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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Harmonica. Events
Harmonica. Events
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Killa_Hertz
499 posts
Feb 09, 2016
8:31 PM
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Ok so there is no shortage of major events apparently. I was wondering which one would be the best. If you could only pick one. Not for cool factor, but for learning.
Harmonica collective? ..... The picnic thing adams doin? ....
I don't even remember them all but there's alot. I got em all written due somewhere, i write em down as each one comes up. I obviously want to do them all, but that can't happen. So which one Is a Must. Right now collective is lookin pretty tight.
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"Trust Those Who Seek The Truth. Doubt Those Who Say They Have Found It."
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dougharps
1156 posts
Feb 09, 2016
9:31 PM
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I have attended quite a few different harmonica events more than once each:
1) Adam's Hill Country Harmonica 3 day event at Foxfire Ranch, Waterford, MS is not offered this year, again. I attended twice. The 3 day event was intense, and most camped out at the ranch. The newer one day event associated with the Hill Country Picnic, offered last year and again this year, sounds really good and reasonably priced. The price and location of accommodations is the question I would have.
2) HarmoniCollege in Huntington, WV has always had good teachers and is a bargain for two nights lodging (and jams), all meals, and a day of instruction at Heritage Farm and Museum. I have been 3 times and am going again this year. I enjoy the setting and the people from the club and other attendees, and the instruction. It has a more laid back atmosphere overall. And it is on the way to where my son lives now...
3)Harmonica Collective in Indianapolis, IN, is very intensive for 3 days and 4 nights and is very, very good instruction by good teachers. Tuition costs a little more than the above, and there are hotel costs, but you learn a lot among great participants. I attended once for the whole event and then another year for just one day due to schedule issues. This year they are tailoring it to offer extra assistance for less experienced players. Good jams...
4) SPAH which is a convention, performances, jams, and workshops event that I like a LOT but is much more diverse in what is offered, and not solely a workshop. You can hear any kind of harmonica played, and music and jams in multiple genres. It probably adds up to being the most expensive and least focused on instruction over all, but I love it.
It really comes down to what you want: how far is the event from where you live, how many days do you want to spend on harmonica instruction and jams, The cost of tuition, the cost and availability of meals, and what accommodations are offered at what overall cost.
They each offer a different atmosphere, each have great teachers helping you improve in different ways, and each have jams.
There is also a Midwest Harmonica event in St. Paul, MN, but I never went to that. I am certain that there are East Coast and West Coast, and Texas, and Denver workshops, too!
Whatever you choose, I think that it is worthwhile to go to events with other players for instruction and to meet other harmonica addicts. Then you return home and try to incorporate what you have learned into your playing.
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Doug S.
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Killa_Hertz
500 posts
Feb 09, 2016
9:54 PM
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Well my problem is that nothing seems to be very close to the philly area. So im traveling no matter what. Might as well go hard. I'll goto the collective n sleep in the car if i gotta, i don't care. Lol.
But see the beginner/intermediate line is a funny one. Everyone draws the line different places. I wonder where the collective draws the line. I'm not trying to learn bends and train songs all day. But at the same time the theory lingo still goes over my head. So idk. Maybe ill ask zerxa.
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"Trust Those Who Seek The Truth. Doubt Those Who Say They Have Found It."
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Danny G
1 post
Feb 09, 2016
10:18 PM
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Danny G's Friday, Saturday and as long as you want to play Sunday open mic Harmonica Party will be July 10 - 12 this year. It's free, lots of great food, BYOB or soft drinks. Cheap nearby motels or free tent camping.
(About a half hour East of the Football Hall of Fame)
21746 North Benton West Road
North Benton, Ohio 44449
for details (330) 322-9625
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The Iceman
2812 posts
Feb 10, 2016
4:12 AM
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Augusta Heritage Blues Week in Elkins, WV.
www.augustaheritage.com
The most well rounded week of instruction being offered today - mostly because it takes place alongside guitar, blues piano, blues vocal as well as many other forms of music at the same time. This means aside from classes, the evening jamming is unbelievable. This week is not only about harmonica, but also about blues and swing music.
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The Iceman
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RyanMortos
1533 posts
Feb 10, 2016
4:22 AM
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I also live in Philly area. SPAH has been an easy yes for me the last couple years. I always have fun, I learn stuff, talk with a lot of cool people, get to jam in a circle with pros, see performances you'd otherwise have to only see on YouTube, always have multiple options of workshops on different subjects at any time. SPAH was at Virginia beach a few years ago which made travel cheaper. When I calculate approximate cost for hill country or collective I come out to very similar cost. The plane ride & lodging really jacks the cost on these events for us.
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~Ryan
See My Profile for contact info, etc.
Last Edited by RyanMortos on Feb 10, 2016 4:32 AM
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Killa_Hertz
505 posts
Feb 10, 2016
9:44 AM
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Yea. I can sometimes get cheap flights. I know people who fly alot and know some good tricks. Before i goto an event I'll try to post prices if i can find any really good deals. I think I'm Goin to really try to hit the collective. Just a small piece of the right information can jack your skill level up big time. I really want to bend the ear of some pros.
I wish i knew other people intersted in going. Splitting a room a few ways would be so much cheaper and make it so much more enjoyable having a little more spending money. But no one i know would want to go.
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"Trust Those Who Seek The Truth. Doubt Those Who Say They Have Found It."
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timeistight
1929 posts
Feb 10, 2016
10:21 AM
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SPAH is the best bang for the buck, IMHO, but any of these events are worth going to for the inspiration factor alone.
However, you aren't going to get much music theory at a harmonica even. As Winslow wrote in your other thread:
I found out a long time ago that people's eyes will glaze over very quickly if I launch into theory talk too quickly, so I've learned to take it slow and apply theory sparingly as needed and get the student up to speed in bite-size chunks.
