Getting the Most Out Of A Harmonica Workshop

How to Maximize Your Time, Money, and Effort

Harmonica workshops are some of the greatest gatherings I’ve ever had the privilege of attending. 

In many ways, these workshops served as my school when I left Berklee College of Music. I would go to every single one I could find and inhale all the knowledge the instructors would present. I would be so obsessed at these workshops; if there was a break in the action for lunch or to jam, I would take my harmonica outside and practice all that I had just learned, trying desperately to download the information into my muscle memory as fast as possible. I treated each workshop as an opportunity for growth and practice in becoming a student of this instrument. To learn how to play the harmonica is a different discipline than playing harmonica; that's what the workshops teach you. 

I’ve attended my fair share of harmonica workshops. The year 2016 began my obsession with them, and I have attended dozens since then as both a student and a teacher. With that experience, I feel qualified to provide some tips on how to get the most out of these events. Most of the time, they only last a day or two, but the amount of information you are presented with (if you pay attention) could dramatically change you as a harmonica player. 

It’s easy to get sidetracked at these events. You spend most of your life as the lonesome harmonica player, and then, when you finally get in a room of like-minded people, you want nothing more than to talk harp, gear, combs, records you love, etc. It becomes an ADD fest of harmonica-nerdism fast. That’s good; let yourself be distracted for a little bit. Part of the beauty of these events is simply the people you meet and the friends you make. 

However, once the initial excitement fades away and you have fanboyed over Little Walter for twenty minutes, it is time to get serious. 

Here are my tips for getting the most out of your harmonica workshops. 

Pay Close Attention, Ask Questions, and Take Copious Notes 

“The true art of memory is the art of attention” -Samuel Johnson. 

Becoming good at the harmonica is not something that just happens. Becoming a great harmonica player takes years of hard work, perseverance, and, most importantly, awareness. When you go to these workshops, I encourage you to treat it like school. You paid all this money, and while you might not aspire to become a professional harmonica player, you should at least have the discipline to pay attention. I’ve seen so many harmonica players noodling away during class when the teacher is trying to present something useful. I’ve seen players talking in the middle of class: don’t do that. It’s not cool, and if you wanted to spend the class time talking gear or playing Juke while someone else was talking, you shouldn't have come. 

Not only is attention necessary, but the notes you take will drastically affect your practice from that point on. I still have notes from that 2016 harmonica workshop hosted by Ronnie Shellist and Annie Raines. If you think of these workshops as catalysts for your improvement, the workshop is only part of the battle; you need receipts and things to work on when you leave. 

I recommend keeping a loose-leaf binder with  ALL the notes you take from the various workshops you attend. Consider this your harmonica Bible and return to it frequently. Not only does this binder become a wealth of knowledge, but it is also a tangible piece of history that, if you love the process, you will return to frequently with curiosity, nostalgia, and excitement. 

Ask as many questions as you can. Many harmonica players shy away from asking questions out of fear of looking stupid; don’t be that person. I recommend coming to the workshop with a list of questions you want answered.

Pull Teachers Aside 

“It’s the teacher that makes the difference; not the classroom” -Mike Morpurgo. 

I don’t see enough students do this, and, speaking as a teacher, I wish that more people did. It isn’t easy to get all your questions answered in a room full of people, and the harmonica tends to be an instrument where students have many questions. If you have a burning desire to know something, don’t hesitate to pull a teacher aside and ask them. This does two things:

-You get your questions answered 

-The teacher can see your passion and is more likely to want to teach you something 

This second point is the most important. Harmonica teachers love to see passion in a student. If you have the desire to learn, they will take a personal interest in you. Having that kind of friendship with a teacher is one of the greatest assets to developing your harmonica playing.

In 2016, when I was at my first harmonica workshop, I was nervous about pulling Ronnie Shellist aside to ask him some questions. With his vast array of YouTube videos, he had been my harmonica guru for years. I knew him from a distance but never up close and personal. Getting to talk to him, laugh, and develop a friendship made me more excited to play and created this idea in my mind that I could be on his level someday. 

The best advice comes from good teachers. The harmonica community is full of them. Don’t hesitate to ask questions. Playing this instrument is a “we” mentality; the longer you play, the more you understand how much support there is from these excellent teachers. 

When the Jam Comes, Don’t Shy Away 

I get it: we all get nervous about playing in front of people. However, playing at a harmonica workshop is different. Think of it this way: you are in an environment of improvement; everyone there has the same goal as you (getting better at the instrument). If you deny yourself the opportunity to play, you don't allow feedback; without feedback, you won’t improve. 

