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October 2007 · Bimonthly







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Blues Harmonica Student Syllabus


by David Barrett

There is so much to study on the harmonica that it can be difficult to know what to spend time on. Last month I gave you some warm-up exercises as well as what to focus on in your practice time. This month I have put together for you a lesson plan of what I commonly do with my private students. The left column represents the main study areas and the right column represents areas we would work on at the end of a lesson or while the student is working on a song that may take many months. Having multiple areas (but not too many) to work on helps to keep the study interesting. Take a look at this list and see if there are some areas you have overlooked in your study.






  1. The Basics
    1. The World of Blues Harmonica
      1. Construction and original musical intent
      2. Techniques available
      3. The approach to study
    2. Holding
      1. Flat Prayer (Good for hand vibrato)
      2. Right Hand Pinch (Common)
      3. Right Hand End Cap (Most air-tight)
    3. Embouchure (Open vocal track)
    4. Harmonica Notation
    5. Rhythm Training
    6. 12 Bar Blues
    7. Studies
      1. First Lessons Blues Harmonica
      2. Technique
        1. Articulation (Ha, Ga & Ta)
        2. Vibrato (Tremolo)
        3. Dip
        4. Shake
        5. Two Note Combinations
   Secondary Study
  1. History of Blues Harmonica
    1. Essential Blues Harmonica
  2. Rhythm Training
    1. Whole notes, half notes & dotted half notes
    2. Quarter notes & eighth notes (straight)
    3. Swing eighth notes (shuffle rhythm)
    4. Triplets
    5. Syncopated eighth notes
    6. Dotted quarter notes
    7. Tie, slur, staccato, accent, fermata, repeat, ritard and volume
  3. Music Theory #1 - Notes
    1. Chromatic Scale (sharps/flats)
    2. Major Scale (sing)
    3. Scale Degrees
    4. Basic Chords
    5. Memorizing the harmonica
  1. Bending
    1. Physics of Bending
      1. What happens in the harmonica
      2. Notes available
      3. Tongue, jaw and throat (vocal track) position
    2. Bending for Expression
    3. Stopping at the Bottom
    4. Starting at the Bottom
    5. Chromatic Scale (Half step control)
    6. Studies
      1. Exerpts from First Lessons Harmonica
      2. "Baby Scratch My Back" by Slim Harpo
      3. "Sharp Harp" by George "Harmonica" Smith
      4. Heads (famous songs that require bending control)
      5. Technique
        1. True Vibrato (change in pitch)
        2. Dips, Cuts and Falls
   Secondary Study
  1. History of Blues Harmonica
    1. Essential Blues Harmonica
  2. Test
    1. Music Theory #1
  3. Music Theory #2 - 12 Bar Blues
    1. Count Changes
    2. Sing Changes
    3. Bass Lines
    4. Quick change and turnaround usage
    5. Listen to band for changes
    6. Openings
    7. Endings
    8. Breaks
  1. Tongue Blocking
    1. Tongue Block (TB)
    2. Slap (S)
    3. Pull (P) & Pucker Pull (PP)
    4. Pull Slap (PS)
    5. Flutter & Side Flutter Tongue
    6. Octaves
    7. TB Bending
    8. Studies
      1. Blues Harmonica Level 1, Tongue Block Method
      2. "Walter's Boogie" by Big Walter Horton
      3. "Juke" by Little Walter
   Secondary Study
  1. History of Blues Harmonica
    1. Essential Blues Harmonica
  2. Test
    1. Music Theory #2
  3. Playing with a Band #1
    1. Leading a tune
      1. Key: (Ex: G)
      2. Groove: (Ex: Shuffle)
      3. From: (Ex: From the V)
    2. Signals
      1. Passing solos
      2. Breaks
      3. Vocal cues (break, speed, etc.)
  1. Blues Harmonica Instrumentals (Classic '50-'70) #1
    1. "Easy" by Big Walter Horton
      1. Play slow, then full tempo with original track
      2. Play with jam tracks and record
    2. "Sharp Harp" by George "Harmonica" Smith
      1. Play slow, then full tempo with original track
      2. Play with jam tracks and record
    3. "Sad Hours" by Little Walter
      1. Play slow, then full tempo with original track
      2. Play with jam tracks and record
    4. "Steady" by Jerry McCain
      1. Play slow, then full tempo with original track
      2. Play with jam tracks and record
    5. "Juke" by Little Walter
      1. Play slow, then full tempo with original track
      2. Play with jam tracks and record
    6. "Walter's Boogie" by Big Walter Horton
      1. Play slow, then full tempo with original track
      2. Play with jam tracks and record
    7. Your Choice
      1. Play slow, then full tempo with original track
      2. Play with jam tracks and record
   Secondary Study
  1. History of Blues Harmonica
    1. Essential Blues Harmonica
  2. Accompaniment Playing #1
    1. Traditional Accompaniment (Fills & Playing w/Vocals)
    2. Hooks
    3. Listening Examples
      1. James Cotton & Otis Spann
      2. Little Walter & Jimmy Rogers
      3. Walter Horton & Jimmy Rogers
      4. Little Walter & Muddy Waters
      5. Others
    4. Playing exercises
  1. Improvising
    1. Principle
    2. Chorus Forms - the study of repetition
      1. Artist song samples and analysis
      2. Original composition
    3. Focus Notes
      1. Analysis
      2. Original Composition
    4. Instrumental Construction
