paralysis by analisys outbreak warning!!!

[Roger A Gonzales <gonz1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Warning warning!!!

I see it happening again as it has happened so many times before.  As these discussions continue on and on and on.....and on, there is valuable time wasted and the dreaded disease of "Paralysis by Analysis" has time to take effect.  

Granted, there is a great deal of valuable information that is found on these lists.  However, the best information is playing.  Not just your harmonica, but a keyboard or a guitar.  something where chords can be inverted and reformed on a keyboard or a fretboard and not in front of the keyboard on your desktop or laptop.  

For those of you who are really interested in getting better at chords and the knowledge of them and their application, there are several books at every level.  

The best suggestion is to find a community college that offers a music fundamentals class or take private lessons.  Taking a Community college classes is not an expensive situation and it WILL give you the correct knowlegde in a way that you can immediately apply it to the harmonica.
  
Please, do not misunderstand me and do not start with the flames,
I have found a great deal of valuable information on all three of these lists just as many of you have.  But when these conversations persist about chord substitutions and just intonation and many other technical subjects etc, instead of taking time to play your instrument, many of you decide to discuss chord substitutions instead of applying them to your playing.  That is not good for your playing and not good for the progress of the harmonica. 

Now I know that some of you are going to get offended by what I am saying in this post.  But if you really are intending on consistent and persistent inprovement on the harmonica it takes alot more than constant discussions on 2 or three lists.  It takes daily effort and practice.  There is no substitute for practice.  

You want top know about chord substitutions, practice.  You want to know about correct intonation, practice.  YOu want to know about legato playing, practice.  You want to know about how the harmonica works and how it can sound in ANY situation, practice.  

My intention is not to offend anyone by this post but to maybe wake some of you up a bit.  Put the mouse down and walk away from the computer and grab your harmonica and play it....alot.  take one day out of answering email each week and apply THAT time to your practice time.  Tell me if you do not see a difference.


regards and respect,
Roger Gonzales
Fresno, CA.