Respect the Blues

[@jameswatson4093]

I've bought a number of Adam's lessons over the past few months and each has helped build my technique but this video is unlike anything I've ever seen before - it gets right into the soul of music and is definitely the most important video of them all. This should be required watching for anyone interested in music... Thanks Adam.

[@Modernbluesharmonica]

Thank you, James. That's very high praise indeed and I'm grateful that you feel that way.

[@Drewster58]

“...music is your joy...and it’s your pain...and the way those two things are interrelated.” Can I get a bluesy ‘Amen!’ Blues brothers?

[@thehungryreaper9594]

The blues (and music as a whole) can't be taught. The blues is felt, the blues is shared between brothers and sisters who want to express their meaning through the blues, and Adam, you hit that nail straight on the head. Rock on, Brother.

[@SouthpawDavey]

Respect I am an English man loved the music for over 30 years. Good stuff thanks.

[@larrymilco4405]

I watch this video a couple times a year as a reality check between gigs. A crucial message for any serious blues musician.

[@heiko6983]

Henry Miller once said that you can‘t learn to be a writer. A good book cannot be invented. It has to be lived. For me blues is a reality that is able to manifest in music. Blues has always a direction. Blues begins telling the truth at the point where words fail. Blues is true, because it does not distract. There is no such thing as good or bad blues. There is only the real thing. The blues is also in your eyes Adam. You play the real thing. Thanxx for trying to put your music and your life into words. I love your music and your books

[@meblaw1]

Great talk...this video should be the first video in all of your lessons.

[@miahkiser8040]

Last year I joined La Blues Society and Rod Piazza is my Mentor and teacher. I'm so Blessed to get his teaching and old stories about George"Harmonica"Smith. Thanks for your virtual lessons and teaching of the Blues...;)

[@itsjohnnymillion]

Spoke to me more than I'm comfortable to admit. Thanks, Adam.

[@123eddiemac]

Well said Adam. The harp is not played with your mouth but with your soul.

[@KyOte13]

I can tell you… that after years of HARD LIVIN… The Blues got inside me & became not just the music that made sense to me.. but the soundtrack of my life and the color of my soul. I can’t even describe how it saves me… everyday. How it lets me know I’m not the only man who done fucked up in my youth & made the mistakes… but also how it’s alright to be exactly what I am.

[@olrailbird]

Thank you, Adam. I believe you are right. I am lucky to have a local scene, with some great players. You will remain my virtual guru, though. Thanks for what you give.

[@alanc9644]

olrailbird I

[@ashqzaman]

this is as if a harmonica is speaking to us about blues music and all the years of experience that it had. You are a harmonica Adam. God bless you.

[@tobiecinqmars]

Oh man! was that ever good ! Adam thank you so much,as I am already on the search for a blues harp master here in Quebec . I have been a musician earlier in life travelling to Africa to study with masters over there . After some years away from playing music Its now a matter of survival for me and in some ways a healing for me to start learning the blues harp so your words and advice are deeply touching . thank you.

[@bluenote335]

The most important blues lesson you've ever given

[@chrisl4676]

I hear you Adam! The road to mastery of the instrument is neither quick nor easy. But please don't forget, the "dark side" you mention lies not in your seven years of giving. The dark side is just an aspect of all of our humanness, laziness, missing the point, mistaking the part for the whole, ego, etc. I just want to express my gratitude for the encouragement and insights I have drawn from your lessons over the last 3-4 years of my learning this fascinating little instrument and the blues ethos in which it found its fullest expression. Thanks again, Adam!

[@DarraghThePoet]

Thank you so much for putting The feelings of soul and spirit into words.

[@walterfish2]

Oh man! Did you strike a chord with me as I watched this video..... I've been telling people I know when they ask me why now at 64, when I play guitar, it sounds so much better (although I am not all that good), and soulful, I've been telling them that when I was in a band back in the late 60's and early 70's, I learned some blues, but just played them. Oh I liked the way they made me feel then, but, now that I have lived a "full" life, when I play, it means so much more. To steal your term, I have collected and now I understand, really understand, the meaning, the feel, and the culture from whence the blues originated. I'm not suggesting I've lived the life of folks down here in Mississippi that have and had gone through all those trials and tribulations, but I've had my share. Very insightful. Thank you for validating what I've been telling folks, and for summing it up so eloquently sir. Best Wally Hall

[@DOUBLEGUMMY]

This was an important video for all blues musicians, excellent!

