Customer Reviews

Rock n' Blues Harmonica

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

From time to time while searching through the scores of musical instruction books available, a true jewel of a book is found. That one book that just somehow manages to make things happen..and now! That book is 'Rock n Blues Harmonica' by Jon Gindick. It is everything the details describe and more. It really is. I am a rank beginner at playing harp but this book has inspired me such that I won't be a beginner very long. I am primarily a bass player but after about an hour with this book I won't hesitate to jump on up there and jam out on harp.Not many instructional books can do that so quickly but this one sure can.It's amazing! My friends and family could'nt believe it was really me jamming out with the jam backing tracks provided on the CD. This is one serious, get down, cut out the B.S. instant result gettin book! Within an hour after recieving it I felt compelled to write an e-mail to Jon and share my thoughts with him. Below is that letter.

Greetings Jon!
> I just received my book today Rock n Blues Harmonica.
> I cannot tell you how much I am enjoying it. I have
> learned more in 30 mins than I have ever learned on my
> own in the past. It all makes sense now. You wrote it
> so well and easy to understand. The continous backing
> tracks,explanations and panning options are just what
> the doctor ordered.This by far is one of the best
> music books I have ever bought. My compliments on your
> ability as a teacher and a writer! I will certainly
> recommend your materials to anyone I ever hear express
> an interest in learning the harp. Just felt compelled
> to tell you this. I'm glad I found your website! You
> are an inspiration!
> God Bless and Have a Great Holiday Season! Alan

Don't take my word for it...Get it and Hit it!

Jon is a natural born teacher. He has an uncanny way of making sense of music. Jon makes the harmonica "easy" and fun.

I'm not a harp guy, so I can't get technical; but as far as I'm concerned the search is over for harp instruction- I don't care what else is out there- even if it's good, it can't possibly be any better than this. Like Jon says, "five minutes to play, and five years to master". In a little more than five minutes, I was playing along with Jon's cd backup track. Maybe my playing sounds not so hot now but I'm sure having fun getting there.
I like the book (nice drawings and interesting stories) but the cd is the killer. It's just great blues that won't bore you no matter how may times you listen.

Musically Hopeless No More. By studying Jon's books, Harmonica for the Musically Hopeless and Rock n Blues Harmonica, I have learned how to play with a band in 9 months. Gindick speaks the language of the people while carefully teaching you the basics in a way that is interesting and fun. Since Jon recommended that I learn from as many people as I could, I have scoured the blues "how to" literature. Gindick's books are my favorites.

Musically Hopeless No More. By studying Jon's books, Harmonica for the Musically Hopeless and Rock n Blues Harmonica, I have learned how to play with a band in 9 months. Gindick speaks the language of the people while carefully teaching you the basics in a way that is interesting and fun. Since Jon recommended that I learn from as many people as I could, I have scoured the blues "how to" literature. Gindick's books are my favorites.

from the ground up with this one. Gindick tells and explains all. From how to choose a harmonica to helping you pick a mike and amp to play live with by the end. You cant go wrong here. Not too heavy on theory(and thats probably a good thing, most original bluesmen couldnt read print, much less music)....why let it get in the way of good music? However he does give you a foundation and the vital I-IV-V blues progression. Laymans terms though, nothing to technical.

Using his fictitional tribe of ancients who just discovered a harmonica, he lays it all down for you. He boils blues harp down to its basic feeling, that it is a language of tension and release, something you have to feel and live. He gives you all the basics: individual notes, chords, too numerous to mention techniques, even a couple of pages on harp repair.

What I like is his inclusion of not only simple songs and how to spruce them up with your new found techinques, but actual blues licks that can be used to improv with or to use when playing along with a garage sitdown or eventually a stage jam. So many instuctionals leave this out.

The indexed 74 track play along CD instructional is the kicker. It actually lets you hear how you should sound. Allows you to get the tone down that is so hard do on your own when just starting out. Even lets you turn the band accompaniment or the harmonica sound off, so you can hear just what you need.

The only thing that keeps me from giving this 5 stars is that the CD is a little disjointed from the book. I wish it would have more closely followed it. Probably a 4 1/2.

The first edition was decent. This edition is outstanding. I wonder why he didn't include the CD with the first one. The book is good, the CD is better. If you want to do more than just memorize other people's songs (what most books teach), this book is for you. You will learn to improvise and play confidently with other musicians. Gindick is the master of teaching harp. I've played for about 2.5 years and his material has kept me going. I have about 30 different instruction books/tapes. Ginick's are the best.