Plus, jamming is just fun. Don’t forget that the whole point of the instrument is to have fun. What could be more fun than playing your harmonica in front of other, like-minded people who are just as nervous as you are to play? 

Bring (at least) An A, C, and D Harmonica. 

I understand that only some harmonica players have all the keys of the diatonic harmonica. However, if you’ve signed up for a workshop, I recommend you at least bring these three key harmonicas: C, D, and A. Most of what the instructors will cover, from basic to more advanced techniques, will be demoed on these harmonicas. Sure, if you want to bring the whole set, then by all means, do it, but you need these three keys. 

Ask for Feedback…but have specific Goals. 

“if you don’t know where you're going, any road will take you there” -Lewis Caroll. 

Feedback is crucial to the development of the harmonica. More critical than feedback, though? Having a clear-cut goal. 

One of the main issues with student development on the harmonica is that students have a vague roadmap and an even vaguer idea of what they want to achieve with the instrument. I learned this a long time ago. I always wanted to “get as good as possible” on the harmonica, but I didn’t know what that meant. 

There were some helpful things I did to answer that question: 

Know the names of the techniques. Ronnie Shellist has a wonderful video in which he lists all the different diatonic techniques.

Knowing these will allow you to put a name to the sounds you hear your favorite players make and will give you the dialogue necessary to communicate with your teachers. 

-Write down what your harmonica goals are on a piece of paper. Is it to be the next Little Walter? Is it to have fun? Is it to be a better sideman? Whatever it may be, please write it down. I know it sounds serious, but this is an invaluable way to see where you want to go with the harmonica

-Keep a catalog of your favorite players and your favorite solos. If you need help understanding what a player is doing, ask one of the teachers to help you identify it. 

After you play for a teacher, ask them for feedback on the goals you set on that piece of paper. If one of the goals was “better tongue blocking,” ask the teacher where your tongue blocking skills are, how you could improve, what they would do differently, and how they would suggest you practice it. 

As a teacher, I love it when students nail precisely how they want to progress on the instrument. Not only does it make my job easier, but I can see how seriously passionate they are. This makes me excited, which in turn makes the student even more excited to learn. 

Leave Your Ego at the Door 

“If you start believing in your greatness, it is the death of your creativity” -Ryan Holiday. 

I’ll spoil the surprise; there will always be someone better than you at these workshops. That’s just how it goes. For harmonica players who are alone most of the time, it can lull you into a false state of “I’m the best harmonica player” mentality… then the workshop happens. For a lot of players, this realization can be a bit traumatizing. It certainly was for me. When I went to my first workshop, I saw all these players playing the class James Cotton Riffs I craved with such ease; I didn’t know anything about tongue blocking or other techniques. It was hard to see how easily other people got it; it seemed intuitive for them and impossible for me. 

What did it take to get out of this mindset? 

Understand the value of having less ego in my journey. 

I’ve been playing this instrument for fifteen years and still consider myself a total beginner. Even after years of workshops and lessons, I still search for new ways to make it exciting and endless. 

I highly recommend checking your ego at the door when you attend your first workshop. Understand that you are all here to learn; you are here to better yourself and not to be in competition with your fellow harmonica players. It’s okay to play the comparison game for a while when you first hear everyone play…but it will dishearten you after that. Remind yourself during the day that you are embracing the process of improvement, not the vanity of self-satisfaction. 

When the Workshop Ends, Come Away with (at least) 3 Main Takeaways 

It always helps to leave these events with a sense of accomplishment and things to work on. I like to write down three main takeaways; they could be techniques I want to work on, song studies, bending exercises, etc. For example, in 2016 I wrote down verbatim in my binder: 

Things to Work On:

3rd Position. I will improve my intonation on the 3D bends and begin to experiment with using octaves in my playing. Ronnie says it will fatten up my sound. 

-In your soloing, try incorporating more legato and less staccato. Practice with a metronome about 10 minutes a day 

-Improve dexterity on the high end with easier breathing. Start incorporating more blow bending. Practice bends against the keyboard to keep in pitch. 

Having concrete, tangible tasks to work on is much better than simply saying, “Yeah- I need to go home and practice”. 

Many students make the big mistake of leaving all the hard work and excitement at the workshop. You have to take that same mentality home with you. It’s like what my old boxing coach said about fighting: “Boxing is a lifestyle.” So is the harmonica. This is one example where taking your work home with you is a good thing. 

In the end, the workshops are meant for your development. Yes, it is fun to talk harp with other harmonica nerds like yourself, but this is only part of the experience. 

Much like with anything in life, the more attention and passion you bring to the workshops, the more you will be rewarded in the long run.