>I wouldn't rate myself as highly proficient at blues harp. However I have
>been playing for over 25 years, and can add my 2 cents worth. Professional
>harmonica instruction is fairly recent, with people like Jon Gindick and
>David Barrett being around only in the last decade. Before that, good
>harmonica instruction was hard to find. I was self taught, and I expect
>that
>most players of my vintage are likewise.
>
>
>
>By self taught, I mean that no-one gave me specific harmonica instruction.
>However I was fortunate to meet great guitar players and singers early on.
>These people taught me a lot, much of it by osmosis. Later on I started
>playing baroque recorder. I'm part of a professional baroque ensemble, and
>have learnt an enormous amount from my fellow players. Of course, none of
>the baroque stuff is harmonica specific, however all of it is about making
>music. In short, since starting out, I've almost always been in the company
>of better players. This has been the key element of my instruction.
>
>
>
>Of course, finding good players is a matter of luck. And, to judge from
>experiences noted on the list about open jams, the good players are not
>always friendly. However, Band in a Box, a piece of software available at
>www.pgmusic.com <http://www.pgmusic.com/> , WILL HELP NEW PLAYERS
>ENORMOUSLY. The reason is simple. By playing along with a band, where you
>set the tune, the key and the tempo, you will develop the technique and
>confidence to shine when your turn comes to meet with real players.
>
>
>
>Of course, a computer is no substitute for real musicians. However, as a
>practice tool, Band in a Box is without peer. Buy, install it, start using
>it. It will transform you as a player.
>
>
>
>Tony Eyers


I agree with everything Tony says, except for that outrageous piece of undue
modesty about his not being highly proficient at blues harp! Getting away
from musical isolation and playing with other GOOD musicians has been
extremely valuable to me in the last six or seven years, but, as Tony says,
there's an element of luck involved both in finding the good ones and then
~knowing~ that you've found the good ones. I'd also add that grabbing a
slice of formal music education did me a power of good too. I did a year's
evening classes and took the English GCSE exam (the one that school pupils
take at 16!) in music. There was a lot of emphasis on the practical side in
that course, including a bit of basic composition and ensemble playing.
It's impossible to overstate the amount of good that did me. I haven't ever
had a single minute's tuition in harmonica from anyone, and that's a bad
thing in that you develop ingrained limitations without realising it that
can be difficult to shift at a later stage. But that's more to do with the
technical side of playing. For musicality you need other musicians, whether
harmonica players or not.

Steve

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/trad_irish_harmonica
HEAR my CD clips: http://www.gjk2.com/steveshaw/cd.htm
READ review of my CD: http://www.irishmusicreview.com/sshaw.htm


_______________________________________________
Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
Harp-L@...
http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l