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Tomlin’s Harmonica Podcast

Tomlin Leckie

Learn Harmonica today with Tomlin from Tomlin harmonica School!

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#50
Monday · 17 min
What Do I Practise Next on Harmonica? | Ask Tomlin
Finished the curriculum and not sure what to work on next? Peter hit exactly that wall six months ago, so in this episode we build him a plan for directing his own learning. This one matters whether or not you're anywhere near advanced intermediate, because what I want for every student is that they end up able to keep learning with or without a teacher. The big habit is transcribing - sitting down with music you love and working it out by ear. I'm wary of calling a song "within reach", because at a certain point you can have a go at almost anything, you just accept that some bits will need revisiting later. We talk about the difference between vertical progress, where you stack skill on skill through a curriculum, and horizontal progress, where you widen the foundation by learning repertoire and actually using what you've got. Then it becomes pick your own adventure - acoustic or amplified, lip pursing or tongue blocking, whatever you genuinely enjoy. Peter picks vibrato, acoustic playing and tongue blocking, so I suggest two tunes to start with, and we talk about why progress feels slower once you're sharpening tools rather than building them. If you're at the point where you want to choose your own next step, this one is for you. ⏱ Audio Chapters 0:00 – Peter's question: what do I work on after the curriculum? 2:12 – Why I want students to teach themselves 3:40 – The big one: transcribing by ear 5:21 – A good first song to work out by ear 6:01 – Vertical progress vs horizontal progress 7:06 – Pick your own adventure: what do you enjoy playing? 10:07 – A tune for vibrato, acoustic and tongue blocking 11:07 – Why progress slows down, and that's fine 12:26 – Using the school once you've finished the curriculum 14:15 – Transcribe a little every day This episode is brought to you by the ever-growing Tomlin Harmonica School - where you get a proper step-by-step curriculum, real feedback from real teachers on your own playing, and a genuinely warm community of fellow Harmonicats. Try it free for 7 days at https://bit.ly/4iYk0Cc
#49
October 5 · 22 min
How Do I Play Harmonica Over Non-Blues Songs? | Ask Tomlin
You're at a jam, you've practised all your blues licks, and then the band calls a folk tune. In this episode Hana asks what to play when it isn't a blues, and we work out a plan she can use on the spot. Hana plays at folk and country sessions where she gets handed a solo on a song she's never heard, so we build the cheat sheet. Forget chasing the chord progression when you're thrown in cold, stay in second position because that's where all your muscle memory already lives, and start with the minor pentatonic scale - the blues scale without the four draw bend. If that doesn't quite sit, try the major pentatonic. Between those and the blues scale you'll cover most of what gets called. From there it's about resolving your phrases to the two draw, leaning on repetition rather than trying to say a million things, and remembering that the harmonica isn't there to carry the song. Hana shares how she uses double stops and space to work around a three draw bend she's still developing, we get into a couple of useful cheap tricks, outlining chord changes with single notes, and where third and fourth position fit for minor tunes. If you're an intermediate player who wants to feel less lost when the music isn't a 12 bar blues, this one is for you. ⏱ Audio Chapters 0:00 – Hana's question: playing non-blues at a jam 3:27 – Forget the chords, focus on your scales 4:26 – Minor and major pentatonic 5:49 – Why I'd stick to second position 7:41 – Resolving to the 2 draw, and the power of repetition 9:26 – Hana's own strategies at the session 12:07 – Trusting your ear and working around your limits 13:45 – Cheap tricks: the warble and the slow bend 15:15 – Outlining the chord changes, and playing in rhythm 17:42 – Minor tunes: third and fourth position This episode is brought to you by the ever-growing Tomlin Harmonica School - where you get a proper step-by-step curriculum, real feedback from real teachers on your own playing, and a genuinely warm community of fellow Harmonicats. Try it free for 7 days at https://bit.ly/4iVcwQn
#49
September 28 · 16 min
How Do I Learn a New Song on Harmonica? | Ask Tomlin
