"I Just Can't Do It!" (1) - Pro Help For Troubled Blues Harmonica Beginners

In a series of videos aimed at novices, raw beginners, and other newbies, Adam Gussow of Modern Blues Harmonica helps you troubleshoot common problems. If you're new to this game, lacking some basic skills, but determined to get better, this video is for you!
Gussow, who has been playing blues harmonica for half a century and teaching it for almost 35 years, is best known for his partnership with Mississippi-born bluesman Sterling "Mr. Satan" Magee in the duo Satan & Adam.
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[@MarcosBluesharp]

Adam you are such a treasure to our dear small worldwide harmonica community!!! Thanks for all of the AMAZING content over the years and I also absolutely love your books! Hope to meet you in person some day, Cheers M.

[@MacETAC]

Subscribed today, after watching some of your vids... I had a 12 hole marine Band back when I was a youngster, but never really learned how to play it... I've picked up a 10 hole in C and am trying to get started... I've watched different beginner videos and I like yours... I can actually do a bit of exercises for single and multi notes, and I try to mess with it every day, for about 15 to 20 minutes... I'm 62, retired military, so I sit at home looking for things to entertain myself... Look forward to making some strides and having that day I put some things together and blow my own mind... I have an eclectic taste in music and do listen to a blues channel on Pandora, and I think it would be too cool to play with some of the songs... As well, I have a number of friends who play guitar, and we do sit around, they play, I'll do a little singing, but I'd love to be able to play harmonica along... So, TNX for the vids... Take care... MAC

[@darrellmiddleton6615]

my first harp came today after watching some of your content. I bought an east top in A , as a guitar player i thought it would be the easiest key to learn. For the bargain price i got it for it sounds fantastic and with your help so will I.

[@sneakerhead6184]

I have learned how to play the harmonica because of you...thank you Sir!!! 👍

[@Skrebov_Nikita]

Thanks for your videos, Adam! Hello from far Russia. I barely can describe, how I appreciate your work. I'm trying to learn blues harmonica with your videos. I have to do it by myself because there are no harmonica players in the town where I live. And you have just backed me up. Thanks a lot!

[@gussowsclassicbluesharmoni2726]

Excellent! I'm glad to have you on board.

[@leej2311]

I learn how to play the harmonica because of you also

[@NvButcher]

Thank you for your videos. I'm 59 years old just starting. I appreciate you

[@pauldecker3607]

Love you videos. 58 years young and starring with 14 year old daughter. Love it

[@JB-rw9xt]

Actually thanks to you, Ronnie Shellist, Hakan Ehn and others I picked up blues harmonica pretty fast teaching myself over the winter practicing 1 hour every nite. Of course it helped that I have over 40 years experience on guitar already knowing blues chord progressions, blues scales and a little theory.

[@javierf55]

I first bought a Fender Blues Deluxe but then I decided to get a Hohner Crossover as I think a good quality instrument facilitates the learning process. Now I'm able to get single notes but I know it takes time and practice to master it. Thanks for your videos, they are all so much useful.

[@OldLostGuy]

Adam, i am that kid of long ago that, the Nuns took away my triangle and kicked me out of the school music group. That is how bad my rhythm was. I cannot understand any kind of music theory. Any kind of talk about cords, or bars, my mind just shuts down. I have been a lover of all things blues since 1963. Harmonica is the instrument I can sit and listen to for hours. But after years of trying on and off to learn harp, (including lessons) I have given up. I just want to do solo improvisation and blow riffs. This kind of video is just what I need. Thank you.

[@gussowsclassicbluesharmoni2726]

Thanks, OLG. The strong response garnered by this video has convinced me that you're not the only one who appreciates the slow & steady approach I'm trying out here. More to come!

[@Blue_3rd]

It’s great that you are still making interesting and helpful video lessons, Adam. I also started playing thanks to your lessons, back in the kudzu runner days :). Cheers, from Spain ✌️

[@sybilkleinmichel6064]

Thank you Adam!! We are not hopeless!!

[@bubbybumble616]

I found your channel yesterday after googling "how to play harmonica" because I found an old (bluesband) harp lying around. I'm still in the stages of getting a single note consistently. Your channel is very interesting to me, especially because you get deeper than most into understanding the concepts (and even the philosophies) behind certain things, which I really appreciate. Understanding like this is how I learn best, and it's most definitely an underrated way of approaching a new topic. Once I can consistently play one note I'll invest in a better harmonica 😝. Thank you for making these videos!

[@brucekolinski5401]

Really nice lesson. Even an ols fart can get it clean and clear. Thanks so much, Sir.

