Beginning Blues Harp (Harmonica) [Paperback]

Don Baker (Author)

Book Description

Series: Harmonica | Publication Date: February 1, 1996

Learn blues-style harmonica with one of the world's greatest players, Don Baker. Discover the techniques of cross-playing, note bending, triplet tonguing and tone control to create all those bluesy sounds.

Product Details

• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Music Sales America (February 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 071195206X
• ISBN-13: 978-0711952065
• Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 8.9 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #489,594 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some useful stuff but the CD is a one-track wonder, April 21, 2003

By 

Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beginning Blues Harp (Paperback)

Geez! What, does it cost A LOT to put tracks on a CD? The CD that accompanies this book is, that's right, one track. Yet the sections are really discreet lessons. That's annoying; I have to zip on search past the beginning every time I start and stop this CD.

The book has some useful stuff and it does have music notation mixed with the usual draw-blow notation used for harmonica. And the section on bending notes is excellent--it has practice riffs that test your ability to bend the note down halves and whole notes. There is even a one-hole three-note bent riff. Nice to learn. And the theory is better explained than in some books plus the written-out musical notation blues songs are great.

There are some useful tricks in here, so you have to forgive the silly idea of a one track cd. The sections are played quickly, so if you want to play along or listen again, you have to restart the CD. Maybe you can create an audio cassette tape cut into sections and cued for reference by lesson. I might try that, as I found a lot of merit in this book and CD package.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars This is undeniably the worst instruction book I've ever seen, December 16, 2003

By 

"spnz37" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beginning Blues Harp (Harmonica) (Paperback)

So you want to learn the Harmonica? Well look someplace else. This book is pants!!! It goes very quickly on to advanced techniques and stays there.
Sure it has about 20 different songs to learn but if your at all like me anything after the first 2 will be nigh-on impossible.
The cd has one long track on it for chrissakes meaning you have to ffwd through for half and hour.
I am a musically minded kind of chap too. My strong recommendation would be to go a book called STEP ONE: PLAY HARMONICA by Peter Pickow, Jason A. Shulman I had much much more success with it.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beginning Blues Harp, March 6, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Beginning Blues Harp (Paperback)

Don Baker is often considered to be one of the world's finest harmonica players so I thought it would be worth looking at this book. I was delighted to discover that it is not only informative but is also presented in a way that is simple enough for everyone to follow. If you have always wanted to learn the harp-now is your opportunity, with this book you can do it!