I suppose this is aimed at Adam... But please chime in if you know the answer. I identify myself, according to Adams scale, at somewhere between intermediate and advanced intermediate (depending on the day!). Id like to start to follow Adams lessons properly so I'd like to know where to start. I've browsed the lesson plan and I can't figure out what to start on. Is it section 3?4?5? Do I pick and choose from them all or are they designed to follow sequentially? Has anyone any suggestions on a 'package' of videos/tabs (like Adam has for Beginner's) that would keep an intermediate player happy for a while? Thanks!
Last Edited by Ian on Sep 02, 2015 4:42 PM
Intermediate to advanced intermediate after 7-8 months playing? I don't believe it without hearing you, but regardless I would recommend joining David Barretts site BluesHarmonica.com, no doubt the best site on the net for all levels, styles.
I think you can still get a free trial.
Last Edited by Harpaholic on Sep 02, 2015 8:24 PM
Adam is our host here, so his lessons are an obvious first port of call.
Dave Barrett at BluesHarmonica.com is rightfully at the top of the harmonica instruction heap. Howard Levy now shares his genius online, his lessons are here
Finally, and with a somewhat red face, I should mention my online lessons, at Harmonica Academy Up since 2008, several thousand students have passed through our online campus.
---------- Tony Eyers Australia www.HarmonicaAcademy.com everyone plays...
Last Edited by Harmonicatunes on Sep 02, 2015 7:45 PM
Ian - The page called * The Store * in the menu is more organised around levels than the lesson plan, which is different take on the material. The lesson plan encourages progressing on a broad front.
Adam's categories (beginner, intermediate etc.) are based around identifiable skills and I think it's good to know where you are on those and be straightforward about it. Because there are many skilled and experienced players contributing here, they may have a different idea of what intermediate or advanced means. That's valid too, but more difficult to asses with tick-boxes.
My take is that all Adam's categories are 'beginner or learner' or something like that.
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Sep 03, 2015 2:37 AM
@mindthegap. Thankyou, that's the page I was looking for. Don't really know how I couldn't find it!
@harpaholic. Just going by Adams scale of progression really. In summary I can hit accurate draw bends and manage to do pretty consistent blow bends on all relevant holes. I can Overblow 6, I can hold a rhythm and navigate the 12 bar blues pretty well . I can tongue block a bit but I'm more of a pucker player so far, but either way the notes are clean. Soooooooo, that kinda puts me in that 'intermediate' category (according to Adam).
@harmonicatunes. I'll take a look at your lessons, Thanks for the heads up. Seems reasonable too.
I'm also looking at David Barretts lessons, but seeing this is Adams sire, and I have always responded well to his youtube videos I felt that I should invest in a package if it was available.
Thanks for your help guys
Last Edited by Ian on Sep 03, 2015 4:22 AM
I was a member of Barret site for a couple of months. He does tech you many songs (walk whit me, tempeture, and so on). Those songs are study songs, not "records" songs.
"DB site literally has everthing related to learning harp"
Yes, no doubt about it, but in his website, you dont learn to play Sunshine of your love, got love if you want it, and the other songs that you can learn from adam.
Adam and David has different aproach to teach, both are very very good. ---------- Sorry for any misspell, english is not my first language.
I am a newer player as well, I got started by using adam's youtube videos and his beginner's package of lessons. I would suggest that you buy the Advanced Beginner's package. Please don't be offended, I have no idea how well you play (nor do you have any idea about my playing)but here is why:
There is some tough stuff to play in that package, and it does not cost much so what's to loose in buying it and getting it mastered?
For example my favorite "lesson" in that package is the Got My Mojo Workin' riff which he labels as MOJO 1.0. I can play that. I play and practice it often, but I cannot play it cleanly and consistently at the same tempo as found on any of Muddy Water's recordings of the song. So when my buddies come over to jam we play it off-tempo by most anyone's standard. My point is that you may have all of those skills listed, but that don't mean you can't learn from the Advanced Beginner package.
If you want to try david barrets site, I can send you a code for the one month free trial that came with a harp I bought the other day.
I'd say J_Bark's suggestion is a good one, as it's tough to make a recommendation without hearing a sound sample.
What I can tell you, having purchased quite a bit of Adam's stuff, is that it's all exceptional. I initially bought his Beginner Deluxe pack, and still use his 2, 3 and 4 bend tabs as regular practice material (they've been ingrained in my head for quite some time now). I just downloaded "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" last night. Having an absolute gas with that.
I've tried a few other lessons from various folks. Ronnie Shellist has some good stuff over at harmonica123, and I've had great fun with some of Gindick's books.
I've not personally tried Dave Barrett's site as I'm under the impression (if I'm wrong on this - everyone - please feel free to correct me) that he teaches pretty much a 100% tongue-blocking method. That's just not something I'm that interested in - I like a mix of techniques - but countless students love his approach.
There are also lots of great players who offer Skype lessons at very fair prices.
But, for my money, I continue to place Adam's offerings at the top of the list. ---------- Marr's Guitars
Over a decade's experience designing, building & playing Cigar Box Guitars
We have been through some of Adam's lessons. We have been through most of Joe Filisko's lessons. At Joe's store you can check out an audio sample of what the lesson is. His tabs are very detailed, though there is a learning curve to reading his tabs.
At this time we are doing some Lee Sanky videos.
We have enjoyed them all. (with all having some strengths and weakness ) ---------- theharmonicaclub.com (of Huntington, WV)
Last Edited by Jim Rumbaugh on Sep 05, 2015 7:27 AM
@jbark no offence taken whatsoever. You make a very good point. I agree it's good to get things tight and tidy before moving on. I would say that although some of the skills I listed are pretty good, others are less so and it's always good to get a solid grounding. I don't see the harm in trying that package and the other package mentioned earlier... Maybe that's a good choice. I have started a free month of David Barretts site and indeed it is tongue block focused which I don't feel like is the way for me to go right now. The content is of a very high standard though and the riffs etc are great to work through. Thanks again for the great suggestions all of you. Perhaps in a few months I'll get the balls to post a audio sample of me playing... Im not there yet.
