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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Teaching a beginner
Teaching a beginner
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greeno
22 posts
Apr 27, 2012
3:55 AM
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My fourteen year old son has expressed a wish to learn harmonica, and I have promised to teach him. While I am still working on much of the advanced stuff myself, I only need to start teaching the basics.
We can't afford a proper teacher. I am self taught from books and records (before you tube). Also I realise that there are lots of recources I can (and will, eventually) point him to on the internet, as well as some of my old instructional books, etc. The thing is, I can see a bonding opportunity in giving personal one-to-one lessons that I don't want to waste.
The thing is, I have no idea where to start.Being able to do something is not the same as being able to teach it, which I'm sure needs a whole additional set of skills.
Does anyone else who has taught a beginner have any tips? Should I start with single notes, breathing, straight harp or cross harp, basic tunes or improvisational techniques? And where should I go from there? How do I keep up the interest (he has many competing ones) and make it fun?
By the way, I am not asking professional teachers among you to give away any of your secrets for free, and I have no intentions of going into competition with any of you! I'm just hoping that there is someone out there who has attempted a similar project with a family member or friend, and can share some experience.
Greeno
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Steamrollin Stan
361 posts
Apr 27, 2012
4:52 AM
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My lassie has a big river C harp, all i've done is teach her O'suzanna and gave her some links to harp tabs, bending is fun to watch her try but cant get them, so basicly she plays the melody's and has a crack at other stuff, however the harpbug has her motivated enough to persist.
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kudzurunner
3219 posts
Apr 27, 2012
5:11 AM
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I think you should invest in a couple of lessons, via Skype, with a pro teacher. Make it clear that you don't want ongoing lessons, just a couple up front to get your son grounded in the basics and then, perhaps, another lesson every three or four months.
Michael Rubin, Dennis Gruenling, Jimi Lee, Iceman: all would be great for this. You can find contact info for those teachers and other fine teachers on the "harmonica teachers" page of this website.
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lor
126 posts
Apr 27, 2012
8:11 AM
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Starting at zero, yeah?
Simply, don't overwhelm him with expectations.
First steps can be almost random, probably are for most objectives, but will be refined step by step toward whatever fits the individual.
"I only need to start teaching the basics" - exactly.
Blow/draw one note at a time. Nice chords. Keep the beat. Feel the music. enough
As kuz Adam says too, let him explore other sources.
MHO
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HawkeyeKane
907 posts
Apr 27, 2012
8:24 AM
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One other way of getting him jump started...have him listen to as much harp music as either of you can get your hands on, be it CD, tape, MP3, YouTube, whatever. Simply listening to it, playing along with it, and figuring songs out on your own can be rewarding. It was in my case. Technique can be learned and added to those same songs once he gets the jist of it.
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Hawkeye Kane
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nacoran
5601 posts
Apr 27, 2012
9:41 AM
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When I first started all I did is make noise. It was about learning the intervals.
I tried teaching someone, but it didn't go very well. I think the most important lesson I took away from that was just how important it is to tailor the lesson to the student.
A lot depends on how much music they know. If they understand what a key is before you sit down that's a very different situation than if they don't. What they want to be able to play is also really important. I think assuming they had a little music experience I'd start with single notes, chords, the difference between 1st and 2nd position, and explaining where the different notes of the scale are on the harp and letting them get used to it (Richter tuning can be confusing if you are expecting all the notes to be there.) Teach which notes are parts of which chords. That piece is really important for playing along with chord progressions, but it takes a little time. (That's where I lost my student.) Teach basic beat counting. Work on bends and scales. Throw in a few easy songs to remind them what the goal is and that they are making progress.
The big question at the start is what do they already know. If they get stuck, explain how music is just made up of patterns. It can take a bit to get those patterns, but once you do suddenly be able to do all sorts of things.
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Nate
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jdblues
88 posts
Apr 27, 2012
10:57 AM
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Why should he take pro lessons first? I'm not doubting your advice, just would like to know your reasoning.
I gave a few lessons to a friend's 15 year old daughter, and I picked up a few things about teaching.
Ask him what he wants to play! As Nate said, tailoring the lesson to the student is the most important part.
Without knowing what your son wants to learn, I suggest that the first few lessons should go over breathing and rhythm. Do something simple and fun w/ blow and draw chords.
Then single notes, 1st pos. melodies, like When the Saints, Happy Birthday. I think 1st makes the most sense for a beginner because a melody will still be recognizable even if he can't quite get single notes.
Then 1st pos. major scale and improvisation.
It is more fun and interesting if you play guitar or piano with the harmonica in a rack. You can do call and response. This is a great way to draw his interest because he will be playing music with you, not just practicing scales, bends, or other techniques.
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colman
158 posts
Apr 27, 2012
12:21 PM
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train rhythms are one of the best places to start.the 60`s harp book explained the start as
"dit-dit-hu-dat-dat" thats draw in 2&3 hole, dit-dit,blow 2&3 hole HU, Dat-dat, draw in 2&3 hole. very basic but it can lead to much more with a train rhythm,after you get that train going you can draw 4&5 and hand warble to get a train whistle going...Dit-dit-hu -dat-dat-hu-dit-dit-hu-dat-dat !!!
this is the start of a train,a good place to start harp.I did it in 68,and a year later i was playing sonny terry licks... and the "creeper"...
also,all great harp players develop a scat-singer language
rather than just blow or draw notes,it fits togethet like
dew on the new day...
Last Edited by on Apr 30, 2012 12:53 PM
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