Bluegrass Harmonica: Techniques, Tips, Songs, and Inside Information for the Beginner to Advanced Player

Rating:
Summary: Bluegrass from the Best
Review: I was reluctant to buy this book because it was about bluegrass music, since I am learning blues. This was, that is, before I heard a song played by Mike Stevens. In this book and CD, he teaches and plays all of the techniques that have made him one of the best harp players in the world, if not the best. The book uses a simple tablature notation that makes learning the techniques a pleasure. The author's comments are also simple and to the point making it a snap to understand his style. However, the techniques themselves are not easy, they are professional level material. Anyone will greatly profit from this package. If you really want to find out what can be done with a ten hole harmonica in the right hands, then this book will show you.

Rating:
Summary: you ain't never heard harmonica playing like this before.
Review: This guys technique is amazing and if you like Bluegass or oldtime music at all, this book, along with the indispensible Rock n' Blues Harmonica by Jon Gindick and the Blues Harmonica Collection (both top amazon sellers) will definitly improve your technique as well as your way of looking at the diatonic harmonica. That is, much of the technique and approach here is to play the diatonic harp chromatically, using bends of course. As the cover states, this book goes from beginning to advanced and it's not one of those books you check out for a day or two and put away. If your interested in really learning how to play harmonica there's alot of technique and great tunes in this book and cd. Don't be put off if you're not really into bluegrass. It is more country oriented than most harp books to be sure but alot of the tunes in here are traditional and originals by Stevens. The techniques however are incredible and learning what this guy has to teach will vastly improve your playing even if you only want to play blues harp. I can't help but have the same thought as the other reviewer that this guy not only wrote a great instruction book but is one of the best harp players in the world.