Harmonica 101

Thursday, October 27, 2005

Blues great Sonny Terry


Sonny Terry

Saunders Terrell (1911-1986)

To read more about Sonny and other blues harmonica greats click on the title above....peace, mc

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Sharin’ the Blues



Come join the fun
  • NOMHRF

  • The Macdaddies will be participating in a fund rasier for Katrina suvivors on Friday Oct. 28 at the Foundry. The event will feature : Slow Blind Hill, Jenna and the Joneses, The Mac Daddies, and MightyBlue. Steve Michel of Bluestone will host a blues jam. Presented by Right Track Productions
    Oct. 28, 2005, 7 p.m.- 2 a.m.(blues jam 12-2 a.m.)The Foundry,

    747 World’s Fair Park Drive.Tickets $10 in advance,
    $12 at the door.Can be purchased at Cat’s Music,
    Disc Exchange, The Shrimp Dock,and Brackins Blues Club (Maryville)Food prepared by The Shrimp Dock
    Sponsors: The Foundry,
    The News Sentinel, Broadway Sound,
    The Shrimp Dock, Brackins Blues Club,
    Track Side Recording, Pick ‘N’ Grin,
    Rik’s Music and McKay Books.
    The Sharin’ the Blues benefit
    concert gives local blues fans a
    night of great music and a way to

    help New Orleans musicians who
    lost their livelihoods to hurricanes
    Katrina and Rita.
    All ticket sale proceeds will go to
    the New Orleans Musicians
    Hurricane Relief Fund. There will
    also be an auction for great items
    donated by our sponsors. Sponsors
    or volunteers interested in helping

    with the show, call Mike James,
    865-805-7509
    Sharin’ the Blues


























  • Monday, October 17, 2005

    Crawley does the Anthem

    Ladies and Gentlemen please rise for our National Anthem

    Saturday, October 15, 2005

    JUST ANOTHER LESSON



    HARMONICA 101 STUDENT ESTONIA B SEZ..
    Practice 2 or 3 times a day- 15 to 30 minutes of practice a day is a good amount of time if you can stick with it. You may find it easier to practice for 10 minutes 2 or 3 times a day and build up your endurance (it won't take too long). It's normal to get winded and feel muscle fatigue in your lips and hands for the first few months

    PLAY TILL YOUR EYES WATER, PEACE...MC

    Friday, October 14, 2005

    Harmonica 101






    This, of course is a C major scale (do, re, mi, etc )
    Practice till your eyes water...


    now try it
    backwards


    this was taken from Tom Ball's
    Blues Harmonica - a Comprehensive Crash Course and Overview !!
    http://www.bassharp.com/tomball.htm

    Wednesday, October 12, 2005

    HARP SITES














    HARMONICA WEB SITES


    http://www.harpmicgaskets.com/
    http://www.harmonicalessons.com/
    http://www.harmonicamasterclass.com/
    http://www.bluesharp.ca/links.html
    http://www.jt30.com/
    http://www.gindick.com/
    http://http://www.macdaddiesrock.com/
    http://harmonica101.blogspot.com/ (mine)

    http://www.harpdepot.com/
    http://http://www.coast2coastmusic.com/
    http://www.kharps.com/

    Beginners luck

    Below is a excerpt from Dave Gage's wonderful site
    Harmonica lessons .com
    Please visit his site and enjoy this beginners lesson....
    peace, mc

    ps.. his site is a pay site, but its worth every penny...

