This video, as I post this, has zero views. It was just uploaded. Young woman who has had a harmonica for 30 minutes makes a video and is determined to chart her progress. Let's help her along!
Okay. Well.... What can you say about that other than you have 30 minutes experience. Not to worry... Watch all of Adam's lessons, practice obsessively, listen to all recommended music...and picture yourself three (3) years from now. Keep recording yourself at various intervals and you will notice improvement. Start on single notes, breathing, technique, relaxation, embouchure, etc. etc. Determination and discipline will be required but it will happen in a matter of time.
When I first started I listened to BBQBOB's advice. Lot of wisdom there and he was right on as was Adam.
Here's and Example of my ignorance and impatience. I wanted to learn how to play LW's quarter to twelve after playing 6 months or so and asked on a forum for someone to provide me with tabs.. I was immediately scolded and rightly so with, "Hey you want someone to hand you a silver platter and say here it is?" And even if they did, it wouldn' t have made a difference. You need to spend countless hours just listening and not even playing. It took me a while to accept that.
Good luck. As the saying goes, nothing, and that is absolutely nothing worth pursuing comes easily, especially the harp.
BTW, I chose the name blueswannabe because I'm a wannabe and not an "is".. I don't believe I am presently in the position after 3 years and 3 months of playing to be called anything but a "wannabe."
Last Edited by on Mar 26, 2012 5:49 PM
Takes some guts to do what she's doing. You have to admire her for that. let's try and encourage her without giving her too much to worry about too soon.
This is off-topic, and no reflection on the young woman's project, but I remember a few years ago reading a weblog some one set up to taste and review every type of cheese mentioned in Monty Python's Cheese Shop sketch. The only problem with this plan was that it seemed that they didn't actually like cheese, or maybe they'd never tasted any that wasn't in a Big Mac.
They got about three cheeses into the project before abandoning the whole thing.
Sounds like she has rhythm and musicality...if she starts loving the harp, and studying it, and listening to music featuring it, I'm sure she'll find her way around it before too long...probably a little longer than the next 30 minutes, however.
Timeistight, I can't even conceive of that. Sure, there are a few oddball cheeses out there, but deciding three cheeses in that they don't like cheese?
I tend to lean towards the milder cheeses, but I'm convinced there is a cheese out there for everyone. I've got a nice Smoked Gouda I've been nibbling at the last couple days that I might just take a bullet for.
I think it's a cool idea to watch your progress learning something. I'm not sure I'd have the guts to put my first few steps out there online, but that's me, and even if I didn't put it online I'd love to have an archive of my progress. Seeing how far I'd come would be great on the days I feel stuck.
When I first started I learnt the basic tunes from tabs. I found my stash of tabs today and decided to give them a blast. It was amazing, I found them so very easy and I admit played them really well. I've come a long way since those days and by doing that I've been able to judge how well I'm doing now. ----------
I got the very thing I recorded on Acid planet and every thing else Ive done,I had only been playing 2 hours the 1st time,And It wasnt that bad (not just my opion some of my recording buddies was saying not bad),I used effects and jammed to a a song I had wrote on guitar,It sounded like a acordian kind off,I went back awhile back and listened and thought not bad,BUT what sucks is that after 3 years of really trying to improve,I hadnt progressed as much as I had hoped from the git go,Heck I played 3 paying gigs after 3 months ,But then the band relised I had only been playing 3 months;-)But I had high hopes of maybe the harp being my natural instrument,I was about to give up guitar after over 15 years of playing,But The harp kept me playing the guitar in order to have something to add to the harp,Now I relise I love the guitar and Yes I should be better ,but When i went back and listened to my 1st harp recording I was kind of upset that I hadnt got as good as I was hoping after 3years on the harp,But I did notice my guitar playing was better,So im glad I started playing harp,because It saved me from saying the heck with guitar,But I guess its just takes time to learn any instrument, ---------- Hobostubs
I have no idea why,but I love watching players progress,particularly on this forum. I quit watching them once they get better than me. {Just joking on that last sentence}
how does her expression lead you to believe that? (scratches head) ---------- Kyzer's Travels Kyzer's Artwork "Music in the soul can be heard by the universe." - Lao Tzu
Not while she's playing, but just before and just after, the directions of her gaze, the adjustments of her lips, are very like those often seen in Christelle's videos, so perhaps she has been watching her with the attention of a devotee. Perhaps the Ibanez Girl will comment.
I did that too the first day I bought a harmonica, occasioned by stumbling over a crack in the sidewalk. Then I unlearned it trying to play steady, clear single notes.
Later, of course, I had to learn bending all over again. If one could somehow learn the two at the same time, one could cut 6 months off the learning curve.
