2014 Newsletter. BLUES HARMONICA TRANSCRIPTION Lowdown by Kim Wilson

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1 2014 Newsletter Leader in Blues Harmonica Education since 1994 In this newsletter we dig into Kim Wilson s most requested blues harmonica instrumental Lowdown, count down the weeks to the 20th Anniversary Harmonica Masterclass Workshop (hope to see you there!) and look at my new MRI Bending Study with Stanford University. BLUES HARMONICA TRANSCRIPTION Lowdown by Kim Wilson Kim Wilson is one of our greatest living traditional blues harmonica players. In Lowdown he presents some killer 2nd Position licks (especially V- IV- I licks) and showcases his mastery of both textures and dynamics. He uses an A Harmonica in the Key of E. If you don t own an A Harmonica you can use a program like the Amazing Slow Downer ( to move the key up a half step so you can use your standard A Harmonica. You can purchase this recording at BlueBeatMusic.com ( d=10265) Enjoy! TRANSCRIPTION ON PAGE th ANNIVERSARY HARMONICA MASTERCLASS WORKSHOP April 10-13, 2014 at the Hilton San Jose, California sponsored by HOHNER Harmonicas The workshop is coming very soon if you haven t already enrolled, this is your last chance to take part in this very special class. Below are links to YouTube videos from each instructor on what they ll be teaching. David Barrett Joe's Filisko Dennis Gruenling Kinya Pollard Steve Baker Mark Hummel Greg Heumann Winslow Yerxa 1

2 For More Details: To Register: BLUESHARMONICA.COM - WHAT'S NEW! New Interviews Charlie McCoy - Videos Include: Charlie McCoy s Early Years; Charlie s Essential Players to Listen To; Charlie s Approach to Bending & Tongue Blocking; Charlie Demonstrates Country Tuning; Charlie s Approach to Accompaniment Playing; Charlie s Approach to Improvising; Charlie s Vibrato & Why He Chooses to Play Primarily in 2nd Position; Charlie s Approach to Minor Playing & Other Positions; Charlie s Likes and Dislikes about Harp Players; Charlie Explaines the Nashville Number System; Charlie s Personal Favorite Recordings; How Charlie Feels the Harmonica World Has Changed; Charlie s Equipment: Harps; Charlie s Equipment: Mics; How to Find Charlie s Music; Charlie McCoy Interview Closing; Bonus Footage - Charlie McCoy Stories: Bob Dylan; Bonus Footage - Charlie McCoy Stories: Elvis Presley; Bonus Footage - Charlie McCoy Stories: Nancy 2