[@teemlee51]

Wow! Nailed that Adam! Nailed it!! Being one who has been homeless, hungry, broke, drunk, bloody all at the same time, many times. Ya start to feel what it means to go beyond the instrument. Beyond the music. And into your guts. This sound can't be taught or learned...It has to be experienced. Now, I've been playing for a long time. Funny enough, Ozzy was my first influence! 'The Wizard' 1970! I just started the youtube thing a couple years ago and it's fantastic. Amazing teachers out there, though, learning how to play and learning how to play what one has done, felt and seen are two very different experiences! Thank you Adam...you phuqin rock!!!

[@tnysteph]

Now that was a lesson. I am about the same age as you Adam. You have been playing for years, me going on 5. I will never be where you are, but I am not going to stop trying and working at getting better. Learn a little more. Play when I can with someone or a band. You set the bar high. Thanks for all you have given and will give in the future.

[@OmniphonProductions]

This is absolutely one of the best sermons you've ever delivered! It made me think both, "I've been there," and, "I have a long way yet to go." It also made me, once again, grateful to have mentors like you to help me on my way.

[@rpmblues7018]

Hi Adam,I really love all the videos that you put on YT. I am 68 years old and started playin the harp around 1962. You know lift the needle off the the record ,play some and on and on.OMG so much love for this music and the people who play/played it.My main instrument is the guitar but have played a lot of slide with my harp. I was playin with this cat at a party and I took the harp outta my teeth and started slidin with it, sorry.Everyone loved it .Now I blow a lot of harp.Get more calls now to blow the harp cuz there are so many good guitar players. Hah, anyway I learned a lot from your vids, thank you sooo very much. Your brother in the Blues, Randy M

[@miahkiser8040]

Thanks Gussow.... Blues is a Feeling ") and paying dues is the way to Live the Blues.

[@eetechtom]

Very important lesson for us all. Love what you said about earning the hat, earning the sunglasses. Admit it, we all want the hat and sunglasses as beginners.

[@masondennis5770]

this is your best video , that iv watched so far ! i played the guitar for 6 years , but i got stabed 2 months ago , had 3 fingers cut off and sewn back on , started playing the harp , i love it more and more every day , " i was drawn to the blues like flys on honey , i aint got no love , and i aint got no money "

[@masondennis5770]

your tutorials are nice icing on the cake ,

[@allenmahan9393]

I found and bought "Harp Attack!" for $4.75 last week ... listening to it all the time ... Thx!

[@calebwhittington3749]

I'm a Louisiana christian boy, but I do get what your sayin. Music in general is not something you play, its something you feel deep down in your soul. Still today when I hear good music I get shivers down my spine. Something about it just touches me. Your videos help me a lot, but, like you said, some things can't be taught. You have to feel the harp and the music that you and it can produce. Its a great feeling. Awesome video man.

[@Drewster58]

You share some Great Truths from music life. Thanks for always trying to share the ‘Inner Music,’ the things that were common up to the internet age. I played in several hard giggin’ dive bar bands as a working guitar slinger singer from 1979-2000, then became a special ed teacher. Always resented the kids back in the day with the killer expensive equipment a little, but took more pride in sharing the joy onstage constantly working it, while the new equip kids just kept rehearsing and never gigging. Thanks for helping me realize I earned all the hats I’ve worn over my life at the feet of the good people I admired and wanted to be able to entertain and perform like, some in more formal settings, most as an apprentice to some amazing players.

[@theclarkey100]

This really needed saying, Adam - coulda bin summed up in 1/6 as many words :-), but at least you made the point that so many aspiring players just don't seem to get ...asking "what key harp do you play?", "do you use Hohner, Lee Oskar, Seydel or what harmonicas?", "what note was it you hit after the 3rd draw in that run?", "what mic do you use for that sound?", "...what amp?" etc ...these questions have very little to do with playing the blues The only thing that has to do with playing the blues is an affinity for and familiarity with the music, together with a feel for how you can best use your particular talent, ONCE YOU HAVE DEVELOPED IT ...as you say, it doesn't come overnight. Even if you really KNOW the songs and FEEL the music, you're nowhere if you haven't put in the time to learn the relationships between the 10 holes on your instrument and found out how to really BEND a note! ...this took me 2 years and, 30 years on, there's still so much to learn! ...wow, that turned into a rant, eh? :-))

[@burntreynolds8312]

Listening from Stockton, CA. Much respect sir thank you for sharing your knowledge I've been overcoming meth and anger issues for the past year sober and have been watching your videos and playing 3-4 hours a day. Its been a life changing endeavor with this little instrument. Just a humble student here thank you again and I wish the best for you in your personal life you seem like a sold dude.

[@Modernbluesharmonica]

Thanks, man. I really like hearing stories by people who find meaning in the harp and the music we play on it. That's what it did for me.

