Subject: [Harp-L] Advice on learning to play chromatic

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

I don't wish to have any argument with a pro like George who plays  
multi-types of harmonicas far better than I could ever do, but a chromatic  
certainly was a self-taught instrument for me.

In fact nearly everyone I meet up with in real life who plays a chromatic  
and at Harmonica Conventions such as SPAH and the Garden State Harmonica  
Festival admits to beginning on the instrument when young and noodling with it 
 on their own. In my case I was probably around 7 years old after beginning 
on a  tremolo at age 4. There were no teachers - I had no musical 
background. I played  by ear because there simply was no other way for me to do it. 
Still do, in fact.  Some of the best players I know are self-taught and play 
by ear. It really does  depend on what type of music you want to focus on. 
For classical, I think  there's no question you'd want and require a good 
teacher. I don't play  classical.

Since I gave up playing harmonica for a very long time coming back to it  
only a few short years ago, I'm hardly an expert and will be perfectly  
comfortable remaining an amateur. For someone wishing to go further with the  
instrument a teacher IS highly recommended but no one should be scared off a  
chromatic thinking it's impossible to play unless and until a teacher is  
available since there is a ton of teaching info out there too: YouTube videos,  
Mel Bay books and Hal Leonard play along CD/books (for example). I wish I'd 
had  even a fraction of this information when I first began playing. Imho 
there's no  such thing as too much information about something you wish to 
learn.

If you already play a diatonic (you haven't said..I wasn't sure if you were 
 including a diatonic in your 'playing no instruments'), you might find it 
fairly  easy to transpose your ability to a chromatic.

There are people who teach via skype or over the telephone; many times  
local musicians in one's area who would be only too happy to give lessons -  
perhaps an ad in a local paper or library might find them? But to be frank, 
I'd  suggest you look into Slidemeister.org/forums since it's the chromatic 
website  sister site of Harp-l set up purely for chromatic players (at least 
that's how I  think of it). I belong to both.

Much advice is available there, quite a few of the same people post on both 
 lists (but not enough): discussions pro and con re every style and type of 
 chromatic abound and you just might find a willing teacher in your own 
town. 

Much luck

Elizabeth

"Message: 3
Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:57:42 +0000
From: dan  <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Advice on learning to play  chromatic
To: _harp-l@xxxxxxxxxxx (mailto:harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx) 

Hi, I'd like to learn to play a chromatic harmonica, I can't play  any
instruments or read music, can anyone give me some advice on the  best
way to learn how to  play?

Thanks,
Dan