3 Sinatra; Bonus Footage - Charlie McCoy Stories: Hee Haw; Bonus Footage - Charlie McCoy Stories: Touring Europe Robert Bonfiglio - Videos Include: Robert Bonfiglio s Early Years; Robert s thoughts on the Importance of Music Theory; Robert on Why Diatonic Players Should Also Know How to Play Chromatic; Robert on Lessons from Non- Harmonica Teachers; Robert on Embouchure and Articulation: Pucker; Robert on Embouchure and Articulation: Tongue Block; Robert on Tremolo, Vibrato and Hand Usage; Robert on Dynamics and More on Articulation; Robert on Practicing; Robert s Choice of Harmonicas and Maintenance; Robert s Choice of Mic and Closing Phil Duncan - Videos include: Phil Duncan s Early Years: Getting Started; Phil Duncan s Early Years: Teaching; Phil Duncan s Early Years: Writing for Mel Bay; Phil Duncan s Style and Recommended Players to Listen To; Phil Duncan s Approach to Accompaniment Playing; Phil Duncan s Approach to Improvising & Songwriting; Importance of Music Theory to the Harmonica Player; Phil Duncan s Approach to Tongue Blocking; Phil Duncan s Approach to Using Country Tuning; Phil Duncan s Approach to Using Positions; Phil Duncan s Approach to Using Valved Harmonicas; Phil Duncan s Equipment & Closing Annie Raines - Videos Include: Annie s Early Years, Part 1 - Introduction; Annie s Early Years, Part 2 - C.H.O. and Rhythm Harp; Annie s Early Years, Part 3 - Paul Rishell; Annie s Early Years, Part 4 - Magic Harps; Importance of Music Theory to Annie; Annie s Approach to Accompaniment Playing, Part 1; Annie s Approach to Accompaniment Playing, Part 2; Annie s Approach to Improvising; Annie on Tongue Blocking, Puckering and U- Blocking; Annie on Bending; Annie s Approach to 3rd Position; Annie on Positions and John Sebastian Story; Annie s Approach to Minor Playing; Annie on the Value of Playing other Instruments; Annie on Tone and Hand Usage; Annie s Equipment; Closing to Annie Raines Interview Winslow Yerxa - Videos Include: Winslow s Early Years, Part 1 - The Start; Winslow s Early Years, Part 2 - Stylistic Approach; Winslow s Early Years, Part 3 - SPAH; Winslow s Early Years, Part 4 - HIP; Winslow s Early Years, Part 5 Discrete Comb: Bends & Overbends Defined; Winslow s Early Years, Part 6 Discrete Comb, XB40 and X- Reed Harmonicas; Winslow s Approach to Tongue Blocking, Part 1; Winslow s Approach to Tongue Blocking, Part 2; Winslow s Approach to Bending, Part 1; Winslow s Approach to Bending, Part 2; Winslow s Approach to Blow Bending; Winslow s Approach to Minor Playing, Part 1; Winslow s Approach to Minor Playing, Part 2; Winslow s Approach to Improvising; Importance of Music Theory to Winslow; Winslow s Approach to Accompaniment Playing; Winslow s Approach to 1st Position Playing; Winslow s Approach to 3rd Position Playing; Winslow on other Styles and Positions; Winslow on the Chromatic Harmonica, Part 1: Tuning, Construction & Common Positions; Winslow on the Chromatic Harmonica, Part 2: Positions & Enharmonic Slide Usage; Winslow on the Bass Harmonica; Winslow on the Chord Harmonica and Harmonetta; Winslow on the Tremolo Harmonica; Closing to Winslow Yerxa Interview 3

4 New Lessons Accompaniment Study 8 In this lesson we study killer hooks that can be played on the harmonica. In songwriting, heads and hooks are the main elements used to make a song different, unique, exciting and memorable. When a hook is used, it makes sense that we should play it as well (doubling with the other instruments). Videos Include: Acc Study 8 - Section 1: Bass Line Hooks; Accompaniment Study 8 Introduction; Hook Defined; Bass Line Hooks: Examples 1.1 to 1.5; Bass Line Hooks: Examples 1.6 to 1.10; Acc Study 8 - Section 2: Hooks: Examples 2.1 to 2.4; Hooks: Examples 2.5 to 2.10; Hooks & Fragments: Examples 3.1 to 3.5; Accompaniment Study 8 Closing Accompaniment Study 9 Join me for Accompaniment Study 9 where we work the art of duo playing with three song examples from guitarist and singer John Garcia. Videos Include: Acc Study 9 - Introduction: Accompaniment Study 9 Introduction; Approach to Duo Playing; Acc Study 9 - Study Song 1: Baby What You Want Me To Do: Baby What You Want Me To Do - First Listen, Part 1; Baby What You Want Me To Do - Opening & Verses; Baby What You Want Me To Do - Full Playing Example; Baby What You Want Me To Do - First Listen, Part 2; Acc Study 9 - Study Song 2: How Long Blues: How Long - First Listen; How Long - Chord Identification; How Long - Roots & Fifths; How Long - 3rds & Flat- 7ths; How Long - Arpeggios; How Long - 2nd Position Approach, Part 1; How Long - 2nd Position Approach, Part 2; How Long - 1st and 3rd Position; Acc Study 9 - Study Song 3: She's My Baby; She s My Baby, Part 1; She s My Baby, Part 2; Accompaniment Study 9 Closing Accompaniment Study 10 Join me for our final lesson on accompaniment playing where we take Monster Mike Welch's CD "Cryin' Hey!" and dissect it for how we can approach playing harp on it. This lesson is for Advanced skill level players and you'll need your entire set of harmonica, including your Chromatic. Videos Include: Accompaniment Study 10 Introduction; All the Love in the World: Cryin Hey, Part 1; Cryin Hey, Part 2; Cryin Hey, Part 3; A Thrill to be Alive, Part 1; A Thrill to be Alive, Part 2; Joaquin Riley; My Father s Son; They Call Me Monster Mike, Part 1; They Call Me Monster Mike, Part 2; Everybody; One of Those Days, Part 1; One of Those Days, Part 2; Searching for an Angel; Just Like a Fool; Give Me Time; Acc Study 10 - Gary Smith's Approach: All The Love in the Word, Part 1 (From Submission 40); All The Love in the Word, Part 2 (Sub 40); Cryin Hey, Part 1 (Sub 40); Cryin Hey, Part 2 (Sub 40); A Thrill To Be Alive (Sub 41); Joaquin Riley (Sub 41); My Father s Son (Sub 41); They Call Me Monster Mike (Sub 41); Everybody (Sub 41); One of the Those Days, Part 1 (Sub 42); One of the Those Days, Part 2 (Sub 42); One of the Those Days, Part 3 (Sub 42); Searching for an Angel, Part 1 (Sub 42); Just Like a Fool (Sub 42); Give Me Time and Closing Comments (Sub 42); Accompaniment Study 10 Closing Rhythm Training Rhythm training is already part of your lessons at BluesHarmonica.com, very specifically contained in your Bending and Tongue Blocking study songs. If you would like to dig deeper into the meaning of the rhythm notation used in your sheet music, or are having difficulty with a particular passage within a song 4

