Re: [Harp-L] Practicing fast harp runs

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jim McBride wrote:
<I'd like to work on increasing my speed on the harmonica. Anyone have 
<any suggestions for riffs or practice runs to increase speed? Of course 
<the blues scale up and down the harp is good and I already work that. 
<Some triplets too. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.

The previous suggestion on this list regarding bluegrass tunes (jigs, 
reels, hornpipes, etc.) is a good one.  You can find a lot of exercises 
in my book "Jazz Harp" that are useful, and if you really want to 
stretch it, try Joseph Viola's exercises for saxophone.

Whatever material you use:
- practice with a metronome or drum machine (more fun than a metronome) 
to keep you in time
- start as slow as you need to start to play everything in time
- speed up the pace one step at at time, using the metronome to keep you 
honest

Regards, Richard Hunter
hunterharp.com