    LET'S START AT THE TOP
    You will need a standard 10-hole diatonic harmonica in the key of "C" for the instruction on this site. Double rowed harmonicas (sometimes 8, 10, or 12 sets of double holes) are called Tremolo harmonicas and they along with chromatic harmonicas are not the proper types of harmonicas for our instruction.
    Key of "C" Diatonic (standard 10-hole) Harmonica- You'll need a good quality diatonic type harmonica to learn and practice on. This is what you need for most blues, folk, rock, and country styles. We like the
    Lee Oskar Major Diatonic and the Hohner Special 20 (both in the key of "C") best for players just starting out. The Lee Oskar is a bit more expensive, but worth the price for its consistent volume, tone, and durability. The Hohner Special 20 is one of the best diatonics around for the money. They may not last as long as some other models, but like the Lee Oskar, they sound and play great. (Can't decide? Pick one, and try the other when you need to buy another key.)
    Will my harmonica work with this site?- Visit the "
    Recommended Harmonicas For Our Instruction" page for lists of the 'Recommended', 'Acceptable', and 'NOT Recommended' models and brands. You can refer to this section, General Overview, for more information on diatonic vsChromaticic harmonicas as well as; some basic 1st and 2nd position harmonica theory, and a "Chart of Harmonica Keys & Positions" for jamming to songs. By the way, quick definitions of harmonica related terms like "diatonic" and "key" can be found in the Terms & Definitions section.
    Stick with a basic 10 hole harmonica in the key of "C"- Diatonic harmonicas come in all twelve keys (G, Ab, A, Bb, B, C, Db, D, Eb, E, F, F#), but for beginners it's easier if you start with a basic 10 hole harmonica in the key of "C" (generally speaking, the "G" harmonicas are very low and the "F" and "F#" harmonicas are very high pitch-wise, while the "C" is right in the middle). Key of "C" harmonicas is the most common, and they also make understanding
    music theory much easier.
    Should I buy other key diatonic harmonicas as well?- As you improve and begin to play with others or start
    playing along with CDs, you will want to pick up some of the other key diatonics. The "C", "A", "D", "F", and "G" keys are a good place to start- in roughly that order. The key of harmonica you need is determined by the key the song is in and usually set by the singer. If you are not playing along with other people or with CDs, all you need is a key of "C" for now.
    Will a key other than "C" work at this site?-You should note that
    all keys of standard diatonic harmonicas are layed out and played the same way. That is, if you already own a standard 10-hole diatonic in a key other than the key of "C" (like an "A" or "D" for instance); it will work for the instruction and songs on this site. But, make the key of "C" your next purchase.
    A cheap harmonica is tough to learn on- Prices may vary, but it is best to buy one for no less than $17 to $25, because a cheap harmonica can be extremely difficult to learn on. Poor construction of inexpensive harmonicas causes them to leak air and makes them hard to play and difficult to learn important techniques like bending.
    Avoid these diatonics, and possibly 'upgrade'- Avoid wooden
    combed harmonicas if you are just starting out for the same air leak problems mentioned above. The harmonicas that are included in the 'Book with CD (or Cassette Tape) and Harmonica' packages are not recommended either. These are very inexpensive harmonicas that are included in the package for convenience, but are typically of low quality. If you have any serious intentions at all with the harmonica, you should plan on an 'upgrade'.
    Should I buy a used one?- This is entirely up to you. But, we don't recommend it for obvious health reasons, and the fact that a brand new pro quality diatonic is between $20 and $30. Also, harmonicas do wear out over time. It's best to start with one that you know is in good condition and plays in tune.
    Tremolo, chromatic, and "odd" harmonicas won't work with the instruction here- Double rowed harmonicas (sometimes 8, 10, 12, or more sets of double holes) are called Tremolo harmonicas and they along with chromatic harmonicas (the one with the button on the side) will not work well with the instruction at this site. Visit this page, "
    Recommended Harmonicas for Our Instruction", for lists of the Recommended, Acceptable, and NOT Recommended models and brands.

    Thursday, October 06, 2005

    Harmonica class




















    Four of my favorite Harp players..Little Walter Jacobs, Mitch Kashmar, Blue Barry Faust and that dangerous gentleman himself James Harman


    My Harmonica class starts soon (click the tittle above for details)


    Here's the latest from David Barrett's site

    This month we'll continue studying Little Walter's instrumental "Rocker." The transcription that we'll be speaking of is
    available for a limited time at www.harmonicamasterclass.com/newsletter.htm.

    CHORUS 3 – A B C Chorus Form
    The biggest challenge in this chorus will be the rhythm. Note that the first lick starts on the second beat. Resist the urge to start on the downbeat. Note the rhythmic breathing between the main licks, play these soft. The sixteenth notes used in these first two licks are similar to glissandos, so play them fast, focusing on where each start and end point is. Note the nice texture of the 5/6 draw on the ii7 chord (9th measure). This combination is not heard often, making it a cool texture to utilize in your playing. The turnaround will feel awkward. The note combinations are different than the usual turnaround, so read the transcription carefully.

    CHORUS 4 - A A B Chorus Form
    The rhythmic breathing used between the three draws here will have a large part to do with your success learning this line. Rhythmic breathing helps to keep your rhythm in time and promotes good placement of syncopated notes (notes on the upbeat).

    "Rocker" transcription

    Monday, October 03, 2005

    The Macdaddies


    SASSY ANN'S 2004 Posted by Picasa

    TALLPAUL and Company

    TALL PAUL'S BIRTHDAY BASH WAS A MUSICAL AND FAMILY EXTRAVAGANZA.