How To Memorise Blues Harmonica Licks (and have fun doing it)

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6 жыл бұрын

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This is a very quick run-through on a strategy for getting licks into your long-term memory and practising playing them in context. Demonstrated with a Big Walter Horton lick. It's aimed at players with a bit of experience under their belt.
For more information on 12-bar blues and how to start playing along to one check out my Introduction to the 12 Bar Blues for Harmonica Players pdf: leedsharmonica.uk/resources/in...
The lick goes something like this (though I'm sure I've put a few variations in unintentionally): 2 3'' (pull) 3' 2 2+
Here's a key for the tab: leedsharmonica.uk/notation-guide/
But of course, the idea is to use this process with any and all licks you want to memorise.
The jam track I'm using is from Jimi Lee's Groovetrax and I strongly urge you to buy the 2-disc set. They are superb and invaluable for practising. www.jimileeband.com/instant_do...
This is a small example of the harmonica tuition I provide. 1-1 in-person or Skype lessons are available. More information and general harmonica nerd stuff at www.leedsharmonica.uk/
Drop me an email, and happy harping!

Пікірлер: 52

@mrwirrall 9 ай бұрын

Gonna give that a go thanks

@faustoodilon 4 жыл бұрын

I loved your slow trill, awesome! Thanks!

@richardervins 4 жыл бұрын

This works beautifully. And even me, who hasn‘t played too much harmonica yet, have got it with the first try. So, deep respect for your teaching and coaching skills! As I also play guitar, bass, and drums, I put together my own backing track that resembles yours. It‘s fun to jam with it. But after two days I forgot the harmonica riff. I can still play every part of the jam track - even in the right tempo. But not the harp riff. For guitar I memorize the shape of a riff and I give it a name. I memorize lyrics by memorizing the first word of a part and then long term by putting it into a mind map. Same for guitar solos, fills and accompaniments. I only need to refresh the mind map before a gig, to be on the safe side. But this doesn‘t work for harmonica - at least not yet. There‘s no keyword or visual shape to work with. If you have any suggestion of how to solve this for the harmonica, I would be very grateful to hear it. 🙏🏻👨🏻‍🦰

@fredhundy1155 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for this Kevin. As a newbie, this was brilliant for me!

@jonathanpalmer3587 9 ай бұрын

Thanks for the lick. It’s got a cool sound and definitely great to elaborate on. I really get to move around the harp with new variations. 👍

@joycehandersonfriends3225 4 жыл бұрын

Fantastic lesson. Thanks so much!

@davestickley-aquatarkus3307 4 жыл бұрын

Really helpful and enjoyable.thanks for posting this.

@zachvanslyke4341 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Much appreciated, keep em coming

@glennloucks7885 Жыл бұрын

I just finished my practice and I was thinking my licks are the same all the time. Thanks, good timing 😅

@niguel4438 3 жыл бұрын

Happy accident finding this. I’ve got so far and now a bit stuck. Hopefully this will get me going again. I don’t want a lot of theory preferring to learn by ear and tab. Thanks.

@Jazzgriot 2 жыл бұрын

Really useful and accessible, cheers matey. Ace !

@jimwillride 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you...music is very helpful, especially yours.

@robertchartrand837 2 жыл бұрын

Much appreciated. Sleazy Bob. 👍😊

@nickdantonio8082 2 жыл бұрын

This was very helpful thank you

@christophermccarthy6889 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Kevin, just found your channel , brilliant 👏😀

@jamesthurston8351 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@jamesthurston8351 3 жыл бұрын

Cool sounds good alright!

@swampydavis8596 5 жыл бұрын

Nice!

@ramirodelagarza9946 2 жыл бұрын

Kevin, or any viewer, are you blowing or drawing on those holes, thanks so much, I luv this.

@jerrycohencohen8901 3 жыл бұрын

Would love to have tabs.

@bobmachaby1506 Жыл бұрын

I can only assume you are playing an A harmonica in third position key of Em.

@elrico1364 3 жыл бұрын

are the two neck holes for mic-amp cord plug ins?

@johncrapper6883 4 жыл бұрын

Kelvin: I lo ve tour vídeo. Helps me a lot. Thank you for posting. My harmonica gives me the las two notes with a 1 draw and a 2 blow. Do I have a problem? I'd apprecciate your answer. Thanks a lot.

@johncrapper6883 4 жыл бұрын

Kevin: Do you have a vídeo about the "pull" you mentioned in the tab? ... And "tongue slapping"?

