[Harp-L] The Iceman Teacheth

[IcemanLE@xxxxxxx]

Having focused on harmonica teaching rather than performing these past 6  
years, many new concepts have flowed through me into students. A few have been  
home runs. Here is one of them. Works for all level of players - however, most  
that come through my doors are beginners.
 
One leg of my intro to harmonica is learning where the notes live - major  
scale from 4 hole exhale through the major ninth - 8 hole inhale - and back.  
Student learns to play LOOOONG tones on each of these holes to get the sound out 
 into the air and into their ears. It is nothing more than DO, RE, MI, etc -  
something everyone already has in their ears from grade school. 
 
The linear sound of the scale is two dimensional - I've recently added a  
third dimension that really turns on the student. At each scale degree, I play  
the full chord on the piano - Major, minor, minor, Major, Major, minor,  
half-diminished, Major, minor - while they sustain the note. I tell them to  listen 
to the sound of the piano as an orchestra, listen to their note, and  blend 
them together. At first, I bring in the full orchestra and have them play  their 
note to balance with the orchestra. The result is that they play with more  
confidence and a fuller sound. We go up and down quite a few times - this is  
done slowly.
 
Then - here is the important part - I tell them to start with a note so  
solid that the orchestra will have no trouble knowing when to come in and have  no 
fear of "falling through the note" because it is too weak. They play a  
sustained note -when it becomes solid, I bring in the orchestra (full chord,  
middle range of the piano).
 
The results are impressive. Student gets a firm grasp on creating a solid  
note and starts to hear the full orchestra and harmony in their ears while they  
play. Then, at home, I tell them to imagine this sound as they go up and down 
 their scale slowly.
 
Even experienced players should try this exercise. It will open up your  ears 
to a greater extent.
 
The Iceman



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