Re: [Harp-L] Bluegrass Harmonica

[Tony Eyers <tony@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I became serious about bluegrass harmonica around 17 years ago. I'd 
started attending Australian bluegrass festivals, wanted to join in, but 
could not. The reason: I didn't know the tunes.

The bluegrass fiddle tune repertoire, or part thereof, is the pass key 
to bluegrass sessions, in my view.  We have some wonderful bluegrass 
fiddle tune exponents on the list, Cara Cooke and Trip Henderson come to 
mind (I've met and played with both of them).

Anyway, around 1995 I started learning the tunes, after several years I 
could play a good selection, more or less. Everyone has their own 
journey through bluegrass tunes, mine was via retuned harmonicas.

It's easier now, through good online advice. At the risk of self 
promotion (...who? me?), here are some of my pointers on getting started 
with bluegrass fiddle tunes for harmonica

- http://www.harmonicatunes.com/traditional  - articles on the basic 
bluegrass fiddle tune repertoire, how to approach learning, tempos etc

- http://www.HarmonicaAcademy.com - my teaching site, which, as far as I 
know, has the most detailed outline of how to play fiddle tunes in 1st, 
2nd and 3rd position, with exercises, repertoire, backing tracks etc. 
Happy to be corrected on this, but nonetheless a good resource, I think.

Tony Eyers
Australia
www.HarmonicaAcademy.com
...everyone plays