manageable size chunks and slow it down and incrementally increase the speed. Keep looking for new challenges to practice. Stretch yourself. Record yourself.
- Discipline. Set a meaningful time aside to practice. Get yourself organised and know what you are going to work on. Don’t simply randomly start to play. I practice even if I’m not in the mood (that’s not often at all). If you start finding excuses you will lose the plot. Just do it.
- Technique. This is what I call Harmonica dexterity. Get the technique right. Speed, Bending, Timing, Rhythm, accurate rendition, Dynamics, Expression.
- Mind Set. This is a new addition to my list. Get yourself in the right frame of mind to play, focus on positives. As David has said don’t strive for perfection by strive for excellence. Great advice.
- Reward. After my practice I try to always end the session by playing a song that I like. I reflect on my progress and plan my next session.
Just watching a You tube video about Eric Claptons life where Chris Drejs states that Eric Clapton when learning and practising the guitar would spend a whole week on a four note phrase. That’s being Deliberate.
Dear MMarquez,
Thank you for your input.
I am making a little technique progress - I can pucker, tongue block, pucker bend, occasionally tongue block bend, slap, pull and sort of tremolo and shake weakly. I've not tried blow bends. But makking nice music? Not yet.
I found a group here in Denver - The Mile High Harmonica club that I'll be interacting with for the first time, this Sunday. It's a big group and before Covid, they'd get together often and play apparently, at all levels. Let's see where that goes.
I'll stick with it and try to get more organized.
PRSNRS
Dear MMarquez,
Thank you for your input.
I am making a little technique progress - I can pucker, tongue block, pucker bend, occasionally tongue block bend, slap, pull and sort of tremolo and shake weakly. I've not tried blow bends. But makking nice music? Not yet.
I found a group here in Denver - The Mile High Harmonica club that I'll be interacting with for the first time, this Sunday. It's a big group and before Covid, they'd get together often and play apparently, at all levels. Let's see where that goes.
I'll stick with it and try to get more organized.
PRSNRS
Dear MM,
A local harmonica player told me about harptabs.com which has the harmoinica tablature for thousands of popular songs.
prsnrs
harptabs.com is were I got started. There is lots of stuff there. I started with Home on the Range and the Tennessee Waltz. I play both much better using the techniques I've been learning hear at BluesHarmonica.
Thanks Scorny. Good advise. I joined a local harmonica club and am sure that will help, as well.
Stay safe.
prsnrs
Hi Phil,
I too had some issues with becoming discouraged. It became a real chore to pick up the harmonica and practice because it was such hard work. It was suggested to me that I should stop putting so much pressure on myself and find a way to enjoy the learning process. I watched various interviews, looked at the equipment reviews etc. and just made sure that I did something on the harmonica each day that was related to the lessons, and I eventually turned a corner. Since achieving L3 LOA the songs have become more interesting to me and I have noticed that I am developing a skill set.
My advice is don't try to force learn it, be patient and enjoy the lessons and practice sessions and think of it as a journey.