After some broad hinting, I received the John Gindick book, tape, pocket pal as a birthday present a few months ago. I find I like playing tunes, particularly trying to play along with the radio, but more to rock songs than to folk/blues stations. (the Beatles 'Love me do' is my specialty.) I am somewhat familiar with scales, having taken piano lessons, and doing occasional lessons on Practica Musica, but the music theory talked about on this list is somewhat daunting. Gindick has diagrams of holes to blow in and out depending on cross vs. straight harp, which also don't stay in my head. I'm hoping that if I just keep having fun playing around with it, the theory will make more sense at some point.
1) If this isn't so, how much do I have to memorize? What should I memorize?
2) Any advise on learning to bend? I can change the way a note sounds in interesting ways, but it doesn't move its pitch over by enough.
3) Should I wait until I've done Gindick to perfection, or should I get the harp handbook or the Levy video to have things make sense more quickly?
4) People on the list keep talking about the many harps they've bought. Do they break? Wear out? How much use do you get out of one?
5) Are any keys prevalent for particular types of music?
---- 6) My dad tried to tell me a story about Borah Minevich of the Harmonica Rascals, expecting me to have heard of them. Has any one on this list heard of them? (Hint: My dad grew up in the Bronx in the 1930's) Would there be any of their recordings still out?