4 posts tagged “harmonica”
Part One: I Actually Read The Book
I have been aware of this harp instructional release for years, but the price tag has always kept me away. Jerry Portnoy's Blues Harmonica Masterclass came out back in 1997. You can find it sold online for $50 - $75. Kind of steep, right?
Good news: I finally put my hands on a copy, and I will be sharing my opinions about JPBHM with you.
JPBHM includes a book and three CDs. I actually read the book instead of jumping right to CD 1. You should, too. This is 20 - 30 minutes of reading. My reactions to the book:
• From the start, Portnoy informs us he will be doing things his own way. We learn that the teaching is found on the CDs, and the book is only a simple support piece.
• I dig his anecdote about learning from Big Walter Horton: "Well, it go like this." That's how Walter would teach Portnoy.
• Tongue Blocking vs. Lip Pursing. Portnoy tells us he does both. Good. Because if this deal was all about tongue blocking, I'm in trouble.
• Music Theory is handled briefly and handled well. I like his piano illustration. "You now know everything you need to know about music theory -- or at least everything that I know. It ain't much but I've gotten by on it and so can you." I like his assurance that we don't need a college degree in music.
• Portnoy can get a bit overwhelming in his Special Effects segment. Like this stuff about Special Chords: "There are two keys: One is using just the very tip of your tongue to block the hole: the other is in being able to play two notes out of the right side of your mouth and one out of the left side, or vice versa." Whoa! This better make sense when we get to the CDs because in print it looks like a brand of breathing gymnastics that will cause me to pass out.
• The vintage photos of Portnoy on stage with Muddy Waters (his old employer) are pretty cool.
• Portnoy does not use the term "cross harp" when introducing positions. Just FYI.
• I'm bummed about Portnoy stressing that you need to listen to music and determine which notes are being played so you can copy what you hear. Eesh. Perhaps he will change my mind after I work my way through the CDs.
OK, there's our look at the book. The next three posts will correspond with the three discs in the JPBHM set.
Raw and Brilliant Duo
In the early 1970's, the great Big Walter recorded with guitar player Jimmy DeBerry. The sound here isn't so perfect. And that's a compliment. The guitar sounds can be rough and simple. The harp sounds are, well, the best thing in this world.
If you're going to label these recordings 'the best thing in this world,' it would help to provide a purchase link. Sorry. I don't think these are that easy to track down. But do keep an eye out for these albums. You are looking for the Crosscut label, with albums titled EASY VOL. 1 and BACK VOL. 2.
There's this deal called YouTube, right? And there's this brilliant harp player who has chosen to brilliantly teach you harmonica via YouTube.
The guy is ADAM GUSSOW.
He has done lots: recorded CD's, written books, taught English to college kids. Now he is your harp teacher.
You can find plenty of online harp instruction, but you will find nobody like Adam. Really, don't bother with the other stuff. Just get comfortable with his (many!) YouTube lessons, and you will benefit.
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Prediction: If you have not already figured out how to save videos found on YouTube, you will get working on that task after checking out Adam's lessons. You will want to keep these for additional study. Two hints -- keepvid.com and iSquint. That's all I'm saying.
