Kris436
3 posts
Apr 05, 2015
2:00 AM
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Hi,
So here's the thing, I feel stuck!
I first picked up a harmonica last year before heading out to Afghanistan mainly because I couldn't get my guitar out there. I went with the intention to learn and play in my down time but work was busy so it sat in my hold all. Now I'm back I've been doing all of Adams beginner deluxe and advanced beginners packages but I really want a song list to learn and have in my pocket wherever I go.
Now I bet some of you are immediately thinking that's easy pick your own and I thought that but I've hit a wall. When you do the video lessons [which are awesome] its sometimes hard to gauge your progress with no feedback.
So could anyone hook me up with a good beginner/intermediate
Song list to get my teeth into so I can build my repertoire.
Look forward to your feedback
Thanks
Kris
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Littoral
1231 posts
Apr 05, 2015
3:15 AM
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It might not seem cool enough but I'd suggest Christmas Carols, Nursery Rhymes or anything you can just remember. Anything will get you to address the main issues (which I think are single note control, pitch and general orientation).
Last Edited by Littoral on Apr 05, 2015 3:16 AM
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Kris436
4 posts
Apr 05, 2015
3:24 AM
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I know what you're saying but I can play along to got my mojo working confidently I just don't know where to go next as that song isn't too difficult [only the speed and breath control].
Cheers
Kris
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GMaj7
664 posts
Apr 05, 2015
4:32 AM
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Hey Kris436, Sandy Weltman has some great downloadable lessons online.
There is enough info on one lesson to keep you busy for a long time and he has a lot of stuff on the Pentatonic minor/blues scale.
https://www.onlinelessonvideos.com/Sandy-Weltman/
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Greg Jones
16:23 Custom Harmonicas
greg@1623customharmonicas.com
1623customharmonicas.com
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Kris436
5 posts
Apr 05, 2015
5:27 AM
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Thanks Gmaj7, ill check it out.
Cheers for your feedback
Kris
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Pistolcat
767 posts
Apr 05, 2015
6:33 AM
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Thou shalt know Amazing Grace in second, first and twelfth position.
.. And why not big Walter's easy?
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Pistolkatt - Pistolkatts youtube
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marine1896
62 posts
Apr 05, 2015
6:41 AM
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Back in the 80's with no internet and just a little piece of paper you used to get with your harp and Tony Glovers Blues Harp book and my records and it was TB practice using the little bit of paper with my harps instruction and Big Walters 'Easy', 'Don't get around much anymore', Little Walters 'Juke' and Sonny Boy's 'Have you ever been in love' that was plenty to start with (and honest I got on great)....but I have to say with (off the top of my head) Adams vids and Lee Sankey's vids...that's all you need and of course a big heap of obsession!!!
Oh, keep recording yourself and playing back and A - B it against the masters.
Last Edited by marine1896 on Apr 05, 2015 6:46 AM
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Kris436
6 posts
Apr 05, 2015
6:59 AM
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Thanks everyone for the tips, if I'm honest I think I'm just hitting the frustrating period I'm sure every player goes through when they first start out. Less crying and more playing I think haha
Thanks again
Kris
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jbone
1923 posts
Apr 05, 2015
7:48 AM
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Players to check out: James Harman, Little and Big Walter, James Cotton, Carey Bell, William Clarke, just to start with. Youtube is a great resource, back in the day I bought lp's, cassettes, and now cd's. I like a cd because I can take it with and hear something over and over in the car.
Kris, you are indeed probably in the learning curve at this point. I don't know how many ages I spent seeming to be paralyzed by my own ignorance and inability to do what "those guys" were doing. All I can say is, you get better by degrees, with time and repetition.
You mention guitar so you have some knowledge of chord structure. You don't have to play perfect, you can kind of chord along to songs you like and later on inspiration has a way of hitting you.
Welcome to a very cool joint here, hope we see you and never be afraid to ask questions.
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http://www.reverbnation.com/jawboneandjolene
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000386839482
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbTwvU-EN1Q
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hvyj
2680 posts
Apr 05, 2015
8:46 AM
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Learn and practice scales. Blues scale, minor pentatonic scale, major pentatonic scale, major blues scale a.k.a.country scale. If you are a guitar player and know chords also try playing arpeggios.
Nothing wrong with.learning tunes. But it's easier to play tunes if you can get around on the instrument. Practicing scales will teach you where the notes are that make up the tunes.
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WinslowYerxa
842 posts
Apr 05, 2015
9:04 AM
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My book Harmonica For Dummies, Second Edition (HFD2e) has online video and animation (showing lips and tongue moving on the harp with breath direction).
Songs in all styles can help you know the harmonica better, even if your ultimate goal is to play blues. Little Walter played waltzes as a kid delivering groceries, and Big Walter could play classical tunes according to Charlie Musselwhite. HFD2e gives you all that along with the most important techniques for blues. My other book, Blues Harmonica For Dummies, goes directly into blues while offering the same technique foundations, and also coverss blues chromatic playing.
