SonnyD4885
164 posts
Oct 19, 2011
8:13 AM
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i have a few people that asked me to teach them and i have no idea what to start with. i think i should start simple like learning about the harmonica. why the holes are numbered and what each note is in the blow and draw reeds are. then get into the basics.
what do you think i should start with.
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Michael Rubin
296 posts
Oct 19, 2011
8:24 AM
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I start with tongue articulation and train sounds. I also explain about the blow chord being a c major chord so if you focus on blow notes you are in C, whereas the draw chord is a G chord, focus on that you are in the key of G. The next lesson I explain tongue blocking and U blocking, but then we learn how to pucker.
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SonnyD4885
165 posts
Oct 19, 2011
8:26 AM
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what about holding the harp how long do i wait to tell thems and so on
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Michael Rubin
297 posts
Oct 19, 2011
8:32 AM
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I normally do holding the harp on lesson 3, with wah wah hand muting and unmuting. Bending on lesson 4.
If you wanted to take beginner lessons from me, I would treat you as an absolute beginner and guide you through my method.
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Littoral
403 posts
Oct 19, 2011
8:36 AM
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Responses so far are about what to teach, not how to teach. We've all had a great teacher somewhere along the way (hopefully!). Without fail we remember them because of how they helped us to develop. It's about connecting -listening and asking students the right questions in order to help students to be able to answer their own questions.
How?
What questions do your students have?
What is their answer? Why?
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waltertore
1570 posts
Oct 19, 2011
8:38 AM
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My philosophy is teach in the way you live life. For me, it means if someone wants to learn they come by my house and we hang out some and see if our paths are on the same road. The teacher should be the one with the clear vision and will attract a student with the same vision but it isn't quite defined yet. In todays world students expect a teacher to fit their goals. It is the cash is the power philosophy. I learned old school- you hang out on the scene and the teachers appear magically to learn from..... No money exchanged. It was a passing on of the gift from an elder to a youngster. Walter
A great example is this. When I was a teenager I met Roy Smeck. Roy is like the original Mel Bay and was a huge force on the music scene in the 20-50's. He counted Segovia, the classical guitarist, amoung his close friends. He heard me play and wanted me to join his band. I was so excited but once I discovered he was all about theory I folded. He assumed I knew a lot by my playing and offered to teach me all about it. Theory has yet to hold my iterest. I wanted so much to get with Roy, but my heart wasn't there. Then a few weeks later I met Louisiana Red. He invited me to come by his house. We never talked theory. I moved in, learned by being around him, and we have been close friends for 40 years. My most recent connection with a great teacher has been with my old keyboard/bassist, Mark Rubinstien. He and I played together in Austin and he snuck in many of the studios he worked at. That was in the 80's. 2 years ago he moved to Columbus Ohio to teach recording engineering at ohio state. He has engineered on many platinum and grammy records and now is teaching me more and more about how to make good recordings. I have been wishing on such a situation to appear and lol and behold it happens with an old friend who digs my music on top of it all and lives only 35 minutes away! This is also an old school relationship. Mark won't take any $ for teaching me. He digs the breads, NJ pizzas, and other foods I make. I feed him in thanks. So, follow your heart. It will always connect us with the right people.
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walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year.
" life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
2,800+ of my songs
continuous streaming - 200 most current songs
my videos
Last Edited by on Oct 19, 2011 11:00 AM
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Littoral
405 posts
Oct 19, 2011
8:46 AM
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double post
Last Edited by on Oct 19, 2011 8:47 AM
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Michael Rubin
299 posts
Oct 19, 2011
9:02 AM
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My two greatest teachers were my high school advanced algebra teacher Mr. Goldman and my college teacher Mr. Coleman. Both were tough as nails. They worked us very hard and always asked us to prove our responses. Both classes felt like boot camp and were often unpleasant experiences but I learned how to work hard.