Frustrated harmonica players take notice - your savior hasreturned. After selling over 1.5 million copies of his various how-toharmonica books (Country & Blues Harmonica for the MusicallyHopeless, Harmonica American and The Natural Blues & CountryWestern Harmonica just to name a few) Jon Gindick is back with hisrevised Rock n' Blues Harmonica book.

The first thing you'llnotice is the revised edition is huge. With 226 pages the 8  x11-inch book dwarfs the first edition while sporting a new cover,bigger print, and a binding that allows you to lay the book down whilepracticing without fear of it closing. Not to mention the 74-minutejamming CD, which features tons of examples played over a loopingblues chord. With this edition Jon also goes into greater depth onseveral topics making the revised copy a must, even if you own theoriginal. "The instruction covers almost every topic in harmonicaplaying, and yet continues to focus on the skills a beginnerneeds," said Jon...

Jon began playing 30 years ago while workingat a packing plant. The Beatles had overtaken America, includingJon. He played along with pop music on the radio searching for thesounds of the harmonica. His first taste came from Rod Stewart whoplayed the riff on My Boy Lollypop, followed by John Lennon'splaying. This later lead to the blues, with influences Little Walter,Sony Boy Williamson and Big Walter Horton. Soon after he startedplaying frustration set in. "I didn't understand cross harp for thelongest time. Getting it, and the sound, was a revelation,"remembers Jon.

It was with that cross harp revelation that hewanted to write books. In 1977 Jon sent his book off to the publisher.Months passed and he still hadn't heard anything; a phone callrevealed that they had lost the book. It was then he enteredself-publishing and Cross Harp Press was born. He printed 2,000 copiesof The Natural Blues & Country Western Harmonica, and sold them tolocal music stores and through Rolling Stone. Several books followedand so did the praise.

"If the measure of a book's greatness isits ability to change a readers life, then your instruction books onthe harmonica are great books," said Gene Berk who bought Jon'sfirst book. Jon is able to take learning the harmonica and turn itinto a process. He knows learning is not an easy thing, contrary topopular opinion and acts as a "big brother" through the book andCD. He starts off by slowly teaching some simple riffs and giving thereaders a sense of accomplishment before moving onto harder subjects.His books are very simplistic in teaching but detailed inknowledge.

Rock n' Blues Harmonica is no different as Jon expandson several subjects including bending, harmonica positions, tongueblocking, breathing, and slant harp. "I am something of acollector of how-to harmonica books and tapes and I wanted you to knowthat your stuff is the best," said Joe Vitale in a letter toJon.

When you've finished the book and want to expand your playingcall Jon at 1-800-646-9245 and get a lesson. Leave him a sample ofyour playing and he'll give you some free feedback. Along with Rockn' Blues Jon has also released a CD entitled Banished Moon. It runs 49minutes through 10 tracks in which Jon plays a majority of theinstruments and supplies the vocals for each song. The CD is harmonicaheavy and showcases his ability to play different styles andpositions. Jon's writing, vocal, and playing skills are superb withsongs like All I Ever Needed, Maxine and Mystery of Your Love. Jonsupplies the key and positions for each song for anyone interested inplaying along...

I really enjoyed this book. Jon really understands what the blues, and particularly what blues harp is all about and knows how to explain it to you in an exciting and interesting way. Much of the essence of the book seems to be that blues is about creating and resolving tension by knowing which draw notes to accent- (particularly in 2nd position.) I realize that he isn't the first to "define" blues in such a manner, but rather the first author to clearly show you how each note can be used to effectivly create and resolve tension so essential in this style of playing. I also liked the emphasis on good tone. Clear tone after all, can make the difference between mediocre playing and excellent playing. Finally, what I really enjoyed was the CD that comes with the package, which allows you to shut off the instruction and jam with the band (or shut off the band and listen to the instruction). Jon has a really exciting-somewhat offbeat teaching style that really makes it fun to learn from. This book is not big on theory-though he generally teaches you enough to get by. ( for more a great introduction to this very important subject I highly reccomend reading "Music Theory Made Simple", by David Harp. I would have liked to have seen some more information of position play..particularly third position. (..sorry...I just can't seem to get enough of those minor blues!)For those serious about learning blues harmonica this is no doubt the book to get. Highly, highly reccomended.

this is a great way to learn blues harp. i have bought a lot of instruction books but jons books and audio aids are the only ones i have learned anything from.i would rec. jons lessons to any one wanted to learn the harmonica.