You find a song you love, put it on and play along, and hope it sticks. In this episode Becky asks how I actually learn a new piece of music, and I walk through my whole process step by step. I start with a lot of listening and no harmonica anywhere near me - two or three times through just to get a feel for it. Then I count through the music, mark the bars and hear the changes between the one, four and five, and decide what I actually want out of the song. The whole thing, the head, or just one lick. After that I do a rough transcription and start with whatever is hardest, learning the solo out of order and leaving the easy bits until last. We also talk about getting off the page as quickly as you can, drilling the transitions between licks rather than the licks themselves, and then moving the tune into new contexts - a bare backing track, a different tempo, a different key - before pulling licks out of it to build your own improvising vocabulary. Becky then asks how you capture the feel of a song, so we get into dynamics, what each technique actually feels like, and why knowing the lyrics changes how you play. If you're an adult player who wants a proper method for learning tunes rather than just playing along, this one is for you. ⏱ Audio Chapters 0:00 – Becky's question: how do you learn a new song? 1:27 – Step one: listening before you play 2:38 – Counting the bars and hearing the changes 4:08 – Why I start with the hardest lick 5:51 – Getting off the page and playing from memory 6:37 – Practising the transitions between licks 8:21 – Playing it in a different key and context 10:22 – How do you capture the feel of a song? 11:57 – Dynamics, and knowing the lyrics 14:10 – Working out the key and position This episode is brought to you by the ever-growing Tomlin Harmonica School - where you get a proper step-by-step curriculum, real feedback from real teachers on your own playing, and a genuinely warm community of fellow Harmonicats. Try it free for 7 days at https://bit.ly/4iiEbup
#48
September 21 · 21 min
Is It OK to Simplify Blues Harmonica Songs? | Ask Tomlin
There's a classic Little Walter lick you love, and it's miles above your level. Do you leave it alone, or do you simplify it? In this episode Pete and I work out how to do that without wrecking the tune. Pete has been transcribing recognisable blues harmonica riffs and running into the same wall a lot of players hit - the music he wants to play sits above the skills he has right now. So we go through how to strip a lick back to something playable today. Taking the textures out first and playing the clean notes, simplifying a run of triplets down to the note that lands on the beat, and recognising that most heads are already 80% within reach with only a small section that needs a tweak. We also talk about the fear that simplifying will burn in bad muscle memory, why picking repertoire just outside your comfort zone beats brute-forcing a tune that's years away, and the "listen once, play once" approach I got from David Barrett for when your transcription gets so detailed you've forgotten what the music sounds like. Pete shares what he's found digging into "All Night Long" by Muddy Waters, including the call and response happening between the harmonica, the guitar and the vocal. If you're an adult player somewhere between beginner and intermediate who wants to play real blues rather than wait until you're ready, this one is for you. ⏱ Audio Chapters 0:00 – Pete's question: can you simplify classic blues riffs? 2:20 – Is it okay to simplify a tune? 4:40 – Taking the textures out first 5:21 – Simplifying the rhythm 7:10 – Will simplifying burn in bad habits? 8:06 – Picking repertoire at the right level 9:28 – When you over-analyse your transcription 10:35 – Listen once, play once 12:18 – Learning "All Night Long" by Muddy Waters 15:16 – Call and response between harmonica, guitar and vocals This episode is brought to you by the ever-growing Tomlin Harmonica School - where you get a proper step-by-step curriculum, real feedback from real teachers on your own playing, and a genuinely warm community of fellow Harmonicats. Try it free for 7 days at https://bit.ly/4xnYev7
#47
September 14 · 13 min
Why do my triplets fall apart in a musical context? | Ask Tomlin
Triplets make sense on their own, then you drop them into a tune and your mouth ties itself in a knot. Phil has hit exactly that, so in this episode we take it right back to basics. Phil is working through the Advanced Beginner course and can play triplets in a scale all day, but the moment they land in a musical context he panics and rushes them. When he plays for me, the first thing we spot is that what he's playing isn't actually a triplet at all - it's eighth notes, and you can hear it in where the accent falls. So we slow right down, count "one triplet, two triplet, three triplet", and strip the scale out entirely, just playing four blow, four draw, four draw with a proper triplet feel until the pulse is solid. We also talk about how many reps something really takes to move from conscious to unconscious, why getting some movement in your body helps you lock into the beat, and one practice detail that makes a big difference - building pauses into your repetitions