Last Edited by on Oct 19, 2011 9:02 AM
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nacoran
4775 posts
Oct 19, 2011
9:03 AM
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I've had one student. He seemed to enjoy learning tunes a lot and theory a lot less. I lost him a few lessons in when I tried to explain the I IV V progression. Personally, the way I learned, was to spend a couple months playing a couple hours a day just making noise. I learned to listen to the intervals. I wasn't able to figure out how to get him to do that without getting bored. :(
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Nate
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Thread Organizer (A list of all sorts of useful threads)
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Littoral
406 posts
Oct 19, 2011
9:11 AM
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...always asked us to prove our responses
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MrVerylongusername
2008 posts
Oct 19, 2011
9:28 AM
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@Michael
"The next lesson I explain tongue blocking and U blocking, but then we learn how to pucker."
Just curious and no implied criticism - why don't you offer your students a choice?
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Michael Rubin
301 posts
Oct 19, 2011
10:00 AM
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MRVLUN:
They do have a choice. I say to students they are free to practice any one of the three techniques and encourage them to do so. If you stick with me long enough, you will learn all 3 methods. However, I find for most students puckering leads to to easiest single note and bending for beginners and will ultimately teach you enough about the harp so that when I say, let's look at tongue blocking again,or U block, it is suddenly much easier than it was on the first day. Puckering trains you to be able to do the other two, imo.
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Honkin On Bobo
819 posts
Oct 19, 2011
10:52 AM
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"If you stick with me long enough, you will learn all 3 methods."
I'm confused, how can you "teach" somebody to U-block if they don't have the ability to curl their tongue. My understanding is that the ability to curl one's tongue is genetic. That is, not learned, but present at birth. Either you can or you can't, right?
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MrVerylongusername
2010 posts
Oct 19, 2011
10:57 AM
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1. The fact that it is genetic is moot - regardless of what is taught in schools. There is some evidence of it being learnt in infancy. The jury's out. It certainly isn't (as is still being taught in biology classes around the world) controlled by a singled gene.
2. You can U-block without curling your tongue into a tube.
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Littoral
407 posts
Oct 19, 2011
11:07 AM
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I don't really expect the MBH forum to be a venue where people who "teach" will overcome the inclination that telling people what the "teacher" knows is how to teach(*how to teach was the question asked, not WHAT to teach).
It takes teachers with advanced degrees and years of experience to recognize it -most never do.
Teaching is a lot harder than playing harmonica.
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WinslowYerxa
107 posts
Oct 19, 2011
11:12 AM
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The first thing is breathing, deeply and gently.
Then get the harp in your mouth and not leaking air around the lips or through the nose. Do some long chords and then chord rhythms
Holding should be taught right away. A consistent grip helps the student find the notes more easily. THe initial grip should be simple enough to pick up easily without getting hung up on it, but should also be consistent with a more complete two-handed cupping grip that will come soon after.
In Harmonica For Dummies I show a simple method from getting from chords to puckered single notes. I agree with Michael that it's probably the easiest for most folks at first.
However, single notes should not prevent the player from starting to play melodies. As they start findign the notes on the harp by playign simple melodies, they'll start to get the hang of single notes. Meanwhile, they're learning by ear where the notes are.
Early melodies should contain simple moves - no wide leaps, fast passages, or other tricky stuff. No long passages of all blow or all draw notes until they get better breath control. If possible find melodies where you never do two things at once, such as change breath and hole at the same time.
Last Edited by on Oct 19, 2011 11:13 AM
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JInx
97 posts
Oct 19, 2011
11:18 AM
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NO, the question was "How do I become a harmonica teacher?" ans: the same way you get to carnegie hall
Last Edited by on Oct 19, 2011 11:19 AM
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MrVerylongusername
2013 posts
Oct 19, 2011
11:23 AM
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I think there's 2 steps:
Become a good harmonica player
Become a good teacher
If you don't tick both boxes, you're not going to make it.
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groyster1
1510 posts
Oct 19, 2011
11:27 AM
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@Littoral
as madcat said walter horton was not a good teacher but no doubt a great player-the 2 do not go hand in hand
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Honkin On Bobo
820 posts
Oct 19, 2011
11:38 AM
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MrV
1. The point was it isn't a skill that can be acquired as an adult. But I did enjoy the display of pedantry, so thanks for that.
2. How does one U-block without curling their tongue? (Please tell me the answer isn't going to devolve into a discussion about how many degrees of arc constitutes a "curl", or some other such nonsense).
