Introduction

The purpose of this workshop is to cover a wide range of approaches to playing music on the harmonica. The workshop isn’t aimed at jazz, or blues, or folk, or any other style in particular; the techniques and approaches we cover here will help you to play any style with a solid sound and control over the harmonica, and will introduce you to some new ways (including some radically new ways) of thinking about the instrument.

Beginners will get something out of this workshop, and many beginners have told us that it was an inspiring experience that changed the way they think about the harmonica. In general, the people who benefit most will be players with two years or more of experience on the harmonica, up to and including the advanced level. We’ll begin the workshop by asking about audience interests, in order to make sure that we cover the stuff that’s most important to the attendees. Some of the things we’ll cover in depth include:

1. Basic Technique


Breathing

  1. Diaphragmatic
  2. Chest breathing
  3. Approaches to rapid playing
  4. John Popper
  5. Charlie McCoy
  6. Richard Hunter
  7. Howard Levy
  8. Exercises

Playing Stance

Side-to-Side Movement Of The Instrument

Tongued Rhythms

Tongue blocking and puckering

Hand techniques for shaping tone


2. Advanced Technique


Overblowing

Unaccompanied Harmonica Styles and Technique

Multi-Harmonica Arrangements

Special Diatonic Tunings

  1. Natural Minor
  2. “Country” tuning
  3. Melody Maker
  4. Dorian Minor
  5. Harmonic Minor
  6. “SBS” tuning

Hand-tuning techniques

3. Recording Techniques for Harmonica

  1. microphones
  2. effects
  3. doubling
  4. application of sound to material

Additional Considerations and Requirements

Duration of the seminar is 2 hours. Time will be allocated in the program for unrestricted questions from the participants.

Taping by participants will be allowed; tapes made by participants will be restricted to personal use only.

Participants will be required to bring diatonic harmonicas in the keys of C and D. A chromatic harmonica in C and a Lee Oskar natural minor harmonica in C are recommended but not required.

Questions? Contact Us!

Snail Mail: PO Box 651, Monroe, CT 06468-0651
Telephone: (203)459-9939 (voice), (203)261-7646 (fax)
Email: Click Here