so you practise hitting it from the start rather than always needing a run-up. If your timing falls apart the moment you put a technique into a tune, this one is for you. ⏱ Audio Chapters 0:00 – Phil's question: triplets fall apart in a musical context 2:55 – How many reps it really takes 4:50 – Where the two licks join 5:45 – Phil plays the blues scale in triplets 6:21 – That's not a triplet, it's eighth notes 6:49 – Slowing down and counting yourself in 7:41 – Stripping it back to three notes 8:15 – Getting movement in your body 10:04 – The metronome is your first musical context 10:26 – Why you should build breaks into your practice This episode is brought to you by the ever-growing Tomlin Harmonica School - where you get a proper step-by-step curriculum, real feedback from real teachers on your own playing, and a genuinely warm community of fellow Harmonicats. Try it free for 7 days at https://bit.ly/4gTxSei
#46
September 7 · 17 min
Why Do My Harmonica's High Notes Sound Squeaky? | Ask Tomlin
Second position sounding strained once you climb above hole six? In this "Ask Tomlin" episode I help student Robert smooth out his upper octave major pentatonic scale. In this Ask Tomlin episode I sit down with student Robert, who's started exploring second position blues harmonica up in the high end - holes six through ten - and can't get his major pentatonic scale sounding as sweet as he'd like. He describes the airflow up there as a different beast entirely, and when a note doesn't come out clean it genuinely gives him a headache. We work through why the 6 draw feels so much more strained than the 6 blow, and I explain the physics behind it - your vocal cavity needs to shrink as you climb higher, the same way you'd tune a resonating chamber. I also show Robert how switching to a lower key harmonica, like a G, makes the upper octave far easier to access while he builds confidence, before working back up through A and eventually C. We finish on tongue blocking technique for the high end, including which side of your mouth to play from, and a simple daily practice plan for anyone finding the top of the harmonica unfamiliar territory. ⏱ Audio Chapters 0:00 – Robert's struggle with the upper octave major pentatonic scale 0:31 – What's the one thing to work on today? 1:19 – Robert plays the high end for the first time 2:21 – Getting the 6 draw sounding as good as the 6 blow 4:36 – The physics behind why high notes feel so tight 6:16 – Why it's okay to feel like a beginner again 6:54 – Using different harmonica keys to build up gradually 9:44 – Tongue blocking: which side of your mouth to use 13:07 – A practice plan for owning the upper octave This podcast is brought to you by the ever-growing Tomlin Harmonica School - where you get a proper step-by-step curriculum, real feedback from real teachers on your own playing, and a genuinely warm community of fellow Harmonicats. Try it free for 7 days at https://bit.ly/3RJKzA5
#45
August 31 · 15 min
How Do I Bend the 2 Draw on Low Harmonicas? | Ask Tomlin
Struggling with the 2 draw whole step bend on your lower key harmonicas? It's not a small mouth problem and it's not a talent problem - it's completely normal. In this coaching call I work with Patti, one of my students, on getting her 2 draw whole step bend working on the B flat and A harmonicas. We start on the C and straight away hit a useful lesson about bending apps - handy at first, but leaning on them stops you trusting your ears. Then I explain why low key harmonicas are harder to bend: you're tuning your vocal cavity to the note you want, and the lower the harmonica, the bigger that cavity has to be. Think of the C as your easy dumbbell, the B flat as the next weight up and the A as the one you're building towards. It's not about power - it's about finding the position and getting comfortable holding it. We finish with a simple practice plan for working down through the keys - perfect if you can bend on your C but come unstuck when you play lower harmonicas with other people. ⏱ Audio Chapters 0:00 – What we're working on in this coaching call 0:22 – Patti's problem: the 2 draw bend on lower keys 1:35 – Testing the bend on the C harmonica 2:08 – Why you should wean yourself off bending apps 3:19 – Why low key harmonicas are harder to bend 4:55 – The dumbbell analogy: building bending strength 6:24 – Trying the bend on the B flat 8:00 – Trying the bend on the A 9:23 – A simple practice plan for lower key bends 12:32 – From practising alone to playing with other people This podcast is brought to you by the ever-growing Tomlin Harmonica School - where you get a proper step-by-step curriculum, real feedback from real teachers on your own playing, and a genuinely warm community of fellow Harmonicats. Try it free for 7 days at https://bit.ly/4hA2CD1
S2 · E6
Sep 11, 2024 · 11 min
Why aren't we surrounded by Blues Harmonica players???