      1. Elements
      2. Head
      3. Hook
      4. Bridge
      5. Artist Song Samples & Analysis
      6. Original Composition
    5. Additional Soloing Concepts
      1. Soloing Blocks
      2. Climatic, Constant & Saw-tooth Form
      3. Turnaround Usage
   Secondary Study
  1. History of Blues Harmonica
    1. Essential Blues Harmonica
  2. Accompaniment Playing #2
    1. Bass Lines
  3. Accompaniment Playing #3
    1. Horn/Organ Lines
      1. Memorize harmonica
      2. Memorize 7th chords
      3. Play roots (all ranges)
      4. Play 3rds (all ranges)
      5. Play 5ths (all ranges)
      6. Play Flat-7ths (all ranges)
      7. Hole Changes
      8. Octave Hole Changes
      9. Listening examples
      10. Sequences
        1. 2 & 3 Note
        2. 4 & 5 Note
  1. 3rd Position
    1. Basic Theory
    2. Non-Bending (Full range)
    3. Holes 4-10 with Bending
    4. Holes 1-4 with Bending
    5. D Blues Scale
    6. Major-Focused Soloing
      1. Holes 4-10
      2. Holes 1-4 (Arpeggios)
      3. Converting chromatic harmonica soloing
    7. Studies
      1. Exploring 3rd Position
      2. "Blues in the Dark" by George "Harmonica" Smith
      3. "I Got to Go" by Little Walter
      4. Original composition
   Secondary Study
  1. History of Blues Harmonica
    1. Essential Blues Harmonica
  2. Accompaniment Playing #4
    1. Sonny Terry & Country Blues
  3. Microphone & Amp
    1. Microphone
      1. Bullet (Body, cartridge & output connector)
      2. Vocal (stick/wand)
    2. Amp
      1. Size (S, M & L)
      2. Effects Pedals (Delay, reverb, EQ, pre-amp, etc.)
  1. Blues Harmonica Instrumentals (Classic '50-'70) #2
    1. "Off the Wall" by Little Walter
      1. Play slow, then full tempo with original track
      2. Play with jam tracks and record
    2. "Juicy Harmonica" by George "Harmonica" Smith
      1. Play slow, then full tempo with original track
      2. Play with jam tracks and record
    3. "Chitlin' Con Carne" by Jr. Wells
      1. Play slow, then full tempo with original track
      2. Play with jam tracks and record
    4. Your Choice
      1. Play slow, then full tempo with original track
      2. Play with jam tracks and record
   Secondary Study
  1. History of Blues Harmonica
    1. Essential Blues Harmonica
  2. 2nd Position Scales
    1. Major
    2. Blues
    3. Minor
  1. 1st Position
    1. Basic Theory
    2. Holes 1-4
    3. Holes 7-10 (Middle range?)
    4. Studies
      1. Exploring 1st Position
      2. Rice Miller (Sonny Boy Williamson #2) & Jimmy Reed
      3. Original Composition
   Secondary Study
  1. History of Blues Harmonica
    1. Essential Blues Harmonica
  2. 3rd Position Scales
    1. Blues
    2. Minor
  3. Position usage over 2nd Position changes
  1. Blues Harmonica Instrumentals (Classic '50-'70) #3
    1. "Roller Coaster" by Little Walter
      1. Play slow, then full tempo with original track
      2. Play with jam tracks and record
    2. "Creeper" by James Cotton
      1. Play slow, then full tempo with original track
      2. Play with jam tracks and record
    3. Your Choice
      1. Play slow, then full tempo with original track
      2. Play with jam tracks and record
   Secondary Study
  1. Test
    1. 2nd & 3rd Position Scales
  2. 1st Position Scales
    1. Major
    2. Blues
  3. Test
    1. Harmonica Note Spread w/Bends
    2. Chords of the 12 Bar Blues
    3. 1st, 2nd & 3rd Position Scales
    4. Chromatic Scale
  1. Chromatic Harmonica
    1. Basic Theory
    2. Slaps
    3. Pulls
    4. Fake Octaves
    5. Octaves
    6. Button Usage
    7. 1st and 2nd Position Soloing
    8. Studies
      1. Basic Blues Chromatic for the Diatonic Player
      2. "Blues in the Dark" by George "Harmonica" Smith
      3. Original Composition
   Secondary Study
  1. Playing with a Band #2 - Groove
    1. Instruments in the Blues Band
    2. Shuffle (stand, double & backwards)
    3. Rock Beat
    4. Swing
    5. Slow
    6. Hook
    7. Rhumba (Latin)
    8. Grooves based on blues standards
  1. Non-12 Bar Blues Changes
    1. Scale Study
      1. Maj, Mix, Dor & Min (all)
    2. Chord Study
      1. Maj, Min, Dim, M7, Mm7, m7
    3. Arpeggio Study
      1. Mm7: C, D, E, F, G, A & Bb
      2. m7: C, D, E, F, G, A & Bb
    4. ii-V at 9th Measure
    5. Turnaround
      1. None
      2. I-IV-I-V
      3. I-VI-ii--V
    6. Substitutions
    7. Song Studies
      1. "Ain't Nobodies Business if I Do"
      2. "Stormy Monday" by T-Bone Walker
      3. "A Real Romance" by John Garcia
   Secondary Study
  1. Playing with a Band #3 - Form
    1. How to make a chart
    2. Modal
    3. 16 Bar Blues
    4. 8 Bar Blues
    5. Alterations (Watermelon Man)
  2. Building a Set List
    1. Straight ahead tunes vs. arrangements
    2. Instrumentals
    3. Standard vocal tunes
    4. Keys
    5. Grooves
    6. Tempo


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About the Author

David Barrett
President, Harmonica Masterclass Co.
"Leader in Blues Harmonica Education" www.harmonicamasterclass.com
Founder/Director, School of the Blues www.schooloftheblues.com
Author, Mel Bay Publications & Blues Revue Magazine
www.harmonicamasterclass.com/books.htm & www.bluesrevue.com
 http://www.harmonicamasterclass.com/david.htm



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