Tuckster
18 posts
Aug 24, 2008
11:38 AM
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I replied to a post on my local blues forum for a person wanting harp lessons.I'm probably an advanced intermediate player. The student is a rank beginner. I'm not charging her- I just want to spread the gospel of blues harp and share what little knowledge I have. I also think I might learn something from teaching. So--where do I begin? I've told her to get a "C" in a decent harp- mid-priced not cheap. Practice getting clean single notes. We haven't met yet, just e-mailed back and forth. Should you start with straight harp or just right into cross position? When I started playing, I was interested in blues harpin", so I totally skipped playing any straight harp songs. No "Oh Susana" or " Red River Valley". Still don't know them, although I think I could figure it out pretty quickly.Just have no interest in 'em. Straight harp gets you familiar will clean single notes, but you have no bends.Does it mess you up to learn straight harp first and then try to learn cross? I would welcome any thoughts on the subject>
Thanks
Last Edited by on Aug 24, 2008 11:39 AM
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clarky3009
3 posts
Aug 24, 2008
11:59 AM
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Hey man, I was alot like yourself, i also jumped into the blues imrpovising that i really love. I started getting teaching and found out a whole new range of playing that would help my cross harp style. I learnt 'straight harp' second... Such songs as Oh Susanah and Amazing Grace helped me get those single notes i really needed. So i suggest getting your student to learn some single note songs, then develop it from there ;). Best wishes,
-- Alex
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2draw
33 posts
Aug 24, 2008
12:16 PM
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I first learned strait harp, back in the 60's hohner gave you a book with a bunch of songs. I hear of some that have trouble with things like 2 or 3 draw. I have never had that problem maybe because I learned strait harp first. But I dont know. Good Luck, teaching it should be fun.
Last Edited by on Aug 25, 2008 5:23 PM
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snakes
18 posts
Aug 25, 2008
3:54 PM
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I've been playing about 11 months now and would suggest starting with a key of C or A harmonica. My experience was to self teach myself through a Mel Bay childrens book which focused on songs like O' Susanna and Amazing Grace. I'm 51 so maybe this is why this didn't bother me... The thing that actually bothered me the most at first was to have to listen to myself struggle to get single notes. At about six months in I acquired a teacher and started to pay for lessons. I'll have to say that I tried for two months to get a draw bend, yet could not on my own. During my first lesson thanks to a great illustration from my teacher I was able bend a note. My suggestion is to start slow with single note songs that are recognizable melodies and then work from there. I am currently trying to learn how to tongue block so you can see how things have built for me thanks to my good teacher and some practice.
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oldwailer
158 posts
Aug 25, 2008
8:55 PM
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Hi Snakes,
Who is the teacher you mentioned? I might be interested in some of that action!
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LittleJoeSamson
38 posts
Aug 25, 2008
9:55 PM
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I go with whatever works in the beginning ( I teach ). I find out the interests of the particular student, and their proficiency. I've been blown away with youngsters that can bend with ease after just a few lessons instruction!
Usually, though...first pos. is the way to start with a novice. It focuses on embouchure and single note. Also, if a student never advances far, they can always play old faves and be a family celebrity! Ihe discipline for single note is most important. Playing in the same key as labeled on the harp has advantages, too.
Plus, it is my personal opinion that it is easier to advance to playing cross after establishing some 1st than vice versa. Always exceptions.
Another plus for 1st is that breath control is more controllable ( Junior kept repeating this to me....course he was in his cups, he seemed to get stuck! ) Anyway, he appears to have had a point.
Now, you want to REALLY mess 'em up? Start talking 3rd and 4th Pos. early!
More Blues later!
LJS
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Tuckster
19 posts
Aug 26, 2008
7:00 AM
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Thanks,fellow harpers! First position it is. Old habits die hard. Decided to try "Old Sussanah" and realized I was playing it in 2nd position! I had to "regear" my brain to play it in 1st. No wonder I have so much trouble with 1st position blues.
I'm going to keep it simple. The last thing I want to do is get the student discouraged.Familiar tunes are probably the way to go. After talking to her further,I found that she's been playing 6 months. She wants to play blues, not Dylan or Neil Young stuff. She thinks she can bend and knows about tongue block octaves. She's clueless about positions. She sings in a duo with a guitar player and wants to add something to the mix. Haven't had a lesson yet and I've already learned something about my own playing. This is going to be interesting. I might learn as much as her! I'll keep you posted on how this goes. Once again,thanks guys(and gals).
