SmokeJS
246 posts
May 17, 2014
10:38 AM
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After spending some time with David Barrett last month I decided to join his website and go back to the begining and work through his recommended levels. One of the first suggestions is to acquire the Amazing Slow Downer. I have a demo version on my iPad that gives partial functionality. I'm looking for coments from anyone who has paid the full price particularly if you're also involved with the David Barrett study website. Thanks!
Last Edited by SmokeJS on May 17, 2014 10:39 AM
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Mirco
167 posts
May 17, 2014
12:19 PM
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I have been taking lessons through David Barrett's website since last summer. I had no real harmonica instruction prior to that.
The Amazing Slow Downer is an excellent program and I can't recommend it highly enough. It's useful to loop certain sections of songs and to slow them down. For example, maybe I'm trying to learn the fourth chorus of some study song. I set it up to loop only that section, and then I alternate listening once and then playing along once. Keep it up for like 30 minutes (slowing it if necessary) and you can really dial in on the technique. Apparently, the program can also change the key of a song, but I haven't messed with that part yet.
It is a relatively cheap program for the amount of use you'll get out of it. Good luck with the David Barrett website; there is so much content on there. I'm just about ready to test out of LOA 4 and into LOA 5.
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BronzeWailer
1268 posts
May 17, 2014
4:02 PM
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I am not a member of David Barrett's website but have been using the Slow Downer for some time. Very useful if you want to hear exactly what somebody's doing. It's a worthwhile investment in my view.
BronzeWailer's YouTube
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Komuso
312 posts
May 17, 2014
6:18 PM
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Phrase Trainer does the same
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Paul Cohen aka Komuso Tokugawa
HarpNinja - Your harmonica Mojo Dojo
Bringing the Boogie to the Bitstream
Last Edited by Komuso on May 17, 2014 7:18 PM
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SuperBee
1996 posts
May 17, 2014
6:30 PM
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I have a prog called capo. Same job. Good tools all
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blueswannabe
467 posts
May 17, 2014
8:58 PM
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I really like the slow downer. Works very well. It's a little pricey at $50 but likley worth it.
Last Edited by blueswannabe on May 17, 2014 8:58 PM
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SmokeJS
247 posts
May 18, 2014
5:00 AM
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Thanks to all for your responses. One more question. Do you use Slow Downer on a tablet or on a PC. I have both and am leaning towards what I'm guessing might be greater functionality on PC.
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Mirco
168 posts
May 18, 2014
8:23 PM
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I use it on a PC. I am not sure if there's a difference between the versions.
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MN
315 posts
May 19, 2014
4:22 AM
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I have the ASD app on my iPhone and love it.
Another HIGHLY RATED app is Mark Fitchett's Pro Band Backing Tracks, which lets you change both the temp and key of its backing tracks. REALLY helpful for practicing the same groove in multiple positions.
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Michael Rubin
873 posts
May 19, 2014
7:39 AM
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I am for the slow downer. I never used it to learn blues, so I kind of looked down on it. Now that I am learning jazz solos note for note, I have to use it. These guys are very fast and notey!
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Albey
41 posts
May 19, 2014
1:05 PM
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I have tried the trials of most of the Slow Downers and the one I found the best is the Guitar & Drum Trainer from Renegade Minds. It does everything the others do but you can also save your loops. Say you are trying to learn an instrumental, you can save the whole song, each verse and each passage you are a having trouble with as many as you want to save. You can see what I mean in the picture below.
Guitar & Drum Trainer
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Thanks,
Albey Scholl
The Shadows
Blind Willies Blues Club
Atlanta, GA
http://www.blindwilliesblues.com/
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Greg Heumann
2727 posts
May 19, 2014
1:08 PM
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You can save your loops in Amazing SlowDowner too.
And Michael - when you were learning blues, you obviously weren't listening to Norton Buffalo's "Harmonica Mambo", or you'd have needed it then too.. ;)
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***************************************************
/Greg
BlowsMeAway Productions
See my Customer Mics album on Facebook
Bluestate on iTunes
Last Edited by Greg Heumann on May 19, 2014 1:10 PM
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pastorbk
1 post
May 20, 2014
9:34 AM
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There's a free program called Practice# (sharp) that allows you to save up to 8 different loops, with tempo and or key changing ability. Just google it.
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Gnarly
1008 posts
May 20, 2014
11:14 AM
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https://code.google.com/p/practicesharp/
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Michael Rubin
874 posts
May 20, 2014
11:29 AM
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Norton can play fast for sure. I used to live in Sonoma and saw him multiple times. When he was on the road with Steve Miller, I was his back up band's back up harmonica player. Just a couple of months before he passed I taught the Kerrville folk Festival Harmonica Workshop with him. Nice guy, great player.
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bonedog569
910 posts
May 21, 2014
11:19 AM
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Two fantastic slow down / transpose practice apps for iPad / iPhone:
Anytune Pro+ : lets you rip audio from youtube movies, or import any sound files, then mark sections to repeat, slow down and/or transpose.
My current fave practice app.
Practice Pro: does everything the above does except import youtube audio. Different interface. My fave before I got Anytune Pro.
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MP
3211 posts
May 21, 2014
11:26 AM
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I think the pc app is about $40 bucks. It's fun to pick apart fast tunes like whammer jammer and discover you've had your very own version for 40 years that is quite different from what Richard Salwitz (sp) is playing.
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Affordable Reed Replacement
Marks Harmonica Tune-up
Click user name MP for contact info
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