[@AndonMie]

Your best video yet

[@TomMilleyMusic]

i've always enjoyed your thoughts on blues and music in general. i've started playing harp again after taking a couple years off from it, but i still watched your videos for ideas about music and even some licks for my guitar playing. i've taken up the harp again though, i actually did my first overblow today. i've been reading and watching a bunch of stuff about the blues too and black history and also about african music and am starting to fall in love with the blues again. i never really lost my love, but it's a lot deeper now after really looking into the past more. i've also really started to have more appreciation to the harmonica and it feels really good to be able to play it. i'll always love guitar and be a guitar player, but there's something about grabbing a small little instrument, breathing your soul into it and letting it all out. you never know when the blues is gonna hit you, so it's nice to come prepared with a harp in hand.

[@sasaivanovic783]

Adam pratim tvoj kanal.Sviram blues harmoniku ,volim blues.Pozdrav iz Srbije.Retko je sresti istinske obozavatelje bluza!

[@alextrendler]

Adam, I love your lessons on youtube and I've payed to download a few from your website. this, however, is by far your most important and informative video. thank you for being a mindful educator as well as a good harmonica teacher. With love and respect from NYC, -a

[@georgerism]

thanks for all your help adam with the youtube lessons and HCH 2010 and 2012...great experiences....and meeting people like todd parrott,who is way too humble!!!!!!!he needs more exposure....want everybody to be aware of his talent....happy for your continued success.........take care

[@Blue_3rd]

If you enjoy listening to this type of insightful video, you should watch Adam's twelve lectures entitled 'Blues Talk'. Highly recommended :)

[@AkasMajhi]

So true and so inspiring! I very much liked your lecture because I am a self starter and play for myself. This is very motivating. Thank you Adam.

[@caracho1980]

Thank you, Adam for this great video!

[@Jcaburianhimself]

Enjoyed every minute of this video. All the points you made are spot on!!

[@Gorgoras50]

Hey adam I've been following you since you started uploading videos and all I can say is thank you for this lesson, BEST you've uploaded by far! :) Awesome message, thanks for so much throughout these years!

[@allenmahan9393]

Ive enjoyed your lectures, too ...

[@kingkamaney]

Powerful advice! Thank you Adam!

[@yakamarezlife]

The blues is in your soul and it's gotta come out

[@MartinBlack]

Amen to all that, great lecture, many thanks.

[@lezscott7786]

Read your book Adam, watched and listened to your teaching videos, tremendous video here real respect for the music areal blues solo! great stuff man.

[@StellarChi]

So Proud to be the 3 ThousandTH Viewer of this Blues Genius' Bad-Ass Video ! BRAVO ADAM ! ADAM for President. Ok I've gone too far again....anyway..Big Thumb's Up People ! ...Yo Sup Blues Lovers ? Give One ( Thumps Up's ) & Subscribe Now !

[@growtogether]

Woke up in the morning and I still had the fever

[@felixlundmark6809]

Thanks Adam! Inspiring stuff, and a joy to listen to!

[@splitsheim]

Great point here, great video.

[@NicolasUlysses]

Thank you Adam

[@CourtrightFBIMan]

Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!

[@willyamos9180]

You're right: technique and equipment data abounds. What I got from you, though, I find nowhere else: "the why." I need that. 3 months? Ha! Try 22 lip-cramped-sometimes-close-to-bleeding-cotton-in-my-ringing-ears months of obsession. But, as instructed, I'm now hitting the blues jams weekly. Showed up as a lone harp player and had more fun than anyone one the bandstand or in the room. Damn, that was fun. Damn, that was fun.

[@Modernbluesharmonica]

That's exactly the right spirit. Damn, that was fun. A little scary, too--at least at first.

[@georgerism]

great presentation!if you don't live it it wont come out your horn quoting Charlie parker.....from the soul

[@Modernbluesharmonica]

Yes. That's a great quote. Just living it isn't enough, of course. There's the whole learning process, and the notes, the holes, the bends, and the endless hours of practice are important, too. But the "music"--the music-school stuff--without the life and soul-stuff won't bring you deep into the blues. There needs to be journey, and it needs to bring you into authentic contact with other people. Not all those people will be nice! But they'll have lessons to teach--and all of it eventually finds its way into your music, if you let it.

[@FRANKMANGIAPANE]

This guy would make a good English professor!

[@Modernbluesharmonica]

Ha hah! The blues doctor is in.....

[@MrMovieduck]

Thank you

[@pipesoblue]

thanks for the sharing of experience

[@rebeccaburke4307]

Inspirational ...Life....

[@natevance5832]

Going out in Jacksonville Florida this week to try and find some harp players to try and get in with.

[@JLee-bi4es]

Great video

[@gerovonrandow3897]

Thank you for that.

[@abcdefghijklmno66109]

I have a dumb question. What is your opinion of the Blues Brothers? Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi had a goal of bringing the blues back in the 70s and again in the 90s. Did they do a good thing or did they ruin the blues in a way?

