Exactly, i'm at the 5 year stage, yeah..kinda sounds ok sometimes, but the best thing is i'm not alone. Good vid. However it actually motivates me more to keep on trying, i thought i was alone after 5 years of "just cant get it" playing, now i feel better knowing i'm not alone.
Last Edited by Steamrollin Stan on Mar 12, 2013 5:37 AM
Yes you are not alone Steamrollin Stan. Thank goodness for this forum. If it hadn't had been for all the encouragement and friendship I've received from the forum members, I think I would have given up long ago.
Lets hear it for the MBH Forum. Hip Hip, Hooray :)
Good stuff and thanks to Frank for bringing it to the fore. Should be mandatory viewing for all eager beginners, and esp. those who buy -- and sell! -- stuff like "Blues harmonica in ten minutes."
Dang it!!! You mean to tell me I actually have to put in time, effort, dedication, discipline, blood, sweat, and tears into this instrument!! I thought EVERYTHING you needed to know about blues harmonica was included in that little instructional booklet that comes with every new harp!!
In 1977 i brought a harp and learnt O'suzanna, man i thought i was good, but always thought it was a stupid thing to play, it stayed that way till 2008 and i discovered the net, when i brought another harmonica the guy said "what key"?, i had no bloody idea wtf he was talking about, i'm 59 now and enjoying what i'm doing, cant turn back time, but going foreward is the thing, all my net mates and info links are the "ducks bum"!!!!, this really is a great site, thanks Adam!!
I like this, and his theme is pot on, IMO. HOWEVER, I would ask we ponder the relationship between success and REPETITION versus time.
For example, research has indicated it takes thousands of repetitions to master something. The time it takes to do that can be accelerated by playing more.
Bascially, 30min of practice/day for 10yrs would equal 60min of practice/day for 5 years. It is the repetition and not the duration of time that is important. I think Lee is essentially saying that, but that can be confusing.
I also think conversation around goals is significant in these discussions. It is a lot easier to become a great rack player, for example, if that is all you focus on. In other words, if you choose to occupy and master a small skill set relative to the infinite things one can do with harmonica, the more accelerated your playing.
This is why, IMO, so many people can sound like a clone of somebody in a short period of time....they are mastering a very small sliver of the instrument at a high level. In the end, it comes down to your motivations and expectations - unless you choose for those to be from others.
The best part about paying your dues with the harp, IMO, is the bar is essentially low compared to other instruments. To clarify, being an equally awesome harp player as a guitar player would take similar amounts of energy. However, there are a ton of guitar players to be compared to and fewer good harp players. ---------- Mantra Customized Harmonicas My Website
Oh yeah, the other variable previous generations tend to forget when talking harp is the fact that there is a plethora of great materials to learn from. Young players (in time on the instrument, not age) have a huge advantage in that.
***It took me a year to start to learn to play harp after buying my first harp because I was so overwhelmed with where to start. There were very few resources like there are now and had it not been for the explosion of theory and tabs and lessons online, I would have never started.
I spent months trying to find clues as to what harp players were doing as it wasn't instinctual. I bought my first harp in March of 2002. It was in FL while on Spring Break. I was rooming with the track team in college and didn't even blow it until I got back to MN. It pretty much sat unplayed until the following fall (didn't take it home for the summer). I then started to read up on how to play. I finally started teaching myself in Nov-Dec of 2002, and played it infront of people that spring...so it has been pretty much 10yrs to the day.
I had thought that it was longer than that (had you asked me yesterday, I would have said 12yrs), and I think I've stated as such on forums, but I just double checked and I went to FL as a Jr in college, not a sophomore (even found the team picture from the trip online to confirm). I also didn't start singing in bands until late 2002...so happy 10yr anniversary to me! ---------- Mantra Customized Harmonicas My Website
Last Edited by HarpNinja on Mar 13, 2013 12:39 PM
Comes down to one thing.........PRACTICE, the more the better, perfect whats imperfect, when you think your good your not, we all know what sounds good, i need to have a week of solid repetitious no bullshit practice on some things i can sort of do but cant do without thinking about what to do, when it becomes embedded in my nogggin i'll be satisfied.
