Customer Reviews

Beginning Blues Harp (Harmonica)

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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.

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.

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!

Don't be fooled by the title of Don Baker's book/CD, "Beginning Blues Harp". It is definitely not for absolute beginners. Don's teaching style on the included CD is excellent, it's just like having a private teacher right next to you. This book/CD concentrates on note bending, the essential technique for playing the blues. Each bent note is treated as a separate lesson, along with a little tune to play featuring that note. These exercises make the learning process quite enjoyable. It should take about a month or more of serious study to fully absorb this book.

I was given this book about ten years ago and back then it still had a cassette. I was impressed with Don's playing but not with the book. The book is a repetition of a lot of others. I also was given an instruction book back then by Charlie Musselwhite with the same sort of interior but with a 33 rpm flexi single. Again the tracks where superb and great to learn from, the book wasn't. With all respect, I never learned from tab (written solos), I learned playing from listening to others. Later I learned from profesional player whom I met over the years.... My advice for beginners is to get a book like this to get familiar with some techniques, then get a load of CD's by harp players and finally get in touch with some seasoned players or, if you can afford it, a harp teacher. By the way, I'm not a fan of Don Baker's records, but I am a fan of his playing and persona. He's a fine guitarist too....

I had this book almost ten years ago (it came with a cassette instead of a CD). I recently developed an interest in learning harp again and ordered this with the CD. Unfortunately all examples are progammed on one track which is pretty much no different than using a cassette. Actually worse because if you stop at example 33 on a tape and start the tape the next day you start at example 33. Since the CD has everything on one track you'll have to search for it. Way to go guys.... Does anyone else have this problem?