[@shanetheroux2587]

I have been struggling with much and the harmonica did not save me but I am sure glad this video found me today. It's hopefully slow enough to be patient

[@jaggerbrower9752]

Mr. Adam i cannot express the amount of gratitude i have for you and the wonderful lessons that you have shared with this world. I have only been playing for about a week now but you have jump started my harp ability to a whole new level. I am from Grenada MS, just about an hour away from where you live. I love the way you teach and coach people about the art and soulfulness of the blues. One thing that has helped me tremendously before i even bought a harmonica is that i watched almost all of your beginner lessons for a month straight prior to ordering my hohner harp. Thank you again and i hope i get to see Sir Rod & The Blues Doctors live around our parts soon, cant wait.

[@gussowsclassicbluesharmoni2726]

Thanks for this. Grenada is the home of Magic Sam and Magic Slim. Must be something in the dam water down there. ;)

[@charliesideshow8400]

Thank You, Adam!

[@386joedaddy]

Your aging gracefully, bro. I've been pounding down videos from you and some others for two months now and according to some random electrician, I'm doing OK, with my special 20. I like the wood on my other Horner, but being German I have to stick with that brand, and my grandfather bought me a marine band one 3 decades ago and my friend Chuck it into a ditch when I figured out the muddy waters riff and used it to talk shit. Last year I asked for on for Christmas and a few months ago I dedicated myself to learn it to push my son on his guitar. He's back bullshiting but I'm staying on track.

[@elgonm289]

My problem is blowing and drawing is a massive hinderence

[@ninocrudele]

you are the best, I absolutely love that approaching, subscribed !!!! ❤🎉

[@chrishammonds72]

Need this video. As much as I listen to the blues and different players I can’t get past the single note and folky style of playing. The bluesiest thing I can play is a few different train rhythms

[@lastgameplay]

Thanks for doing this. I am starting out and I know how good you are at playing...

[@allenhawker3911]

I’m starting out too. Complete newbie! I’m just trying to get consistent clear notes at this point. It’s hard in the beginning and sure easy to get discouraged.

[@allenhawker3911]

Especially when you can’t really play anything at first! Just gotta keep pressing on I guess!

[@sonnyboywannabe]

The advice of spending a few extra dollars is soooo valuable. Better instrument just has better tone and better responsiveness. Better mouth feel. Less prone to bad reeds.

[@adamwest6536]

All so very true!

[@jimicunningable]

I'm here because Jr Wells sat in with my jam band, Rube, near Chicago. What a priviledge & fun few songs! Since then, I've always said, I just gotta get onboard the harp.

[@gussowsclassicbluesharmoni2726]

I saw Jr. live half a dozen times back in the day. Great showman, and "Hoodoo Man Blues" is a stunningly good album. I've got my father's original copy.

[@jimicunningable]

@@gussowsclassicbluesharmoni2726 I was surprised to have him sit it, he was simply playing around the corner! He was outstanding in his stage rap & crowd control besides the obvious harp mastery, for sure. Lucky you! Thnx again, I'll be sure to stick around.

[@TwoWheeledTon]

I got a special 20, and might I recommend buying one from your local music shop if you have one!

[@sneakerhead6184]

Hohner Special 20 here

[@newtonianartist7088]

Thank alot Adam.

[@guitstikkustoms4448]

I wish I had found your videos BEFORE I moved from Como.

[@AbulaSyllabus]

Hahahahaha imagine you're french, you're talking french... best part love it

[@ernieheine8707]

Adam I love your French lessons 😅

[@jltrem]

I have a Marine Band that I bought in 1973. Yeah, 50 years ago. It cost 3 bucks, the standard price at the time. It still works. Still in tune. Doesn't play as well as a new one but I'm impressed with what it can still do.

[@gussowsclassicbluesharmoni2726]

That is impressive. I bought my first Marine Band in the fall of 1974 and it's long gone.

[@jltrem]

@@gussowsclassicbluesharmoni2726 I bought it at Woodsey's Music in Kent, Ohio. Bring Sir Rod & The Blues Doctors to The Kent Stage, Prof. Gussow. I'd love to see you and have you autograph the cardboard box of my 50 year old Marine Band.

[@Poputrash]

Thanks for your work. I'm sort of in my Journey man phase, but I jumped the gun, as always. But I also always return to this channel for some blues talk. I already got this down, but I've had some peepl asking me about the basics. This should cover it.