► WIN one year of tuition at Tomlin Harmonica School AND a Hohner Special 20 in C https://kingsumo.com/g/1dy2e91/back-to-school-blues-harmonica-giveaway/ In the sixth (and final) episode of this series for Beginner Harmonica players, I’ll be talking about the reason that most people never learn how to play Blues harmonica despite it being the biggest selling instrument on the planet. ❤️ Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to our channel and hit the notification bell to never miss a new episode! ————————————————————————— STAY CONNECTED! 🔗 👋 Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tomlinharmonicalessons 👋 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomlinharmonicalessons ► Tomlin's Free Blues Harmonica Toolkit https://tomlinharmonicaschool.com/p/blues-harmonica-toolkit
S2 · E5
Sep 4, 2024 · 9 min
The 3 Most Common Mistakes Students Make on Harmonica
In the fifth episode of this series for Beginner Harmonica players, I’ll be telling you the 3 mistakes I see everyone making when they start learning harmonica. Avoid these mistakes and improve faster!!
S2 · E4
Aug 28, 2024 · 9 min
Lip Pursing vs Tongue Blocking on Harmonica
There is a lot of arguing online about lip pursing vs tongue blocking on harmonica. As a beginner harmonica player I think it is really important that you understand the difference between the two and why you might want to learn both. In this episode I will explain the difference between the two, the advantages of both and how to pick which one to learn first!
S2 · E3
Aug 21, 2024 · 10 min
Are You TOO OLD to Learn Harmonica?
In the third episode of the series for Beginner Harmonica players, I’ll be answering the question “are you too old to learn harmonica?”. I’ll also be sharing some tips from some of my older students.
S2 · E2
Aug 14, 2024 · 6 min
SIX Reasons Why everyone SHOULD learn Blues harmonica
A lot of people think that they don’t like the Blues or that they just want to play a few simple tunes on the harmonica BUT I think that everyone should learn Blues Harmonica and this episode will tell you exactly why.
S2 · E1
Aug 7, 2024 · 8 min
Things You Should Know Before You Learn harmonica
This is the first episode of a short podcast series for Beginner Harmonica players. Today I’ll be telling you the things you should know before you start learning harmonica. ► Which harmonica should you start with? A 10-hole diatonic harmonica in the key of C major. I recommend a Hohner Special 20. ► FREE Harmonica Foundations Course https://foxly.link/p5ugYk ❤️ Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to our channel and hit the notification bell to never miss a new episode! ————————————————————————— 🔥 JOIN OUR HARMONICA SCHOOL & COMMUNITY ► FREE 14-day trial at Tomlin Harmonica School. If you want to learn Blues Harmonica quickly and easily then you should check out my online harmonica school. Click here for a 14-day free trial NOW -> https://tomlinharmonicaschool.com/p/harmonica-school-page ————————————————————————— STAY CONNECTED! 🔗 👋 Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tomlinharmonicalessons 👋 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomlinharmonicalessons ► Tomlin's Free Blues Harmonica Toolkit https://tomlinharmonicaschool.com/p/blues-harmonica-toolkit
#44
Aug 16, 2021 · 1 min
44. Public Service Announcement
Welcome to Tomlin’s Harmonica Podcast. This is the place to be for a variety of harmonica-related content including interviews, lessons and discussions about all aspects of harmonica playing. This podcast is brought to you by the Tomlin Harmonica School where I provide a step-by-step curriculum for Beginners to Advanced Intermediate players as well as personalised feedback and all the resources you need to get better at Blues harmonica. Today’s episode is just a short announcement. ► Join tomlinharmonicaschool.com to take your harmonica playing to the next level
#43
Aug 2, 2021 · 21 min
43. Meet My Student Lise
Welcome to Tomlin’s Harmonica Podcast. This is the place to be for a variety of harmonica-related content including interviews, lessons and discussions about all aspects of harmonica playing. This podcast is brought to you by the Tomlin Harmonica School where I provide a step-by-step curriculum for Beginners to Advanced Intermediate players as well as personalised feedback and all the resources you need to get better at Blues harmonica. Today’s guest is one of my students over at tomlinharmonicaschool.com called Lise. We’ll be hearing her play and learning about how she started playing harmonica. ► Join tomlinharmonicaschool.com to take your harmonica playing to the next level
#42
Jul 19, 2021 · 32 min
42. July Q and A
