Country & Blues Harmonica for the Musically Hopeless with Cassette(s) and Other (Klutz S.) [Paperback]

Jon Gindick (Author), Barry Geller (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1984 | Series: Klutz S.

There is no other book on harmonica playing that comes even close to this one in number of sales. Packaged with an instructional cassette and a harmonica manufactured by Hohner, the world's largest maker, this book is a musical first-aid kit that picks up where your third-grade piano teacher quit.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Klutz Press; Book/Cassette/Harmonica edition (November 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0932592082
• ISBN-13: 978-0932592088
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #855,910 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Start harpin' with this book, March 3, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Country & Blues Harmonica for the Musically Hopeless with Cassette(s) and Other (Klutz S.) (Paperback)

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning to play the harmonica. I've tried several beginner harmonica books and this one is by far the most fun and easiest to learn from. The major emphasis is on learning to play "cross harp" blues and country riffs in accompaniment to guitar music, but it also contains one of the most extensive lists of "straight harp" tunes of any beginner book I've come across. While the other books I tried were pretty dull, this book's fun and easygoing approach kept things interesting and helped me stay motivated to practice. I also found the multimedia approach of using a book + tape far superior to using a book alone. If you're a complete beginner to the harminica, I think this is a great place to start learning how to play. If you've tried a few other books only to become frustrated because none of them helped you progress from playing a few simple tunes to playing blues and country riffs in accompaniment to other music, give this one a try. It will put you on the path to cross harp country and blues improvisation.

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 5-Stars from a formerly musical hopeless, November 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Country & Blues Harmonica for the Musically Hopeless with Cassette(s) and Other (Klutz S.) (Paperback)

I bought this kit (book comes with a harmonica and cassette tape) over 10 years ago. I always liked blues harp, but assumed it would be like all those other instruments I could never master. This book/tape combination makes it a snap.

Within a few months, I was sounding good enough to be asked to play in bands--and I still do not read music well. No need to, you just follow the guidelines and you will sound great!

Best part was...all my early practicing was done in the car on the way to and from work. (I couldn't cup the hands right while driving, but could work on hitting the right notes)

I am online now buying it for a friend who asked me where I learned to play if I could teach him.

There is no better teacher than John Gindick.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yeah! What a deal for hours of fun!, May 12, 2001

By 

D. Lee (Bay Area, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Country & Blues Harmonica for the Musically Hopeless with Cassette(s) and Other (Klutz S.) (Paperback)

Yes, I am a piano-lessons-dropout. Never could play a musical instrument, but now I am jammin' with a blues guitar! I practice along with the included instruction tape in the car and my commute is just a blast. It did not take long at all to get addicted and there is plenty on this tape to keep you busy for a long time. I imagine that I will eventually outgrow this 'first-timer' tape and get the intermediate instruction, but it will last you a lot longer than you think. It's fun to play along with the tape over and over again -- each time hearing yourself get better! I used the book just once to get started, went to the tape, and stayed with the tape ever since. The first time I heard the cool riffs on the tape, I thought "That is SO cool. I would love to play like that!" Now I am doing it! and coming up with my own variations. My plan is to get a tape that is 100% guitar (no instruction) and show my friends my jam session! I'll hedge my bets and make sure they enjoy a few drinks beforehand.

Incredible, and what a deal for so much fun. By the way, when I bought this, [they] said it's a book and instruction tape. When it arrived it also had a harmonica (Honer Pocket Pal). This is my thrasher, throw-it-in-the-glove-compartment harp. Based on recommendations I found on the web, I bought a quality harmonica that's solid for beginners and can support you to intermediate levels (Lee Oskar Major Diatonic, Key of C). It plays very well.