[@Modernbluesharmonica]

The Blues Brothers was a doubled burlesque. Although backed by a terrific band, they were burlesquing both blues-loving whites (Elwood was the rhythmically-challenged nerd trying to be cool; Jake "got the beat" in an over-the-top way that mocked whites who hear the call of black music and respond by over-emoting) and, sadly, black blues people themselves. In the latter respect, most whites who embraced the "two guys with hats and sunglasses" look--in Europe, Japan, and in America--couldn't decode the doubled meanings. What they saw was licensed misbehavior: blues is a place where white folks can drop in and have fun. Here I'll agree with Greg Tate (although I don't agree with his thinking in many other ways): The Blues Brothers taught the lesson that blues-musicking is about "everything but the burden." What I'm trying to teach in this video is that becoming, and remaining, conscious of the burden is a part of what it means to make an authentic blues journey. The music isn't all fun and games.

[@abcdefghijklmno66109]

I guess I'm still missing the "Burden" aspect. My generation hasn't really had any burden to fight or struggle through. At the same time if I wanted to sing and play about older struggles then I wouldn't be able to connect with my generation. It is almost a catch 22. Any advice?

[@askjdog]

Awesome

[@jimcoolman0]

good job

[@BenRNZ1]

Hi Adam, got a quick question. Is that a Bb harmonica being used in Aerosmith's Back Back Train? Various sites say its a C or G harmonica but I cant get it to sound right using either. Am I not getting the right notes or is it actually a different key? Thanks

[@capnclawhammer3024]

So, I need to figure out my way to play the song, instead of badgering you for the info. OK, we'll try that.

[@ethanbox2010]

I've been searching Jacksonville, FL for a mentor for 2 years. There simply isn't anyone. I'm getting to be decent. But, it's all on my own steam. And, it's tough. I'm sure most pros would scoff at it. I probably reek of bad technique. But, I do my best. I really think the problem is that fewer people are actually playing. There just aten't as many mentors and teachers. You're kind of forced to make due with what you have on hand.

[@Mr_Monkey_McNugget]

You need to make a video about people playing the harp while sitting in the audience. As a harp player who worked in a blues bar I had to deal with that too often. They would never take it well, and I'd almost always encounter some sort of ridiculous argument about the subjectivity of music.

[@longshot8000]

Scott, are you saying people actually sit among the crowd during the show and play the harp as though they are playing with the band? If so, dang! That is rude!

[@Mr_Monkey_McNugget]

Yup, boggles the mind! Had one guy tell me it was cool cause he was playing there the next day (at the jam).

[@Mr_Monkey_McNugget]

At the local blues festival one year, enough people were playing harps newly purchased from the merch tent that one of the performers had to comment. I wish I could remember his line because he's a clever dude, and it was a pretty funny comment.

[@zarbond21]

"Hard Time Killing Floor Blues"

[@barbequebobmaglinte9175]

Now this is telling the REAL shit and none of this you will ever learn in textbooks or in open jams. Too many players think gear makes them, but that's one big, fat lie they can't ever admit to. It's kinda like the tale of Samson & Delilah, and to a gear head, if you take their gear away, they think they can't do shit, much like when Delilah cut off Samson's hair. If you ain't willing to work at it for real, you've got no hope of learning anything.

[@soslothful]

The points about musicianship would apply to and instrument and any style of music. It is not specialized aspect of Blues.

[@Redshift313]

The Beatles The Stones The Who, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Sinatra, Kurt Kobain... Beethoven ,Wagner, Armstrong, Tatum, Johnny Cash I’ll bet you enjoy listening to music by artists that were self taught. There is no medium between Neefe and Beethoven. You say in one of your Blues talks about Big Walter or Rice Miller humiliated and insulted Junior Wells instead of giving him lessons. For every example you can come up with were what you say holds true I can give an example to the contrary. In the age of recorded music all you need are your ears and a CD player to figure it out on your own. I am not a believer in being musically spoon fed note by note tab by tab.. Figure it out... and if you can’t take up surfing or something you can figure out on your own or are good at doing naturally.

[@nickpelkey]

Mister Satan's Apprentice. Essential read. On a lighter side.. Ramen Girl is a neat example of the mentor/apprentice relationship. Ok.. I just went out for sushi and got to talking about that movie.

[@joshpritt9296]

If he slaps me down, I will pull his hair and he go straight to the ground. I'm will never be a Blues fan ever!

[@Palacinka13]

If you did that you'd end up hanging from a tree

[@Drewster58]

Be a Mozart, not a Salieri

[@scotthoward8880]

Much to dissapointed, I am disliking this video because I will NEVER! Become a blues music fan. I don't freaking care if I look a white man in the eye.