Hello and welcome to Tomlin’s Harmonica Podcast where I’ll be talking about all things harmonica. This podcast is brought to you by the Tomlin Harmonica School where we provide you all the resources and feedback you need to get better at Blues Harmonica. To find out more go to tomlinharmonicaschool.com Today’s episode is going to be part of a semi-regular series where I answer listener questions. If you want me to answer your question in a future episode just record it as a voice memo and send it tomlinsharmonicapodcast@gmail.com (Please keep the questions under 1 minute) ► Train Rhythm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27MEhavh0Nw ► Taps https://www.harptabs.com/song.php?ID=19 ► Oh Susannah https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hnz9O-0uQ8 ► Harmonica Reed Replacement https://harp.andrewzajac.ca/GuitarStrings ► Harmonica Cleaning https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRtKQEBJknk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTT2JK-jsr8
#41
Jul 5, 2021 · 26 min
41. U-Blocking
Welcome to Tomlin’s Harmonica Podcast. This is the place to be for a variety of harmonica-related content including interviews, lessons and discussions about all aspects of harmonica playing. This podcast is brought to you by the Tomlin Harmonica School where I provide a step-by-step curriculum for Beginners to Advanced Intermediate players as well as personalised feedback and all the resources you need to get better at Blues harmonica. Go to http://www.tomlinharmonicaschool.com to find out more now. In today’s episode I’m joined by Philip Jackson who is a good harmonica player who u-blocks and is also a National Harmonica League's blues and rock contest winner. Philip is going to set the record straight about u-blocking versus puckering and tongue-blocking. Show notes Check out Philip’s band Jaxhill - https://open.spotify.com/artist/78Aey8do4kpoK5AeRVrdGs
#40
Jun 21, 2021 · 39 min
40. Richard Sleigh
Welcome to Tomlin’s Harmonica Podcast. This is the place to be for a variety of harmonica-related content including interviews, lessons and discussions about all aspects of harmonica playing. This podcast is brought to you by the Tomlin Harmonica School where I provide a step-by-step curriculum for Beginners to Advanced Intermediate players as well as personalised feedback and all the resources you need to get better at Blues harmonica. Go to http://www.tomlinharmonicaschool.com to find out more now. In today’s episode I’m joined by someone who has a truly holistic view of the instrument. He is an extremely well-respected player, teacher and customiser. He has studied the construction of the harmonica in great depth which has led to him discovering some great ways to improve the instrument. He is the awesome Richard Sleigh! Show notes - Richard’s Harmonica School https://www.ultimateharmonica.com/p/the-ultimate-beginner-harmonica-course - Richard’s Online Store http://hotrodharmonicas.com - Hotrodharmonicas.com blog - Current YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/richardroysleigh - First YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/rsleighharp - Christmas Swing Harmonica Lesson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt3N4M-Waco
#39
Jun 7, 2021 · 50 min
39. Steve Baker
Welcome to Tomlin’s Harmonica Podcast. This is the place to be for a variety of harmonica-related content including interviews, lessons and discussions about all aspects of harmonica playing. This podcast is brought to you by the Tomlin Harmonica School where I provide a step-by-step curriculum for Beginners to Advanced Intermediate players as well as personalised feedback and all the resources you need to get better at Blues harmonica. Go to tomlinharmonicaschool.com to get your first month for $1 using promo code PODCAST Today’s guest is one of the most influential figures in the harmonica world. He has played professionally for more than 40 years, he wrote The Harp Handbook and is a consultant for Hohner. He has been closely involved in a lot of the great developments to the instrument that we know and love. He is Steve Baker! Show Notes Live in lockdown with Baker Family https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcXRJGEO7Bw&list=PL5dC3pKSfIt6AFZyMJtYBF55-e2aH9SkX Website http://www.stevebaker.de Timezone Records https://timezone-records.shop Acoustic Music Records https://www.acoustic-music.de
#37
May 10, 2021 · 52 min
38. A harmonica lesson with Filip Jers
Hello and welcome to Tomlin’s Harmonica Podcast where I’ll be talking about all things harmonica. This podcast is brought to you by the Tomlin Harmonica School where we provide you all the resources and feedback you need to get better at Blues Harmonica. To find out more go to tomlinharmonicaschool.com Today’s episode is part of a new series where I will be getting a lesson from an awesome harmonica player/teacher. This episode’s lesson is from Filip Jers. He will be showing me how I can bring jazz elements into my Blues playing. Learn more about Filip here… Patreon Page - https://www.patreon.com/filipjersharmonica Website http://www.filipjers.com/

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