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MrVerylongusername
2014 posts
Oct 19, 2011
12:10 PM
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1. If I was really pedantic, I would quote your post where you specifically said "Genetic" - distinguishing it from "learned". Oops I just did.
2. It seems there are lots of ways to skin a cat and different "U-blockers" have different techniques. Some roll their tongue completely to block the left and right holes. Some people can play with a much reduced arc of curl - though I've never to bothered to get a protractor in there to measure it. When I U-block it's more about a slight dip in the very tip of my tongue which is otherwise flat.
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waltertore
1571 posts
Oct 19, 2011
12:22 PM
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"@Littoral
as madcat said walter horton was not a good teacher but no doubt a great player-the 2 do not go hand in hand "
no doubt for madcat he was a bad teacher. They obviously were not a good fit. That is the key to everything. Todays teachers, from what I read here, are very mathmatical in their approach to teaching. I would not connect with that at all. Yet BW was a great teacher for me as was junior wells. Both have stellar reputations for being "jerks" but I found them wonderful. I never asked them anything. I also never asked to have a picture with them. That, I learned was an instant way to put them on auto pilot. I think the key to learning from them was to just be in their presence. They had so many young white guys asking them stuff and it often left a bitter taste- like they stole it and ran. I was thrilled to just sit around them and listen, help in any way I could, and felt like I had gone to blue heaven! The icing on the cake was when they would ask me if I played and wanted to hear what I did. I use to help Johnny Otis carry his records and cds out of the powerhouse brewing company in sebastopol california after his weekly live radio show from there. I never once told him I was a musician because he never asked. I listened to him as we waited for his wife to pick him up. I learned more music from those sessions than I ever could from a guy trying to teach me to tounge block or something like that. Walter
----------
walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year.
" life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
2,800+ of my songs
continuous streaming - 200 most current songs
my videos
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Michael Rubin
302 posts
Oct 19, 2011
12:48 PM
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Littoral: I see now that the thread title had the question "how" but the original post is full of whats. That is why your response confused me. I first read the original post and saw this:
"i have a few people that asked me to teach them and i have no idea what to start with. i think i should start simple like learning about the harmonica. why the holes are numbered and what each note is in the blow and draw reeds are. then get into the basics.
what do you think i should start with."
Please note in the first sentence the use of the word "what" as in "I have no idea WHAT to start with." Then he talks about a why,"why the holes are numbered." This can be thought of as a discussion topic to be taught. A discussion topic is a thing. A thing is questioned about by using the word what. Then he suggests another what when he says,"what each note is in the blow and draw reeds." Finally his last sentence directly asks,"What do you think I should start with." Three direct uses of the word what and an indirect use, using a why when really talking about a what. Not a single how in sight.
Unless you look at the thread title, which I finally just did.
How do you become a harmonica teacher? Get someone to take a harmonica lesson. I am joking, but not by much. As I alluded to earlier, when working with a beginner harp player, the advanced harp player will be able to sense quickly what the beginner needs to work on. He will describe it as best as he can and test the student for mastery. If the student understands the concept and has a glimmer of success performing the concept, the advanced player has succeeded in becoming a teacher. If the beginner does not understand the concept or cannot perform, the teacher needs to assess this and try another explanation. Repeat until success is achieved. I have been teaching as a hobby since I was 15, as a profession with supplemental performance income since I was in my late 20's. I am just about 42 now. My methods have changed and continue to change drastically as I am forever searching for what works.
Honkin' on Bobo, just as many people pucker and tongue block in different ways, the term U blocking does not have to imply a curl of the tongue. I have found centering the tip of the tongue underneath the hole desired on the bottom cover plate performs the same function. I used to call it tongue guiding. If you want to separate tongue blocking and tongue guiding, I am fine with that.
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Honkin On Bobo
821 posts
Oct 19, 2011
12:52 PM
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Michael,
thanks for the clarification
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Honkin On Bobo
822 posts
Oct 19, 2011
12:55 PM
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"If I was really pedantic, I would quote your post where you specifically said "Genetic" - distinguishing it from "learned". Oops I just did."
Don't sell yourself short, you're always plenty pedantic. You just can't help yourself.
