[Harp-L] Newby here

[Leonard Schwartzberg]

Lynn;  I've been playing for just over a year now, mostly playing 12 bar blues with lots of on-line lessons (David Barrett's been great).   I've now got volumes of books (some good stuff from David Barrett, Jon Gindick, DeWayne Keyes), cd's, and lots of downloaded stuff (videos, audios, texts, tabs).   Now have 8 harps (and all sorts of other neat stuff). Who said I play the harp "cause of the money"?   Started with Hohner's, but have changed them all to Seydel Session Steels.   Now to the point of the 3 draw.   

3 draw is normally a fairly easy note to play, and (I think) a pleasant sounding hole (is there such a thing), so therefore I would continue and continue and continue and continue to try and play it.  Make sure you keep your tongue, relatively, in the same place as you keep it to play the other draws holes.   The 3 draw can bend (go lower in pitch) 3 times.... i.e. 3 draw; 3 draw 1/2 step bend; 3 draw whole step bend; 3 draw  1 1/2 step bend.   You need to not confuse them by moving your tongue.   

DO NOT draw in hard!!!!   The harp is designed to be played with gentle drawing.   The harder you draw, the less likely you are to hit a good note.   You, of course, can play dynamically, louder and softer, but to have the rest of the world hear you, God's invented amplifiers.

Personally, I like the Seydel Session Steels.   They're very airtight, cool looking, last much longer than the Hohner's (there we go again "cause of the money").   Mine were all serviced by Greg Jones www.1623customharmonicas.com and play really well.   So, you might consider a different harp.

There are at least 2 ways of playing:   Pucker (lip pursing) and Tongue Blocking.   I started by lip pursing, but thru David Barrett's lessons was really pushed to tongue-block.   I think it's the right way to play, and if possible, one should almost never lip purse.  It opens up lots of cool effects, slaps, pulls, chords, etc., and seems to allow the notes to come out easier, and if you like blues, makes the notes more dirty, or bluesy.

Hope you get the 3 draw mastered soon........ the 11 draw's really tricky :)
Leonard

-----Original Message-----
From: Harp-L [mailto:harp-l-bounces at xxxxx] On Behalf Of Lynn wemmer
Sent: Saturday, March 04, 2017 5:54 PM
To: harp-l at xxxxx
Subject: [Harp-L] Newby here

Hello everyone.  I sure could use your help.  I've been playing the
harmonica since December.  I've practiced everyday but one.  But even with
all this dedication I'm having trouble with the 3 draw.  Once in awhile I
get lucky and hit it but there's no consistency.  Any helpful advice would
be much appreciated.


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