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snakes
20 posts
Aug 26, 2008
8:32 AM
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My teacher's name is Grant Dermody. He has a website and teaches as his primary occupation (I believe). He is located in the Columbia City area of Seattle. He plays with Eric Bibb when he comes to town and is friends with John Miller, Orville Johnson, and Cephas and Wiggins among others. His website is here => http://www.grantdermody.com/. Sometimes it can be a little tough scheduling as his wife is in a battle with cancer and he is primarily focused on her care. He really knows blues but his current focus is more folk. He'll teach you what you want to learn. I've confided to him my usage of the purchased materials from Mr. Gussow and he is totally supportive of any techniques that I decide to use. I've found that my learning style is to gather as much information from as many different sources as possible, weed out what I can't use, and then apply as much as I can. So far it has kept me having fun with this new hobby.
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honeydawg
16 posts
Aug 26, 2008
9:25 AM
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Grant is a terrific player! He is also the tallest harp teacher you'll ever find (he might have that over Howard Levy).
I'm also teaching for the first time; I have an eighty-eight year-old student who desperately wants to learn how to play blues on the harp. I'm finding I have to restrain him, actually, get him to slow down and breathe through the harp, and pay attention to time. Adam's video on learning 12 bars has been invaluable.
A friend of mine gave me a piece of advice when I was starting out on the harp... he said, "First, work on tone." That has stayed with me.
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LittleJoeSamson
42 posts
Aug 26, 2008
9:51 AM
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honeydawg, re "First, work on tone.".
That is the Holy Grail of harp playing! I've been doing this for 35 years or more, and I'm still working on improvement!
Expensive gear can compensate, and tasteful playing is essential.
I've got my sound real close to dialed in....and the last little trick is so easy, and yet...not been done before to my knowledge.
I developed it myself after talking with my 96 YO friend that was Henry Mancini's session player. He plays chromatic exclusively and is utterly amazed when I run off on the ten holers. He calls them di-a-"tone"-ics!
After this becomes my trademark , will freely share here!
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oldwailer
161 posts
Aug 26, 2008
4:27 PM
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Hey, Snakes,
I'm very jealous--I saw a concert with Grant Playing with Eric Bibb in Seattle about a year ago--he was great. I understand that they had only played together one time before that--and everything Grant did was totally improv--He was very tasteful and only really kicked out when invited--it was very cool. . .I'm making a major job change right now--when I get settled in I think I'll try to get a few lessons too.
Thanks for the information--I didn't know he took students. . .
I didn't think he was that tall--but I'm 6'7".
Last Edited by on Aug 26, 2008 4:31 PM
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Philosofy
45 posts
Aug 26, 2008
5:01 PM
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I haven't seen it suggested, but I'm really grateful that I started to learn to tongue block right from the beginning.
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honeydawg
17 posts
Aug 27, 2008
12:03 PM
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Hey Oldwailer... you've obviously got to start teaching at some point. We'll all look up to you.
Philosofy... good point about tongue-blocking. While I do think it's good to do both "lip-pursing" and tongue-blocking, I wish I'd started tongue-blocking a lot sooner. But my first teacher was primarily a lip-purser, and then I got caught up with working on overblows after hearing Howard Levy play.
Grant has a great tongue-blocking style. Check out the Improbabillies CD... still one of my favorite harp CD's and the best I know of in that genre (old-timey I guess you'd call it).
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snakes
21 posts
Aug 27, 2008
12:11 PM
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I think you are taller than Grant oldwailer. Yes, I have all three CD's available with Grant's work on them and they are all very tastefull with fine musicians along with him. He is a very humble man and I was suprised that he wanted me to try to learn to tongue block so soon, but he has a way of keeping you focused and still challenging you to keep your interest up. I think that point speaks to the original intent of this thread and that is to keep the student interested with challenges while not making them so over bearing that the student loses hope of accomplishing their goals due to too much failure in practice because of being over challenged. Gosh that last sentence was a bit much, but I don't know how to state it otherwise.
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Aussiesucker
28 posts
Aug 27, 2008
10:50 PM
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Mix it up ie I would IMHO make sure that you are able to play straight harp and x harp and to practice both. I try daily to practice tunes in straight and cross harp and in the case of something simple eg Amazing Grace it really sounds great played in 12th position ie key of F on a C harp. I started a very long time ago and only played straight harp and then only 2+ years ago started cross harp playing. I can tell you all, that for a long long time, it was like learning another instrument as it felt that I was having to play it backwards or in reverse to what I felt as natural! I think it is essential to get to know the harp every which way. I also practice with chromatic and some LO alternative tunings eg Natural Minors and Harmonic Minors. Blues is by far my weakest point but I am getting there. I think the harp is a fantastic musical instrument to which you should not limit youselves by sticking with one style of playing or even one genre.
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honeydawg
18 posts
Aug 29, 2008
7:02 AM
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Just a quick note... Amazing Grace in 12th position (F on C harp) requires no bends at all, so it really is a simple way to play this tune for a beginner. Good call!
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