Blues Harmonica (Mel Bay's First Lessons)

An exciting beginning blues harmonica course! The ideas presented are solidly in the blues tradition with great sounding bluesy licks to play, even at the beginning level! Topics include Phrasing Concepts (how small pieces of music, called licks, are organized to create a pleasing solo), 12 Bar Blues Theory, Vibrato, Shakes, and Tongue Blocking. The recording and DVD includes all of the harmonica parts notated in the book with accompaniment. This book and its recording/DVD use a C major diatonic harmonica.

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David Barrett is the world's most published author of the blues harmonica. Having played saxophone and trumpet for many years David already had a solid musical platform when he started to play the harmonica at age fourteen. By age sixteen he was already playing blues jam sessions and harmonica shows in the California bay area. By age eighteen he was studying music theory in college and started teaching harmonica at local music institutes. By age twenty he released his first book, Building Harmonica Technique, with Mel Bay Publications. While finishing his degree in music he had the opportunity to take over a local music store that helped spur the beginning of the Harmonica Masterclass Workshop. David now runs the Harmonica Masterclass Company full time, bringing lesson books, lesson videos, private instruction, and workshops to players all around the world.

David has worked and played with Charlie Musselwhite, Mark Hummel, Lee Oskar, Rod Piazza, James Harman, Gary Smith, Andy Just, Mark Ford, Billy Boy Arnold, Rick Estrin, Paul deLay, Jerry Portnoy, Gary Primich, Howard Levy, Magic Dick, Tom Ball, Annie Raines, Paul Oscher, Phil Wiggins, and Brendan Power. He now fronts his own band featuring John Garcia on guitar and vocals.

David is the owner of the Harmonica Masterclass Company, that specializes in harmonica products and workshops for blues harmonica. His last workshop had twenty-six states and eight countries represented in attendance. Through his numerous instructional books and videos, David is revolutionizing the way the harmonica is taught.