Diatonic ? Try Koala Publications: Progressive Harmonica Method and/or Progressive Blues Harmonica Book & CD by William Lee Johnson - both did me a world of good. It cost me NZ$45 all up, thats about US$25.
Also you could try Amsco Publication's: "How to play The Pocket Harmonica" by Peter Pickow & Jason A.Shulman. It includes Music notation as well as tab. But no CD that I know of. Only NZ$12, say about US$7 ?
For learning Diatonic bends and beats and rythm you really want a CD with the book. I tried the progressive books alone, that was okay, but there was a lot I was unsure of, so I finally bought the Progressive Blues CD - and man the improvements I made! All the books have riffs and plenty of beginner advice, and they all start with a harmonica in key of C which is a good harp to start on.
I would personally choose the Progressive books first, the How to Play books main difference is that it includes Music notation instead of purely tab - and I see that as a good thing personally.
Chromatic ? Mel Bay used to put out "The complete Chromatic Harmonica Method" by Phil Duncan, they may have published something since. - Again this really did me a world of good, and really helped me learn how to read and understand music. I couldn't get the CD - but that isn't a problem for the Chromatic, the book is listed as US$9.95, but cost me over NZ$30 at the time (the shop keeper was a crook)
Good luck and Harp on. G
- -----Original Message----- From: Kevin Caffrey To: harp~arply.com Date: April 30, 1999 12:35
>Hi, > >I am a beginner and I want to get a book and CD combination that will >provide hours and hours worth of stuff I can practice on my own. Does >anybody have any 'you gotta have it' kind of recommendations for this? I >was thinking about the Jerry Portnoy Masterclass, but $60.00 or more seems >like a lot of cash for a poor graduate student like myself to throw down. >I'm still thinking. Any help would be appraeciated. > >Thanks > >Kevin > >