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MrVerylongusername
2015 posts
Oct 19, 2011
1:13 PM
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@Honkin' on Bobo
"Don't sell yourself short, you're always plenty pedantic. You just can't help yourself."
Jeez. What did I do to offend you?
You asked a question and I answered it. What's with the bitchy sarcasm?
My last word on the matter. You're welcome to the last word. I won't rise to it.
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Littoral
409 posts
Oct 19, 2011
1:14 PM
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I promise I am not trying to be an a-hole about this, although I may be successful anyway.
I see How to become a teacher of harmonica to be a question of how to do it well.
A teacher who is masterful can get students to accomplish amazing things. I watch teachers trying their heart felt best creating better and better explanations over and over when the one from the student is the one that matters -right or wrong.
Research calls this the middle question. What question can you ask that will allow the STUDENT to ask the question that will answer the question WE know they need to ask?
That is a serious and entertaining challenge.
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Michael Rubin
303 posts
Oct 19, 2011
1:19 PM
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I like the middle question idea. I do not think you are being an a-hole, you care about teaching. I hope it is clear that I do too and am constantly searching for ways to improve.
Another thing I try and do is suggest how to do techniques but let the student choose between many of my ideas, a combining of my ideas, or his own idea. Then AI have him analyze what he is doing that's working.
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JInx
100 posts
Oct 19, 2011
1:22 PM
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Are we aloud to hit them with a ruler?
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harpdude61
1122 posts
Oct 19, 2011
1:34 PM
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Start teaching relaxation early on and remind them constantly.
Teach correct breathing and playing softly.
I start with pucker but I do not call it that. No pucker to it. No shaping of the mouth required. With as much facial relaxation as posible, let the mouth fall open enough to put the harp in and do it. Single notes come easier with a richer tone if you stay away from the kiss shape.
Teach long single notes and teach them to listen to themselves.
Work on rhythm.
I had a student of 5 months with no music background take the stage a couple weeks ago and played Little Red Rooster. He played great. Tone was clean and his timing was spot on. He is 60 and very excited about his playing future.
Patience is a must. Try to break them early on from being nervous about playing in front of you. Much easier to teach a relaxed and comfortable student.
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yogi
63 posts
Oct 19, 2011
3:16 PM
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How?
Heres my thoughts.
It's got to be fun, the student has to be able to go away either being able to do something new or something better than they can already do.
Everybody wants to feel progress and that is the reward that inspires continued progress.
I'd start by asking the student what they want to get out of your teaching (very general)
Then your job is to plot the course (not in the students time, if they are paying they dont want time eaten away while you think what to do)
Lesson time , let the student know what you are going to work on and tell them how they will know when they are having success.
Then you do your bit. introduce the new skill, break down and develop the existing skill, provide an exercise for practice which will delvelop the students playing. Ideally have a point of reference. A section of you tube video would work well as if you suggest a particular bit of playing off a cd they may not have it and you tube videos will take away the need for the student to buy the track.)
Keep the building blocks simple, specific and challenging.
Identify when your student nails it and tell them. Point out simply but bluntly without b.s. when they are not getting it.
Leave yourself open to email questions in between lessons.
Keep a log of what you have done with the student and prep before the next lesson. Hit the lesson knowing where you got to, what you did, what the student did, what there strenghts were, where they were struggling and pick up on these in the subsequent lesson. It makes a hell of a difference as a student if your teacher knows these things. Nothing worse than ''what did we do'', ''where did we get to'' at the start of a lesson.
Make sure you want to do it, make sure that you care about the student you are teaching and let them know it!!!!!
As to what to teach, thats between you and the student.
Just my thoughts.
Good luck
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SonnyD4885
166 posts
Oct 20, 2011
6:58 AM
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wow didn't mean for this to be a fight but thank for the opinions.
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Diggsblues
1052 posts
Oct 20, 2011
7:26 AM
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If I look back on my music teachers not just harmonica teachers there are some common traits.
Masters of their instruments.
Excellent over all musicians
Seasoned players
Highly respected musicians.
Years of teaching experience.
Mentors
Great communicators of their subject.
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Emile "Diggs" D'Amico a Legend In His Own Mind
How you doin'
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