@drtone 4 жыл бұрын

slick teaching tenet

@TaroGG3244 3 жыл бұрын

Nice play and teaching.But not quick know how to creating the 12 bar blues depending on I 、IV & V chord.

@PITOCAMPOS 2 жыл бұрын

Muy buenoooooooooooo

@Harp_and_Guitar_Moving_Forward 3 жыл бұрын

Merica 🇺🇸

@paulcook68 4 жыл бұрын

Do you still give Skype lessons? I just have my phone right now but I have a laptop I could use, i just have to put a anti virus in it.

@LeedsHarmonica 4 жыл бұрын

More info on lessons at www.leedsharmonica.uk

@evanstheframe 4 жыл бұрын

New to harmonica, been practicing bends but could you explain what you mean on the tab what (pull) means please?

@LeedsHarmonica 4 жыл бұрын

Sure. Sorry I should have said in the video. First You put your mouth over 4 holes put the fat part of your tongue (i.e a bit further back from the tip) across all 4 so that no air gets to any of the holes. The you quickly pluck it off so that a chord with a percussive attack sounds. Takes some getting used to but it’s a very useful rhythmic device. I should do a video on it I guess.

@evanstheframe 4 жыл бұрын

Kevin Bishop thank you for quick reply

@lavonnecarrick2238 10 ай бұрын

Ok newbie here question is: what does this mean 3” or 3’ and 2+

@lee.g3901 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Kevin just a thought. You indicate that you have put tabs up on the screen? Is there any chance you can watch your own video and frequently pause where necessary? I ask because I am blind. Firstly, despite having frequently listened to the video I still cannot identify the correct key harmonica i.e. A, G or C playing in G? Also, it would be really great to know what holes you are playing. Its a big ask and undoubtedly lengthen the video but, it would prove to be great learning material. Thank you.

@LeedsHarmonica 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Lee, thanks for your comment. I appreciate it. To answer the easy question I'm playing a harmonica in the key of A. As for the tab, I'll repeat it here in case you are using screen reading software but really, the lick itself isn't the important part. You can apply the process I describe to any lick at all (although you'll find some work better than others). The tab is as follows: 2 draw, 3 draw two-step bend, 3 draw half-step bend, 2 draw, 2 blow. It's a little more complicated than that, and I'm not playing it the same way every time but that's the skeleton. Again, it's the process that is the important part, not the lick I've chosen to illustrate it in the video. I hope that was useful.

@boydross Жыл бұрын

NICE

@dovlandzbaum5036 4 жыл бұрын

Nice. Are you tongue blocking or puckering?

@tfguitar1 4 жыл бұрын

He's tongue blocking.

@adriancodrea2684 4 жыл бұрын

great lesson;what key is the harmonica you are using Kev?

@LeedsHarmonica 4 жыл бұрын

That's an A harp. Played Second position over a backing track in E.

@adriancodrea2684 4 жыл бұрын

@@LeedsHarmonica thanks Kevin; would i be right in saying the tab is slightly wrong? what i hear you play is 2d-3d''-2d-3d'(3d)-1d-2b

@edarasim8361 4 жыл бұрын

@@adriancodrea2684 I am sooo glad you brought this up. It was driving me crazy. I heard 2D-3D"-3D'-1D-2B. I wish he would clear it up. I love the lick.

@LeedsHarmonica 4 жыл бұрын

@@edarasim8361 Hrm. I've had a look at this and I'm pretty sure it's noted right - though there's a very high possibility I'm not playing it 100% identically every time. To be very precise it's 2draw, 3 draw whole step bend, pull (a quick percussive chord sound created by blocking all the holes then quickly plucking the tongue off the comb - more info here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jc1npsdeudvIoY0.html) then sliding a 2 draw whole step bend up to a half step bend, then 2draw, 2 blow. I suspect it's the pull and the 2'' to 2' that's causing the confusion. Such the the vague mysteries of blues harp! It's not really important though, the lick could be almost anything, it's all about the process you apply to it.

@Rickblues46 3 жыл бұрын

Hi buddy nice steady playing . And appreciate you encouraging, and legitimising the Tin sandwich, I’m hoping when live and the adrenaline is up you play a little less pedestrian maybe hotter and with more attack .. show us you can do it off beat, and hit it on the rise, or lay behind it occasionally ! .....But love your doing something.. I’ll be watching Good luck 😃