Blues Harmonica Secrets Revealed (Gussow.023)

[Boondire]

Hey Adam, first off I'd like to thank you for sharing trade secrets of this elusive instrument. Im a drummer in a blues rock band so this form of amped harp and focused on more rough swingin sound suits me perfectly! I wanted to learn harp to be able to understand our harmonica player better and be able to follow him back beat marks and up beat hits for a tighter sound aswell as I do with the guitarrs.

Thank you!

[FrankSavages]

How can i get that distorted sound man? are you using an amp with a distorted tone?

Thankyou for your videos they are so good!

[GetReide]

oh my god that 10 hole blow with the bend is insane! awesome!! I got myself a bluesharp 2 days ago after dreaming of playing one hehe I know thats kind of a stupid reason but anyways I really enjoy that instrument! Hope I can get as good as you some day - your playing is really powerful and thats what its all about! thanks for the video and cheers from austria

[detroitbluesguy]

Great run.Make sure you come to Detroit 3rd sat in aug for a Blues Brothers appreciation party at the Detroit Dream Cruise on Woodward ave..hat and glasses required.JC

[LoLLeRoFanTTi]

you're awesome.

[m00chman]

Very sorry, it was an attempt at humor.You do look like the dude. I enjoy your lessons, but am sorry your so senstitive. I give you my apology. Geez!

[notme98]

dont worry youre not the only one. ive seen this guy jump on others (including me) for things just as trivial

geez is right

[m00chman]

Where are the sunglasses? You look like Carrouso on CSI maimi!! Hopefully your not that dramactic and hope the h#ll Carrouso doesnt learn how to play the harmoninca..Thanks for the lesson, you seem like a good guy. Been watching Dgage videos, he is excellant also. Any opinion?

[KudzuRunner]

Since you ask: if your first response to my video is how I look, rather than what you might have to learn from the sounds I'm making, you're definitely not somebody destined to play this instrument well.

[detroitbluesguy]

You're a cool guy in my books and a wonderful harp player..blues comes from the soul and the good lord gave you a whole bunch..thanks for sharing some.JC

[darkdave25]

That's AWESOME!!

[rizdraver]

The thing about the previous mentioned is that they're doing it even when you think they're not. They'll softly and quietly sneak in chords and notes on the upbeat mysteriously creating such a compelling funkiness and swing. Until you sit down creating a tab, you don't even catch it; total mastery of the instrument and groove.

[rizdraver]

This is my favorite song of yours by far, Adam. Mr. Satan's growl is breathtaking on that recording. I would love to see more videos on syncopation. Studying Jason's material and digging into Little Walter, Dennis, Rick Estrin.... it seems "that thing" about their music is how they treat the upbeat. And it seems it's always the most important thing lacking in intermediate players.

[KudzuRunner]

I think you're right. A lot of players want a powerful sound, and assume that amps, technique, embouchure, and playing HARD are the way. Those things are all part of the way, but syncopation is another crucial part of the way--whamming it on the upbeat, or on all available micro-upbeats, depending on how you divide up the beat. Nat Riddles had that. Kim Wilson and Rod Piazza have it. Little Walter had a lot of it; he didn't actually play as hard as many (like Rice Miller) but he had upbeats

[PauliusBa]

You look like Sting a bit.

I feel your groove!

[goldbugggg]

you didn't "steal it" from magic dick you borrowed it, because by mentioning where you got it from you just gave it back.

[zloop]

what key is that harmonica in?,,,thinking about buying,,

[THLS]

A harp

[yaguarete167]

he usually plays an harmonica on b flat

[rockytheharp]

I want to comment on each of these lesson as I watch them...I don't want to bore you but this guy is exactly what we the harmonica players need...

Pay close attention and practice every chance you get ... this is a great opportunity for all of us to learn and improve.

God Bless You Adam !

Rocky "The Harp" Perryman 56Deluxe / Tucson, Az.

[KudzuRunner]

Thanks, Rocky. I'm simply doing what I hope some of my fellow pros will do when they get the chance: explaining, as clearly as I possibly can, what I do on the harp and what path I followed to get where I finally got. Since playing the harp properly is a complex thing--a soul-journey as well as a nerd's occupation--I'm trying to hit it from about ten directions at once. I'm giving you the full disaster, as Zorba the Greek put it.

[rockytheharp]

Hey Adam,

Thanks for responding. I had a big weekend playing music,,,two days of studio,played a resturaunt and a hotel.

But I tell you sir, it is know more exciting than to watch you do what you are doing ... I could hardly wait to get back to my office for the your next lesson. Thank You so much !

You should consider a professional video...I could be your first customer...Honk On !

Rocky "The Harp"

[caveman1113]

WOW!!! I gotta say that after 40 years of cigs and other stuff, I'll never have the air to hammer on that thing like you do, but after seeing 1 video I KNEW I had to see a bunch more of yours. I'm subscribed!! Thanks for being here!!!

[beenmean]

You are on my list of artists that changed the course of harmonica music. I also have been fortunate to have came across two LP's that like your playing express new exciting ways to play. The first is leon rubenhold when he played with the outlaw blues band. Second was the madcat when he played on with skykings secret sauce LP.

[KudzuRunner]

Thanks for all that. I've never heard of Rubenhold and will have to check him out. As for Madcat: I remember being blown away by one of his early albums--with Darius Brubeck, perhaps? As for me: I'm just happy to be in the game.

[beenmean]

I like the idea of taking from the best styles and taking it somewhere else to create new and exciting stuff! Ive been obsessed with leon rubenholds outlaw blues band days and the madcats skyking secret sauce days. check it out its like nobody else. sorry for the improper punctuation professor!

[nomoboy]

Got it, thanks for the (understandable) explanation Adam

[nomoboy]

Since nobody else is asking (why do I have to be the one?) What's "upbeat" and "downbeat" ? There's so much going on when you're playing, that I can't figure it out.

I'm trying to count (1,2,3,4,2,2,3,4) but I don' get it. Can you give some clue please? Thanks Adam.

[nomoboy]

Since nobody else is asking (why do I have to be the one?) What's "upbeat" and "downbeat" ? There's so much going on when you're playing, that I can't figure it out.

I'm trying to count (1,2,3,4,2,2,3,4) but I don' get it. Can you give some clue please? Thanks Adam.

[KudzuRunner]

When I count 1-2-3-4, I'm counting the four downbeats of a bar. (A blues contains 12 bars.) The upbeat is the "-a-" between each of those beats: 1-a-2-a-3-a-4-a. If you stress the -a-, you get syncopation.

[Erikjr21]

i keep rythem and change intensity with body movments and dances kind of like you said in the beat lesson but not with the foot tap btw your the best teacher ive seen on youtube. and i love the vids

[airmojo]

Adam... When you play octaves, what part of your tongue do you use... bottom, top, tip ?

I have found that using the bottom (front underside) seems to work best for me, as my tongue naturally cups.

I think alot of it has to do with how you hold the harp, as I've seen guys who tip the harp up to use the top or tip of their tongues, but I do not tip my harp up much, so the bottom works best for me.

[KudzuRunner]

I stick the tip of my tongue straight forward, but I don't completely flatten it against the harp. Whatever works for you. Half the time I mostly block out the bottom note of the octatve, so that I'm just getting the top note.

[airmojo]

Your wife must be very special! So is mine, but she would've smacked me in the back of the head with that lamp after that 10-hole blow/bend! LOL!

All kidding aside... that was GREAT!

So where does your wife go when you do these videos ?

[KudzuRunner]

She's at work. And yes:  she's extremely special--which is why I have hardly played a gig, or had the blues, for the past few years.