Week 2 - 12 Bar Blues

8 April, 2014

Afternoon:

I’ve been working on the tongue blocking harmonica method, trying to get it down.  I have periodic success, but cannot always replicate it.  Plus it is tough practicing at home.  Just yesterday, I was working on this in the kitchen when my two little baby (20 pound plus) kitties started staring at me, then circling.  They were emitting the low growling sound that I had only heard big cats (lions and tigers) make in the movies.  They stopped when I put the harmonica in my pocket, but they have been giving me strange looks ever since, and I fear for my safety. One little kitty trapped an entire family in a room last month, and they had to call 911 for rescue.  I have two kitties, and mine are much bigger. 

Tonight is my 2^nd class, and I have not worked on the song as I am still having issues making single clean notes.  Maybe I should have stuck with the kazoo.

Evening:

Before class, several of us got to talking and it seems we all had the same issues and same feelings about the class and what we had learned thus far.  We were all struggling with the same issues, and none of us felt real motivated. 

Our second class was moved to a different room, the sewing room.  This is a lot smaller, and more intimate. 

The class was also smaller this week, 3 less people than last week, but with the smaller group and the smaller room, we all communicated better and there seemed a lot more focus on all sides. 

First off, we were allowed to use the pucker method as well as the tongue blocking method I spoke of last week. And Tom admitted it may have taken a few weeks or even a month for him to get it when he first learned it.  We all showed signs of relief when he said that.

Tonight we were given some handouts on the 12-bar blues.  We were initially showed how to play it using single notes, then how to chord it, playing the first three or 4 holes, then sliding over one to play holes 2-4 (or 5) then back again. 

We also had a few more pointers on the blocking method and will all just have to practice and play with it until we find our own way of doing it. 

We all left able to play the 12-bar blues in some form or another.  We can all chord it (although most of us are slow, not that it matters, it is still the blues), some can play single note portions by blocking, and others can play it using the pucker method. 

I had a feeling of accomplishment and actually want to practice and play along with some recordings.  I wish this was how the first class had been taught.