Re: [Harp-L] Bending, harp modification advice for a beginner

[billhines4@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Welcome John. 

It's a long road, just be patient and persistent and don't give up.

Well, odds are that maybe you won't find someone in your small town that is *both* a good player and good teacher. There are plenty of great players, not many can teach well. It's a whole other skill to be able to teach and it's rare to have both. 

If you can't find anyone, then how about just using the AMAZING wealth of teaching tools that are available on the internet and in book/cd/video form? Adam Gussow, Jason Ricci, Jon Gindick and others have free teaching videos on youtube that are just fantastic and free. Adam is up to 80 something lessons right now. Pick up some of his Satan and Adam CDs and to go his own website and throw him a few bucks though, just out of conscience if you use these. What a great dude. That itself will keep you busy for oh, about a year haha. 

Then you can get some of the excellent book/cd/video material like the whole series from David Barrett. That again itself will keep you busy for at least a year and great material. Same thing with Jon Gindick's stuff, all of them have websites where you can review the stuff before you buy it, etc. I'd say buy from harp-specific sites like www.coast2coastmusic.com or from the author's websites themselves before you use a middleman like Amazon that will take a cut from them, if you can and the price isn't drastically different. Barrett's two volume DVD (video) is real good.  My all time favorite to learn is Classic Chicago Blues Harp (get vols 1 and2, the newer edition, rather than the old edition which has it all in one book/cd). And also Gindick's Rock 'n Blues Harmonica (the one with the caveman stuff, which is probably where you should start). 

Some instructors like Dennis Greunling offer video lessons over the internet if you have a pretty high speed connection and webcam too. 

Start going to the local blues jams, I'm sure there's one within striking distance, and just *listen* and start talking to the other musicians, especially the harp players. Don't sign up to play until you're ready. Practice at home with jam tracks like "Sittin' In With The Greats" and the "Ultimate Jam Tracks" from Pete Schmidt (vol 1 is designed for harp but vol 2 is good). You might meet your future teacher at those jams. 

Get some CDs from the masters (i.e. little walter and those boys if you are going for blues) and listen and learn as well.

Bill Hines
Hershey, PA

 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Spencer, John C." <SpencerJC@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Hello,
> 
>  
> 
> A friend told me about Harp-L and I've enjoyed reading it.  I'm a
> beginner-I've played about 10 months-I practice every day and learn from
> a Jon Gindick CD and some on- line lessons.  I'd like some advice to
> help me learn.  
> 
> 1:  I live in a small city, Columbia, MO.  How do I find a good teacher
> (not just an accomplished player) other than just trying out anyone I
> can find?
> 
> 2:  I'm developing my bending skills and have some confidence but I find
> it very challenging to play sustained bent notes especially in the low
> keyed harps, A in particular.  It seems to take too much air.  My tone
> is fair if I play quickly (and loud) but...  As an example, I practice
> the harp part in Greg Lake's Watching Over You , in A, and there's a
> sustained 3 draw bent that's beyond me.  I know I need to keep
> practicing, improve my embouchure, air control etc.  But I also have
> messed around with gapping and it has helped.  So, should I also try to
> narrow the gaps or try some other modification to my A harp to make it
> easier to play?  Any advice will be very welcome.
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks,
> 
>  
> 
> John
> 
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> 
>  
> 
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