HFD Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=aps&keywords=1118880765&linkCode=ur2&tag=winslowyerxac-20&linkId=Q2YRPGDAT5PXMJAG
BHFD Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=aps&keywords=1118252691&linkCode=ur2&tag=winslowyerxac-20&linkId=VK3LAXRNQZ7LWGY6
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Winslow
Check out my blog and other goodies at winslowyerxa.com
Harmonica For Dummies, Second Edition with tons of new stuff
Deepen your playing at the Harmonica Collective
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WinslowYerxa
843 posts
Apr 05, 2015
9:05 AM
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If you're looking for a feedback loop, David Barrett's content-rich bluesharmonica.com, a subscription-based teaching site, can offer that. I'm a forum contributor, along with Dave himself, mic builder Greg Heumann, repair tech Kinya Pollard, amp tech Skip Simmons. Joe Filisko has lessons posted along with David's highly structured course content, and there are interviews with a wide variety of renowned players.
If you've recently bought a Hohner harmonica, you get a free introductory pass with a code printed on a card.
http://www.bluesharmonica.com
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Winslow
Check out my blog and other goodies at winslowyerxa.com
Harmonica For Dummies, Second Edition with tons of new stuff
Deepen your playing at the Harmonica Collective
Last Edited by WinslowYerxa on Apr 05, 2015 9:08 AM
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Gnarly
1299 posts
Apr 05, 2015
9:18 AM
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Moon River.
Ooops, wrong website.
But seriously, a beginner could play it on a C on holes 4-8 in first position.
Of course, it sounds better if you play it on a low C (or the like) in the second octave, or {duh} a chromatic.
A beginner might not have a chromatic.
On another note, I have Winslow's first edition dummies book and a student has the second edition (no CD, but audio and video links for access to online media). It's kinda like a textbook, very encyclopedic, and still a fun read.
And a former student was just praising David Barrett's stuff yesterday. That's all I know . . .
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mlefree
283 posts
Apr 05, 2015
9:38 AM
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Kris436, I think you have the right idea. Nothing will let you learn your way around a diatonic harp like learning to play various melodies. Yeah, the blues harp resources folks have cited are great but I believe you will learn more and learn it quicker by simply learning a bunch of melodies.
To do that, I suggest looking up some harmonica tablature resources on the internet. It's been ages since I even looked at tabs so I won't cite a particular web site. I'll leave it to you to discover your own favorite. I know that there are several to choose from and some are very extensive.
Give it a try. Some players love tabs and stick with them, others move away from them after they've exhausted their educational value.
Michelle
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SilverWingLeather.com
email: mlefree@silverwingleather.com
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Thievin' Heathen
514 posts
Apr 05, 2015
10:28 AM
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Someone recently reminded me of www.harptabs.com. He also recommended practicing with a metronome.
IMO, you are currently on a plateau which you will elevate yourself from soon.
I won't offer a list, there's too much out there. Don't forget folk, country and bluegrass. And then, somewhere down the road, there's Toots.
Last Edited by Thievin' Heathen on Apr 05, 2015 10:32 AM
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nacoran
8396 posts
Apr 05, 2015
10:34 AM
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Learn to play songs you like. There are the classics, but there is no reason you can't play anything from Nirvana to Britney Spears to Perry Como on harmonica. The better you get the intervals in your head the quicker you can adapt when life throws you a new melody.
As for feedback, you can always post clips here and get pointers.
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Nate
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Rontana
80 posts
Apr 05, 2015
1:24 PM
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I'm in a similar spot, Kris. One book that I've really enjoyed is Jon Gindick's "Bluesify Your Melody." They're primarily old standards (about 100 of them) but tabbed out in 2nd position (with a CD to boot). Because the tunes are so familiar (Summertime, House of Rising Sun, but also the Christmas carols and nursery rhyme stuff etc) you can better hear what you're doing right and wrong.
I'm kinda' more with Michelle's point pertaining to (melodies. That said, I'm pretty tempted to get Sandy Weltman's pentatonic scales download. I think it would add to my (at this point) limited arsenal.
Really though . . . just one amateur's opinion here, as long as you're seeking out info and playing whenever possible you're gonna' keep going forward.
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Marr's Guitars
Offering custom-built Cigar Box Guitars for the discriminating player of obscure musical unstruments
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Kris436
7 posts
Apr 06, 2015
12:25 AM
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Thanks everyone for your feedback, this site is awesome.
I'll need a notepad soon to take all of it down, great tips from everyone and it is greatly appreciated.
Whilst I've got everyones attention I'd like to ask another question.
I recently posted a thread with reference to Adams Floyds Hotel lesson. I've played along with the J.Geils band which is a great track but I'd like to get my hands on the cut that Adam did with the Gardenias (if that's the right name). He plays along to it on the video and I'm sure it has a female singing on it.It just has a great groove and sounds a little slower than the J.Geils cut.
Anyone got any ideas?
Cheers Kris
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STME58
1265 posts
Apr 06, 2015
5:29 PM
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I ran into someone in Guitar Center one evening in San Diego a year or so ago who was selecting a harp to take to Afghanistan to learn, was that possibly you?
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STME58
1268 posts
Apr 07, 2015
9:13 AM
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I guess soldiers taking harps on deployment is a worldwide phenomenon that dates back to the invention of the Harmonica. You can't find an instrument that takes less space in your kit.
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The Iceman
2365 posts
Apr 07, 2015
9:37 AM
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Not to mention life saving properties.
Saw the exhibit in Trossingen of harmonicas in breast pockets during WWII that stopped bullets and saved soldier's lives.
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The Iceman
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Kris436
9 posts
Apr 07, 2015
12:06 PM
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Never thought of that Iceman, ill stick a different key in each pocket lol!
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