Year over

So that's it... 1 year of harmonica practice. I think I have done fairly well over the year and although I haven't put in as much time as I wanted to, I have still improved.

1) Improve pitch of flattened third. TICK :)

2) Play faster. er sort of but still want to speed up more.

3) Tongue block octaves. Yep got it, sounds good TICK :)

4) Play 3rd position. Great for minor blues work. TICK :)

5) Get a warmer sound. Still miles off with this. Can't do the breathing. Yet.

6) More licks into playing. I have a few more in place but want to work more on this.

7) 4/5 trills. Sounding pretty good! TICK :)

So that's 4 from 7. Pretty good. And when I consider how my playing in the band has come on over the last year, I am feeling happy with my efforts.

I think I'll set some more targets for the coming year...

A bit of progress

Ha ha!

Getting the hang of wide trills. Sounding quite good on the 4/5 draw warble.

Also really pleased with how the tongue blocking is coming along. I can find the gap much more quickly and make a good sound.

Oh and I almost forgot, I bought a new harp (in C) Christmas. It's a Special 20. I really like it, very easy to bend the notes. I really find the plastic comb comfortable to play too.

A good gig

Been playing a lot. Last night was a good gig. I think I'm starting to get the hang of playing amped up.

Used my new G harp (Blues Harp Hohner) Still disappointed that one low draw reed sounds off. Perhaps it will play in?

Day after the gig

Didn't go very well last night. I find playing amped up really hard. Too loud/ not loud enough/ only picks up wrong notes. Reminds me a little of playing an electric keyboard. Everything seems wrong.

Oh well.

I might survive

Had a brilliant time at the pub last night. We tried 'I will Survive' it was hilarious (still not sure if it was in a good way)! Anyway it's in Am so I played my G harp in 3rd position. Cool to be able to do that and also really nice to use the G harp because there is very little blues stuff in D and I think I use it on perhaps one song in 1st position.

No two the same!

Played at the fair yesterday. Arrived late. Played about 4 songs. Great fun. I played cupping a mike to the harmonica and I think I'm getting used to it a little more.

Latest project is to try and get a bit more of the Jason Ricci slow blues learnt. It is funny to play it on the various harmonicas. Some are loads easier to pitch the flattened third then down to the major second, others I find really odd. I think the flat 3 is too flat and the second gets off even more and the whole thing is awful. Worth working on.

Golden Melody

I like it but it hasn't especially helped with the hand wahs so it looks like it is my technique which is wrong. :(

I'm going to try and keep on keeping on with this.