I remember our own Diggsblues giving a very basic theory seminar at SPAH one year. People's eyes glazed over.
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barbequebob
3143 posts
Feb 10, 2016
11:50 AM
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When it comes to learning time and theory, it immediately raises fears in many harp players that are so totally unfounded and they talk like it is the worst and most difficult things to do but the three part question that one has to give to harp players so that they can put it all in proper perspective would be this below:
a.) Didn't it seem so incredibly difficult for you to finally learn to get your very first single note?
b.) Didn't it seem so incredibly difficult for you finally learn to get your very first bent note?
c.) Didn't it seem so incredibly difficult for you to finally learn to get your very first overblow note?
Then the next thing to be said would be, "If you answered yes to all three questions, then why is it so much more difficult to learn basic theory and time?"
For all of the above, the saying that Rome wasn't built in a day applies and learning anything takes time and real effort, which means taking things slowly and breaking them down bit by bit until you fully understand it and learning these things will not only improve your playing skills, but it will also improve your listening skills as well, which altogether will make you a much better musician overall.
Harp players are often thought of by those who play other instruments too often as horribly untogether musicians and people assume if you play other instruments, they rightly assume your are going to know basic theory and time, but with harp players, the stereotype is the exact opposite and with the hard headed nature of a lot of harp players, they fulfill the negative stereotype, which legitimates that, are legitimatizing hurts a million times more than it helps.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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kham
60 posts
Feb 10, 2016
5:45 PM
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I have a horse in this race... Our event in southern Ontario is 45 minutes from Buffalo and has food, lodging and atmosphere that beats any convention centre black and more importantly blue. I just straght up don't like hanging out in hotels and eating pub grub. If you'd like a nice week-end get-a-way under 100+ year old willow trees on an organic veggie farm with freshly harvested food from the gardens that makes you feel good while learning from the pros then check us out. http://www.sharedharvestdunnville.com/calendar/127606
Otherwise I'd probably pick SPAH. Sounds like a blast with the best of the best...
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Jim Rumbaugh
1189 posts
Feb 10, 2016
6:41 PM
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If your are interested in LEARNING
.
If you are intermediate level or below... Augusta Blues Week in Elkins, WV will change you harmonica life. It did mine. Put aside $800 to $1,000 and spend a weeks vacation.
If you only have a few hundred dollars and a few days, our HarmoniCollege is based on what I liked best at Augusta.
And I would say The Collective is right between the first two I mentioned. So look at your budget, size, and time and choose what fits.
(my opinions ARE biased )
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theharmonicaclub.com (of Huntington, WV)
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shakeylee
508 posts
Feb 10, 2016
7:31 PM
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there are so many of us philadelphians that we should def put another harp workshop together.last year we were talking about doing one with martin lange,maybe mikey jr. hosting but it never quite got off the ground.
i live right in CC,you guys are always welcome.
i think adam gussow did one a few years ago,maybe at the twisted tail?
i don't usually go to harp conventions or the like,but i have been getting interested in the millwaukee one. it seems like a lot of fun.
i would like to go ,just to listen to a lot of harp players.
how about everybody goes to millwaukee?
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www.shakeylee.com
Last Edited by shakeylee on Feb 10, 2016 7:32 PM
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WinslowYerxa
1070 posts
Feb 10, 2016
7:55 PM
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The Harmonica Collective has a lot of good things to offer (of course, you're hearing this from the producer).
- Beginner and intermediate/advanced teaching tracks (more on that below)
- Sponsor/vendors onsite (or represented) with discounted gear you can try out. Lone Wolf and Blue Moon Harmonicas (Tom Halchak) will be onsite, and so far Seydel, BlowsMeAway (Greg Heumann) and Rockin' Ron are also sponsors.
- Nightly hosted jams
- Daily performance coaching (Wednesday and Thursday) with Jason Ricci's band,
the Bad Kind
- Saturday workshop by LD Miller
- Saturday raffle and auction of donated stuff
The Collective seeks to provide intermediate and advanced instruction that is otherwise hard to find. And we've always had at least two staff members dedicated both to helping beginners and to getting players up to speed when they discover something missing in their understanding or technique. But we've decided to strengthen the beginner and remedial programs this year.
The intermediate/advanced track is the Mountain Track.
The beginner and remedial track is the Red Schoolhouse.
The Mountain Track features three days of structured classes delivered to small groups by the four Expert Guides - excellent players who are also excellent instructors. Each day, each Expert Guide delivers his topic for the day to each group - if you stay with your group you'll get a total of 12 topics.
Expert Guides for 2016 are Jason Ricci, PT Gazell, Winslow Yerxa, and Ross Garren. Later, I'll publish the topics each will be teaching, but for now, you can find out more about each Expert Guide starting with the main Expert Guides page.
The Red Schoolhouse is structured like the SPAH teach-in - chairs in circles in a big room, each with an anchor. Anchors for 2016 are Buzz Krantz, Dan Ridgeway, and Jarred Webber (a former attendee and SPAH Youth Scholar). They'll be helping players get up to speed. Each is prepared to work with attendees on core competencies and can provide either structured instruction or as-needed help.
Any attendee can move freely back and forth between the Mountain Track and the Red Schoolhouse. And within the Mountain Track, you can stay with your group and get all 12 subjects, or hang out wherever you feel you most want to be.
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Winslow
Check out my blog and other goodies at winslowyerxa.com
Harmonica For Dummies, Second Edition with tons of new stuff
Join us in 2016 for SPAH on the San Antonio River Walk!
Last Edited by WinslowYerxa on Feb 10, 2016 8:20 PM
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