5 you're studying and would like the notated rhythms to help you dial it in, then you're in the right place. We'll also spend time on how to better feel the beat and use a metronome. This lesson is for all skill level players and does not require a harmonica. Videos Include: Section 1 - Introduction to Rhythm Training: Rhythm Training Introduction; Feeling the Beat: Sway and Tapping Feet; Setting Beat 1 on the Metronome; Music Notation Basics: Section 2 - Rhythm Training; Example 1 - Whole Notes; Example 2 - Half Notes; Example 3 - Quarter Notes; Example 4 - Eighth Notes; Example 5 - Syncopated Eighth Notes; Example 6 - Triplets; Example 7 - Swing Eighths; Example 8 - Sixteenth Notes; Example 9 - Tied Rhythms; Example 10 - Dotted Values; Example 11 - Staccato; Example 12 - Accents; Example 13 - Triplet Quarters; Example 14 - Ritard & Fermata; Rhythm Training Closing Improvising Study 11 - Melodic Development In this lesson we'll study the melodic devices used by trained songwriters and how those ideas can be used for your instrumental songwriting. The greats of blues harmonica use these devices subconsciously in their improvising. Our focus is to identify these devices, study them, and practice them so that you too can use these ideas in your songwriting, and eventually in your improvising. This lesson is for advanced skill level players (or those generally interested in the art of songwriting). You'll need the B- flat harmonica for this study. Section 1 - Lick (Motif) Analysis: Introduction to Improvising 11; Primer to Improvising 11; Lick Analysis - Part 1 Lick Analysis - Part 2; Section 2 - Melodic Treatments: Melodic Treatment - Part 1; Melodic Treatment - Part 2; Section 3 - Textural Development: Textural Development; Section 4 - Harmonic Development: Harmonic Development; Section 5 - Blow! Blow! Blow! Study Song: Blow! Blow! Blow! - Chorus 1; Blow! Blow! Blow! - Chorus 2; Blow! Blow! Blow! - Chorus 3; Blow! Blow! Blow! - Chorus 4; Blow! Blow! Blow! - Chorus 5; Blow! Blow! Blow! - Chorus 6; Blow! Blow! Blow! - Chorus 7; Blow! Blow! Blow! - Chorus 8; Blow! Blow! Blow! - Chorus 9; Blow! Blow! Blow! - Chorus 10; Blow! Blow! Blow! - Choruses 11 and 12; Blow! Blow! Blow! - Chorus 13; Closing to Improvising 11 New Contributor Submissions Joe Filisko - Train Imitation: Hand Tone - Train Imitation: All Three Together - Dynamics, Head Tone & Hand Tone - Train Imitation: Steam - Train Imitation: Effects - Wheels Slipping - Train Imitation: Effects - Race between the Train & Model T Ford - Train Imitation: Effects - Dogs of the Fox Chase - Train Imitation: Effects - Trestle - Train Imitation: Rhythm - Variations - Train Imitation: Artist Study - Palmer McAbee - Train Imitation: Artist Study - Salty Holmes - Train Imitation: Artist Study - George Bullet Williams - Train Imitation: Artist Study - Edward Hazelton - Train Imitation: Artist Study - William McCoy, Part 1 - Train Imitation: Artist Study - William McCoy, Part 2 - Train Imitation: Artist Study - William McCoy, Part 3 Mark Hummel - Submission #25 - Cupping the High End of the Harmonica, Part 1 - Submission #25 - Cupping the High End of the Harmonica, Part 2 - Submission #26 - Preparing for the Studio, Part 1 - Submission #26 - Preparing for the Studio, Part 2 - Submission #26 - Preparing for the Studio, Part 3 5

