
Study the approaches of Big Walter Horton, Junior Wells, Steve Baker, and Tomball, with basic theory, effects, and phrasing through solos in harmonica keys C, A, B-flat, and F.
Explore blues scales and arpeggios, learn the 12-bar blues on a C harmonica in second position, and study the minor and major blues scales.
Master blues harmonica tone and texture through tongue blocking techniques, three-to-six hole octaves, and vibrato, and study solos from Hoodoo Man by Joe Wells and Sonny Boy Williamson.
Explore Big Walter Horton’s blues harmonica techniques—tremolo, wah-wah, strong drawing, and cupping. Train airflow and diaphragm, practice phrases in rhythm with a metronome to master these effects.
Master wide and ordinary octaves on blues harmonica, using five holes, tongue blocking, and metronome practice; then play Charlie Musselwhite’s just a feeling in third position in D minor, unblocked.
Learn blues harmonica vibrato techniques and over bends, including over blows and over jaws, with tongue placement cues, breath control, and a Steve Baker solo demonstration on a C harmonica.
Master blues harmonica by practicing Dennis Gruening's leaps, then study a verse-by-verse solo using blocking, with overblow and lip piercing guidance, drills, and tempo-controlled repetition.
Study Dennis Gruenling's 'Oh Baby' whole solo to understand blues harmonica phrasing, tone, and improvisation within the blues harmonica course.
Explore growling on harmonica, including inhale growls, mouth/throat shaping, and articulation on draws (four draw, three draw), with rubato phrasing and tongue vibrato used in Tom Ball solos.
Record a short harmonica phrasing exercise using drum grooves and vocal rhythm patterns, vary tempo and phrases, and explore chromatic, diatonic, and blues scale ideas.
Explore diverse harmonica artists to shape your own style, which emerges with dedicated practice. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and follow my Facebook harmonica page for more tips.
If you wanna level up your blues playing – this course will be helpful! There are tutorial videos covering many different techniques that are common in blues and solos of a variety of artists, from easy, but catchy to challenging ones. You will learn styles of Sonny Boy Williamson, Junior Wells, Big Walter Horton, Charlie Musselwhite, Steve Baker, Dennis Gruenling and Tom Ball and many techniques that they used, such as tongue-blocking, wide octaves (three holes blocked), vibrato, leaps, growling, cupping with a cup, "car horn" effect, varying dynamics, overbends and more. We will go through the essential theory, figuring out 12 bar structure and scales & arpeggios that are commonly used in blues, for which you'll find visual schemes. At the end we'll go through the phrasing exercise, that will help you break away from your habits and refresh your phrasing. So if you like harmonica and blues, this course is for you!
Course contents:
- Intro.
- Theory. Studying 12 bar blues, scales and arpeggios.
- Tongue-blocking, Junior Wells solo from “Hoodoo Man” and Sonny Boy Williamson solo from “Help Me”.
- Big Walter Horton and effects that he used. Covering “Big Walter’s Boogie”.
- Wide octaves (like -48) and Charlie Musselwhite’s solo from “Just a Feeling”.
- Vibrato and Steve Baker’s solo from “If Walls Could Talk”.
- Practicing leaps and learning Dennis Gruenling and the solo from “Oh Baby”.
- The whole solo of “Oh baby” played by me.
- Growling on harmonica and Tom Ball’s solos from “Filthy Rich” and “Days Like This”.
- Phrasing exercise.
- Outro.