[@theferrouslife]

It might be all in my head, but I just upgraded from the Blues Band to the Special 20 and I THINK I sound better

[@nacoran]

Wait... you listed places to get harmonicas and you didn't mention Rockin Rons?! Sacrilege! When you were talking about having to be able to hear the note that you want to play reminded me of when I was starting out... I'd gotten single notes but I couldn't get bends. I could do a little bit of accidental vibrato with eee ooo, but I came to harmonica kind of by accident and didn't know the sound of bends. One day, I stumbled on Salty Holmes playing his talking harmonica... harmonica forward in the mix, clean single notes, and finally I could hear what it was supposed to sound like. It wasn't blues, but it got me there. :) Great lesson. Explaining to other people how to get clean single notes is one of the things I struggle with, and all the other stuff that I can explain depend on getting the person to clean single notes.

[@adamwest6536]

It can be an uphill battle to get someone to play a single note! I'm right there with you Nate! I've started teaching group classes and some folks get it pretty quickly others take many sessions.

[@peterchristiansen2851]

Yo Goose you my role model

[@gussowsclassicbluesharmoni2726]

Hah! You know, then, that my last name means "Goose" in several languages.

[@DhaoistAzazel]

This was great, I’m beyond this but I remember having these problems. Like a little baby squirming until I knew my movement and placements 😅

[@gussowsclassicbluesharmoni2726]

Yes. I'm certainly hoping that many of my subscribers and others who watch this are already past this phase. But I'm 100% sure that there are many others who need a super-slow and detailed step-by-step explanation of the basics.

[@57raytay]

I have a Hohner special 20C and two Lee Oskar D and an A

[@oldpacha]

Thanks , I love the way you teach. But the "EEE" is not pure french, J'te jure que c'est universel ... Merci

[@dwdwone]

I know it's not a bilabial fricative. Then my harp would smell bad. Plus I'm not that that physically talented. Thanks for a cool video, Adam.

[@newlifedariusmiksys]

Hey Adam what I want to know what things need to have for basking with harmonica?posiblle just harmonica or beter to have backing tracks?and what kind amp not big to have and microphone?I am beginner,and I wana learn play gospel music....Olso I can improvise beatbox with harmonica but just harmonica I am don't know much .Just one month playing ;))) How many song need to have ,so i can play in the street?i need to have program or freestyle playing? And have another question why movie calling Adam and Satan? Thank you for answers ;)))) Jesus loves you bro ;) you always look young!

[@Nazareth434]

I ,have found that using the lip purse like you recommend, and then tipping the back part fo the harmonica up towards the nose to one degree or another to help get single notes- but I keep forgetting this and end up wondering g why I can't hit single notes anymore. I dunno if it's bad technique, but it's working.

[@Dom5S]

May I ask is Swan Blue Diatonic Harmonica good? I'm a teen and I got interested on playing the harmonica and its the only one I could afford with my budget. I am also new to music and this is the first instrument I've ever played. I don't understand how the C, A, G notes works or whatever. Hopefully I'll master this instrument as I grow up.

[@HoldenL36]

The Rocket I definitely recommend chunky girl with a big sound a beautiful to handle and if you really want to treat yourself the Crossover is a must.

[@leej2311]

Long as I’ve been with you, I don’t know why I get a video like this

[@rayobannon]

Because not everything is about you.

[@BlainScholin]

My problem is, when I first pick up the harp my lips are relaxed and one note is easy. As I play longer the lips tense up and I start to screw up. Am I maybe overthinking it?

[@Crushbandicoot-wv8xb]

Dude I need to buy a harp in another key I’m new to the instrument but not playing music should I get a crossover a rocket I have a ms blues and marine band I wanna try something new and figure out what I like I’m thinking about Bb or G any thoughts internet?

[@gussowsclassicbluesharmoni2726]

I'd get a key of A or D before either of those other keys.

[@Crushbandicoot-wv8xb]

@@gussowsclassicbluesharmoni2726 wow I wasn’t expecting a reply from you. I want to thank you for the vids they have helped me start to figure this strange lil instrument out a lot. I actually bought a marine band in C because of your vids I started playing when my step dad gave me a hohner blues harp in D about a month ago and since I can’t play guitar anymore I picked it up and started learning. There’s specific songs I want to play in those keys. What do you think about the model of harmonica? I like the marine band more than the other one but I was kinda curious about the crossover.

[@sonnyboywannabe]

Special 20 is consistently good

[@Crushbandicoot-wv8xb]

@@sonnyboywannabe do you mind the plastic they kinda bother me for some reason

[@imtheshade]

I got a Marine Band Deluxe in the key of C and it is nothing like my previous harp. you can also clean it easy(it has screws) @@Crushbandicoot-wv8xb

[@rabbipemberton179]

Promo>SM 😄

[@dannyburch4973]

Word,wish I could play

[@jimicunningable]

Perhaps I give up way too fast on harp because I am so comfy on guitar? Tyvm for this vid.