6 - Submission #26 - Preparing for the Studio, Part 4 - Submission #27 - The Writing of Big Road Blues Gary Smith - Submission #40 - Welcome & Intro - Submission #40 - Acc Lessons: Baby What You Want Me To Do - Submission #40 - Acc Lessons: All the Love in the World, Part 1 - Submission #40 - Acc Lessons: All the Love in the World, Part 2 - Submission #40 - Acc Lessons: Cryin Hey, Part 1 - Submission #40 - Acc Lessons: Cryin Hey, Part 2 - Submission #41 - Welcome & New Gear - Submission #41 - Acc Lessons: A Thrill To Be Alive - Submission #41 - Acc Lessons: Joaquin Riley - Submission #41 - Acc Lessons: My Father s Son - Submission #41 - Acc Lessons: They Call Me Monster Mike - Submission #41 - Acc Lessons: Everybody - Submission #42 - Acc Lessons: One of those Days, Part 1 - Submission #42 - Acc Lessons: One of those Days, Part 2 - Submission #42 - Acc Lessons: One of those Days, Part 3 - Submission #42 - Acc Lessons: Searching for an Angel, Part 1 - Submission #42 - Acc Lessons: Searching for an Angel, Part 2 - Submission #42 - Acc Lessons: Mistakes & Recording Alternate Takes - Submission #42 - Acc Lessons: Just Like a Fool - Submission #42 - Acc Lessons: Give Me Time - Submission #43 - Intros: From the I (one chord) - Submission #43 - Intros: Band in from the IV - Submission #43 - Intros: Hanging on the I - Submission #43 - Intros: From the Turnaround & Playing 12 Bars - Submission #43 - Intros: Free- Form - Submission #44 - Gear: Amp Settings - Submission #44 - Gear: Delay and Reverb - Submission #44 - Gear: Micing and Monitors 6

