Chromatic Harmonica Technique…The Pyramid Explained
The Pyramid
Look at your PERSONAL PLAN FOR DEVELOPING mastery of the instrument and knowledge of music as a pyramid.
A pyramid made of stone like the ones in Egypt. The base is very wide, and the top is at the point. Where you go in music depends on the strength of the FOUNDATION stones you lay at the BASE OF THE PYRAMID. If you master these skills, you can go far. And if you don’t you’ll pretty much be a beginner forever.
THE KEY FOUNDATION TONES OF CHROMATIC HARMONICA:
THE BREATH
PUCKER EMBOUCHURE
TONGUE EMBOUCHURE
GET A QUALITY INSTRUMENT
WRITE DOWN YOUR GOALS WITH HARMONICA AND POST THEM IN YOUR HOME
KNOW THE NOTE LAYOUT
LEARN TO USE THE SLIDE
TECHNICAL MASTERY OF NOTE POSITION THROUGH EXERCISES
TECHNIQUES OF CHROMATIC HARMONICA:
LEARN TO SHAPE TONE THROUGH EMBOUCHURE/ guttural larynx
SHAPING TONE WITH YOUR HANDS
LEARN TO BEND NOTES
HOW TO DETERMINE WHICH NOTE TO PLAY WHEN YOU HAVE A BLOW OR DRAW CHOICE
CONTROL OF DYNAMICS, OR VOLUME
LEARN TO PLAY ON KEY…draws often go flat
PLAY THE LOW NOTES
PLAY THE HIGHS
IMPROVISE ON EVERYTHING
TRY MANY APPROACHES TO THE SAME PIECE YOU PLAY
PLAY BY YOURSELF
PLAY WITH OTHERS
GET A RECORDING DEVICE, LISTEN TO YOUR SOUND
UNDERSTAND AND PLAY SCALES
STUDY MUSIC THEORY…WILLIAM’DUCKWORTH’S books
PLAY MODES
LISTEN TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF MUSIC
ZERO IN ON THE MUSIC YOU LIKE
ACCEPT THIS IS A LIFELONG PATH…BUT THAT’S WHAT MAKES IT INTERESTING
NEVER CRITICIZE YOURSELF IN UNHEALTHY WAYS…SPEAK POSITIVELY OF YOUR PLAYING
DWELL ON YOUR SUCCESSES
GET INTO THE HABIT OF GETTING INTO THE MUSICAL MOMENT/ PLAY WITH CDS
LEARN TO READ MUSIC…TAKE IT SLOW…IT COMES SLOWLY
PLAY OUT ON STAGE WHEN YOU CAN
STUDY OTHER’S PLAYING/ GET 20 CDS A WEEK, listen and play with them
USE PLAY ALONG BOOKS
STUDY TECHNIQUES OF SAX AND TRUMPET PLAYERS, AND GUITARISTS AND SINGERS…CAN YOU
DUPLICATE THEIR SOUNDS?
GET INTO THE HABIT OF “THINKING” THE TONES, THEN PLAYING THEM…FROM MIND TO INSTRUMENT
IMPROVISE ON EVERYTHING, IN ADDITION TO PLAYING AS WRITTEN OR AS YOU HEAR IT
BEGIN TO ASK…WHAT IS YOUR STYLE?
LEARN ABOUT THE WORLD’S BEST HARMONICA PLAYERS
IMMERSE YOURSELF IN MUSIC DAILY
When the FOUNDATION STONES of your pyramid are strong, your technique will continue to improve. The key of course, is the BREATH, that’s where it all starts. With the above foundation stones in your PYRAMID, you will thrive.
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