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Learning Guides

Valuable, printable, FREE insights penned by Joe Filisko.

These learning guides should downloaded, printed and used.  Check back occasionally for revisions.

Click Titles to Open Guides

Fundamentals - New 6/4/20Chords Active Blues Breathing Chords and Tongue Blocking Notes and Tongue Blocking Riffs, Licks, Hooks, Songs
NEW!! Train Rhythm and Imitation Guidelines Revised 6/6/2020From my experience, it’s my strong belief that the best possible way to expedite ones playing progress is by *smartly practicing the Train. Committing 5 minutes a day to this is the most direct path to building better rhythm, tone, blues breath control, dynamics, relaxation, and throat tremolo. It’s also the easiest thing to do because it can be played using ONLY chords.
NEW! Maximizing Blues Horsepower - 1/5/20This outlines what you can do, and reveals what you probably aren't doing, to make your playing as bluesy as possible. Here's where the missing bluesiest notes and bluesiest sounds have been hiding.
Notational Symbols (Key)KEY to the symbols on the Instruction Sets Transcription sheets. 10/2/13
18 Harmonica Insights - revised 1/5/20I have been deeply involved in just about everything harmonica for some 30 years. Here's 18 things that I wish I would have known when I started out.
5 Types of Harmonica SOUND and 5 Types of TONE - 1/5/20Here's a breakdown of the 5 types of TONE but also, equally as important, a breakdown of the harmonicas 5 types of SOUND.
Insights for BENDING on HarmonicaReasons for bending notes - Skills necessary for controlled bending on harmonica - The 5 levels of bending Updated 8/6/2013
Insights for Tongue BLOCKING on Harmonica - 1/5/209 reasons for using tongue blocking along with a few disadvantages.
BREATHING When Playing Harmonica and Illustration - 1/5/20BREATHING! Skillful harmonica breathing, especially when playing blues, is much more difficult that nearly everyone thinks. Here's why you probably look distressed and are unable to relax when playing.

Songs, Tools, Help!

The Study SongsStudy Songs Main Page
More HelpSome Direction, Resources, 1:1 Help.
Tongue Block TrainerUnravel the mysteries of the tongue.
Learning GuidesThese learning guides should downloaded, printed and used.
Sample TracksSample Tracks - Samples are included with each song and listed here also, by playing level.