THANKS ICEMAN THAT WAS COOL

We're going to have our 2nd Open Mic Night (Week) from Dec 25th to Jan 1st.  This time around, we're going to extend it to a week so we have more flexibility in terms of timing ... and to give eveyone a little more time to share and talk about the videos.

For background, Open Mic Night is when we will share videos of ourselves playing our favorite tunes. They can be songs you wrote, songs you learned here or learned somewhere else. The point is to relax, have fun, and enjoy each others music. 

Please note: Open Mic Night will happen from Dec 25th to Jan 1st ... so please wait until then to post your video. I will also be available to help people post videos if they need assistance.

Looking forward to it and happy to answer any questions!

Mike

I missed the boat this year but I'll try to come up with a couple more in 2013.

WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE SOME MORE CHRISTMAS SONGS

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your thoughts on this ... and also the detail about making notes and putting it in your binder for reference. I'm going to start a discussion on this in the coming weeks so we can all talk about it .. and also how this may relate to us building an iPad application (i.e. imagine if instead of having a binder, you can keep all of your music and notes in your iPad / iPhone).  I realize these are expensive now, but I expect the price to continue to drop and in a couple years, become as common as TVs and computers.

Mike

On  the harp with the wooden comb would say they sound better.Ive been play with a Lee Osker

We do appreciate the songs you post, Jerry. Having the ability to learn from one of the true masters, is invaluable, and being able to actually interact with you, is a dream come true.

I'm greatful for the songs you do thank you

Thanks for your answer ! Same for me i have not enough sound on the resonator without it plus i'm in 16-56 for open G and D.

I  wanted your advice because some people says it's better with it, so i want a real player and artist advice :)

I've never play fingerpinckin in public yet. It's a new technique for me, i've alway play with mic and amps. I make a micro in front of the dobro to play with a band and that was OK, 

I'll stay with my thumb and finger for the standard tuning. It's warmer for me and i prefer :) If it make no sound problem for blues that's cool !

Maybe old blues man use fingerpicks to play in club without amplification but maybe they prefered warm sound and when they have the habits to play with fingerpicks they keep them to play electric like Lightnin Hopkins... Or maybe not...

Thanks for your answer Corey !

@JDY...thanks.  I think each player has their own way of using thumb and finger picks, so it is really up to you and what feels comfortable to you.  For me, I only use thumb and finger picks when playing National guitar.  I can play the strings with more force and dig into the strings better.  I started doing this when i was playing on the streets in New Orleans and I found that metal finger picks (Jim Dunlop brand) gave me the volume I needed to be heard over all the sounds that were on the street.  If I didn't use them I found that people couldn't hear me as much.  I don't use finger picks when I play slide on my other guitars.  But all these choices are really up to you.  There is no rule, so feel free to experiment with what works for you.  I use light gauge strings always....  Thanks for your question.

I like the printable tabs in the "old" format, good for printing, making notes and put into a binder for reference.

Please bring this feature back

Mike

I'm trying to concentrate on well known classic songs in the blues repertoire. "Pretty Thing" is a fairly simple accompaniment that I hope you will be able to figure out for yourself as your intuitive sense of where the notes are and the way to produce certain sounds becomes more ingrained as you learn the songs I do show.

Hi Jerry,

I know you get plenty of suggestions for future lessons, but I'd like to add Born In Chicago to the list.  I can do a reasonable job on this cool song, but certainly could get much better.  I was asked to sit in with my friend's band at a gig last night for a couple of songs, Hootchie Cootchie Man and Born In Chicago.  Your lesson on Hootchie Cootchie Man really helped  (although I played it in second position not first - on a D harp), and I did pretty well with it.  He then asked me to stay up and play on Born In Chicago.  Again, things went pretty well and I was told I sounded good and fit in with the band. Still, I know I didn't play the song quite right.  So if you could fit it into the lesson schedule at some point, I would appreciate it.  By the way, I play Juke at least once a day - my Itunes counter is at 204.  I think I have learned more from trying to play this song than doing anything else.  In particular, I think that learning how Little Walter plays softly for parts of the song and then hits notes harder for emphasis, has been really eye opening.  And trying to reproduce the "bouncy" sort of tone that Little Walter plays with has really improved my breathe control.

Hello Corey,

first i want you to know it's a great honor to learn with you, i know your work since a long time and can't believe i can interract with you !!

My first question is about thumb pick and finger pick, i don't see you using them on sonicjunction video ?  But i know you use them sometimes. Do you prefer the sound without them ? Do you advise us to play with them ?

It's still difficult for me to use thumb and fingerpick and i'm only using them with slide but not in regular playing like Blake or John Hurt. I know Johnny Shines, Lighnin HOpkins and Robert Johnson use them but i don't like the sound even if it's stronger... And you can't slap the string with them... ? So i'd like to have your advise about thumbpick and fingerpick :)

And my last question is about string gauge, can you tell me your gauge in regular tuning, open G and D ? 

Hope thoses question won't bother you.

Kepp on going for those lesson it's really fantastic !!

Greetings from France

Jean-Denis

Hey Preston,

Stay safe and we'll look forward to your return.

Thanks Jerry... I still can't get over the fact that I'm able to talk to you!! Its just great to be able to get feedback from a Master Harmonica Player.  I leave for work on Sunday (I work on the oil rigs) I will be back in January. The worst part is that on the rig I can't get time to practice :( and I dont have access to the internet :(

Thanks once again I will be back in a month...........

Really, just playing everyday is the important thing as long as you are practicing with a specific goal in mind - whether it be the precision of your bends, learning a specific riff or whatever. As you come back to the same thing for several days in a row you will find that your strength and accuracy of execution improves day to day as the muscle memory improves through repetition. 

Just on more thing is it best to work on one tune at a time and then go to the next one. Are work a little on each one at one every day.

Thanks for your honesty and your advice,I know my timing is very bad and I well work on your instructions.I want to thank you for being here on Sonic Junction you are really hepling me.So I well put more work in the the on timing

I would highly recommend it. Except for the high blow bends, I tongue blocked everything for almost ten years. It took me a while to get fully comfortable again lip pursing but it's definiteley worth it and now I can switch between them with ease. Lip pursing gives you a symmetrical embouchure which causes less fatigue and also you can accentuate tonal differences between them. Also, and this is important, it frees your tongue to do other things e.g. double and triple tonguing and other effects.

Ever since I learnt Tongue Blocking I use it exculsively... I'm so comfortable with it that I feel uncomfortable with Lip Pursing.... Maybe I should practice Lip Pursing too and get in touch with that approach?... Thanks .

It's good to be able to do it either way and if both techniques are firmly entrenched, your body will automatically choose one or the other in the moment. I probably play those chords more often with my lips but if I'm tongue slapping in there I might stay with that embouchure.

Hi Boyd,

The main thing is to play in time. Try to get that beat in your body. Rock back and forth in time with the beat and you'll get a more natural feel for when and where to play those barking chords. Get in and out between his vocal phrases. Best of all, learn the words and sing along. This will also help you play in time. 

Thanks Mike...I look forward to that...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=rsBesjGutPU