7 Ryan Walker - Lesson 19 - Improvising Study 2: Review of the Chorus Form Process - Lesson 19 - Improvising Study 2: Analyzing Temperature & Focus Notes, Part 1 - Lesson 19 - Improvising Study 2: Analyzing Temperature & Focus Notes, Part 2 - Lesson 19 - Improvising Study 2: Defining Focus Notes - Lesson 19 - Improvising Study 2: Focus Notes 1 and 2 - Lesson 19 - Improvising Study 2: Focus Notes 2 and 3 - Lesson 19 - Improvising Study 2: Focus Note 4 - Lesson 19 - Improvising Study 2: Focus Note 5 - Lesson 19 - Improvising Study 2: Pacing Yourself - Lesson 19 - Improvising Study 2: Playing Focus Notes Together - Lesson 19 - Improvising Study 2: Progressive Focus Notes Together - Lesson 19 - Improvising Study 2: Random Focus Notes Together - Lesson 19 - Accompaniment Study 1 - Lesson 19 Theory Study 1: Final - Lesson 19 Theory Study 2: Section 1 - Lesson 20 - Intro - Lesson 20 - Improvising Study 3: Intro - Lesson 20 - Improvising Study 3: Changing Dynamics each Chorus - Lesson 20 - Improvising Study 3: Changing Dynamics each Chord Change - Lesson 20 - Improvising Study 3: Dynamic Gradients - Lesson 20 - Improvising Study 3: Changing Dynamics within each Lick - Lesson 20 - Theory Study 2: Section 1 Review (1st Position) - Lesson 20 - Theory Study 2: Section 2 Review (2nd Position) - Lesson 20 - Theory Study 2: Section 3 (3rd Position) - Lesson 20 - Theory Study 2: Section 4 (4th Position) - Lesson 20 - Theory Study 2: Why other Positions are Not Commonly Used in Traditional Blues - Lesson 20 - Solo Harmonica Study 3: Ex Lesson 20 - Mental Model and Modes of the C Major Scale - Lesson 20 - Accompaniment Study 1: Ryan s Findings - Lesson 20 - Accompaniment Study 2 - Lesson 21 - Intro & Chromatic: Ryan Plays Easy Baby - Lesson 21 - Theory Study 1: Sections 2 through 4 Review 7

8 - Lesson 21 - Movement Exercises: Modes - Lesson 21 - Improvising Study 4: V- IV- I Transitions Defined - Lesson 21 - Improvising Study 4: V- IV- I Chord Tones - Lesson 21 - Accompaniment Study 3: Chords & Hole Changes - Lesson 22 - Intro & Dealing with Stuck Reeds - Lesson 22 - Improvising Study 4: Memorizing Chord Tones - Lesson 22 - Improvising Study 4: V- IV- I Chord Review - Lesson 22 - Improvising Study 4: Section 3 Licks, Part 1 - Lesson 22 - Improvising Study 4: Section 3 Licks, Part 2 - Lesson 22 - Accompaniment Study 3: Hole 1 Review - Lesson 22 - Accompaniment Study 3: Hole 2 Review - Lesson 22 - Accompaniment Study 3: Hole 3 - Lesson 22 - Accompaniment Study 3: Holes 4 through 6 - Lesson 22 - Ryan's Issues with Stage Feedback - Lesson 22 - Solo Harmonica Study 3: Ex Lesson 22 - Theory Study 3: Intervals - Lesson 22 - Accompaniment Study 3: Harmonica Harmonies & Closing - Lesson 23 - Intro & Accompaniment Study 3: Harmonica and Chord Review - Lesson 23 - Accompaniment Study 3: Hole Changes Review - Lesson 23 - Accompaniment Study 3: Blues Creapin Over Me - Lesson 23 - Solo Harmonica Study 3: Ex Lesson 23 - Accompaniment Study 3: Ex. 1-8 Complete List of Lessons Visit list for a complete listing of lessons on the website... there are now over 3,000 lesson videos! RECOMMENDED LISTENING Rockin' All Day - Dennis Gruenling and Doug Deming Don t Hold Back - Aki Kumar A Night in Woodstock - Annie Raines and Paul Rishell Hush Your Fuss! - Bob Corritore & Dave Riley Cotton Mouth Man - Cotton James Knockin Around These Blues - Bob Corritore & John Primer Account To Me - Hank Mowery Fellow blues harmonica player Olaf Bohme has released a CD jam track in Europe titled Blues PLAYALONG. The seven jam tracks include the following songs (with and without harmonica): You re the 8

9 One, Caledonia, Dark Walk, Walking By Myself, Boogie All Night Long, As The Years Go Passing By and Got My Mojo Working. More information can be found at: BLUES HARMONICA INTERNET FINDS MRI Bending Study Paper with Pictures (PDF) MRI Video Footage (YouTube) More to come in future issues. Thanks to student Rick McCombs for proofreading! Best Regards, David Barrett Founder/Head Instructor President, Harmonica Masterclass Co. Founder/Director, School of the Blues Author, Mel Bay Publications & Blues Revue Magazine & Plays Hohner Harmonicas customized by Joe Filisko & MegaTone Harmonica Amplifiers & 9

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