3-CD box set with with instructional CDs & accompanying book is a comprehensive & easy-to-use lesson on how to learn to play the harmonica. Portnoy, who's been in the Muddy Waters & Eric Clapton bands, realized... more » other instructional materials put all of the explanations into the text of a book, and the accompanying sound reference consisted only of playing examples, so Jerry put everything on the CDs so you don't have to switch back & forth between the two. He starts at the very beginning on how to hold the harmonica, all the way to milking special sounds & effects out of the harp, and finally includes blues guitar jams to play along with.« less
3-CD box set with with instructional CDs & accompanying book is a comprehensive & easy-to-use lesson on how to learn to play the harmonica. Portnoy, who's been in the Muddy Waters & Eric Clapton bands, realized other instructional materials put all of the explanations into the text of a book, and the accompanying sound reference consisted only of playing examples, so Jerry put everything on the CDs so you don't have to switch back & forth between the two. He starts at the very beginning on how to hold the harmonica, all the way to milking special sounds & effects out of the harp, and finally includes blues guitar jams to play along with.
"I have never felt strongly enough about any product to take the trouble to write up a rating. But, the potential of this 3 CD set to dramatically enhance the ability of any but the most accomplished harmonicist (diatonic or chromatic) is enormous. The title is slightly misleading, but in a good way. I would not confine its benefits to blues (diatonic) harp players!
I had purchased and aggressively used all the top-rated blues harp instructional products (including those available at Amazon), avoiding Portnoy's because of its relatively high cost. Mistake! It's not that the other materials are not worthwhile. It's that Portnoy's CD set is where I should have started. Learning from the rest of the instructional material out there would then have come much easier. After "taking" Jerry's Masterclass, I find myself going back to the other material with far greater technical ability and a more thorough understanding of the instrument that grant me fuller access to information I was previously unable to absorb.
In this Masterclass Portnoy clearly articulates even the most difficult to understand nuances of playing effective harmonica, rendering the material accessible even (especially?) by a beginner. As the serious student of any musical instrument should expect, Jerry carefully concentrates on all the fundamentals. He takes his "student" through each technique in small steps, giving superb examples all the way. You just follow along with Jerry's lessons on your diatonic (in the key of A), stopping and repeating at your own pace until you're comfortable with each new technique. You decide when to go on to the next lesson, and can come back for a refresher any time (a highly recommended practice).
If you want to learn specific blues licks, there are better resources. If you are seeking what amounts to private lessons from a harmonica virtuoso and extraordinary teacher, this is the mother lode! Jerry says that once you've taken his class, learning blues licks is a matter of listening and using the skills he has taught you. And, he's right.
Not only all that, I recently took on chromatic harmonica. Although it's a very different beast than a blues harp, fundamentally, blowing the chrom' is the same as the diatonic. And, as I've said, Portnoy's CD set dwells almost exclusively on harmonica fundamentals. Thanks to him (and bit of effort on my own part, of course), I can easily apply techniques that seem to mystify many far more accomplished chrom' players. If you want to learn how to play harp at a high level, this is the way to go. And don't worry about Portnoy's qualifications-he backed Muddy Waters for years and continues to back Eric Clapton, just for starters."
Superior
silverwingit | 11/06/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've been playing about 30 years, and a friend wanted to learn to play blues harp from me. I told him just have a miserable life and the rest would take care of itself. After that, I began to look at instructional material to help him. Jerry Portnoy's set is the best. Period. The other materials are divided into either playing Oh, Susannah or learning licks (which is difficult for beginners.) Portnoy provides a very good sequential method of learning. This is a great harp player and a smart guy who can also teach. Just buy this course and forget about the rest."
Great tutorial.
unclelala | Reading, Pa | 03/18/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I purchased this tutorial even though I already knew the basics. After listening and following the individual lessons, I was able to broaden my technique allowing solos to be unique from each other. I still listen to it from time to time this day. It's fun to play with, and be taught by one of the harmonica's greats.Jerry is a great teacher. If you always wanted to play blues-harp you won't be disappointed."
These lessons are about technique
David Jung | Kentwood, MI USA | 05/17/2006
(3 out of 5 stars)
"There are different styles of learning, and different interests in playing the harmonica. I got this set after all the raves I had heard, but was disappointed.
This Masterclass is all about learning playing techniques...not blues, not riffs. It covers it all, up to very advanced 'overblow' techniques, but ends up leaving the less musical and beginners frustrated (that's me).
If you want to learn about the blues (and the harmonica), get Gindick's Rocks and Blues Harmonica.
If you want hole-by-hole blues lessons, look at David Barrett's series (my favorite).
And if you are musical and can find your own way, then try Portnoy's Masterclass."
Everything you need to know
Christophe Ludet | MD | 03/22/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This book contains all you need to know about playing the harmonica. Jerry wastes no time diving into fun and useful techniques. He will show you how the blues monster get their big sound. Every chapter is important in its own way. You start with rhythmic exercises, then single notes, scales, special effects, modes. He doesn't repeat himself all that much, but he helps you develop your technique slowly. So make sure you don't skip through those chapters too fast. If it takes you 6 months before you get to the last chapter, i think it's just fine.
This set will benefit absolute beginners as well as advanced players. This set however targets people who are serious about learning. If you're willing to take it a step at a time and build up your skills, this is the right choice for you.
One thing Jerry doesn't show is licks, riffs, patterns. He suggests you get that by listening to artists you like. But he gives you the necessary tools to understand how riffs are played. This set is mostly about technique, he becomes your teacher for a couple hours. Creativity is left to you.
It ends with a nice selection of play-along blues tracks. You'll learn in various keys and at various tempos.
You will need an harmonica in A.
The CD set is a bit pricey, it certainly could be more affordable, but once you get it, you'll forget about the money. It's really worth it.
The presentation is excellent, the booklet is filled with artwork and fun photos - a nice complement to the audio. One thing I would suggest as an improvement: some of the written content is mostly the same as some of the audio content. I would have liked to see some analysis of his playing in the the play-along tracks."
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1
