I am nearly 70 and have played guitar all my life. I sight read, play rock and Bach. On an impulse I bought a harmonica (Special 20) and signed up for the Beginners to Boss class. If I choose the 90 day or 180 day plan, how much practice per day is generally required to make progress and keep pace. Do I need to keep it in my pocket and blow all day, or can I make progress on 15-20 minutes? (I am guessing the former, because that is how I learned guitar at age 10… never setting it down.)
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I would play until it’s not fun, give it a break and come back.
The learning curve with harmonica is funny…you learn single notes, bending, and various techniques. These are hard…and then you hit crazy stuff. Like bent overblows and the ilk.
Just take your time and enjoy the instrument!
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Thank you!
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The more the better! Also, 3 times a day for 5m is better than once a day for 15m. The more the better!
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I am 70 now and have been playing for 2 + years. Don’t have your music knowledge and knew nothing about it when I began. I practice about 2 hours a day but quit when I lose focus. I feel playing single notes well is the foundation you build on. Without this ability it won’t work. This is a good place to start.
How about playing tunes you know to sharpen your notes and the correct rhyme will come after you listen to it many times. Bending is always a topic of discussion. If you can whistle inhaling and drop the pitch bending a note will come much quicker. When you inhale you will feel the air rushing in, which means yo are close. Then place a harp in your mouth and LIGHTLY whistle inhaling. It’s easy to go through the sweet spot but this will get your first bend. After that playing about five tunes well and then picking others that have notes that give you trouble will help. Main thing is have fun. I do not thing 15-20 minutes a day of practice is enough but this depends on how good you would like to get. I do it for ONE and ONLY fun, nothing more. I do think getting a good harp from someone like HARPSMITH is a good idea as a chain is as good as its weakest link and I always want to be the week link, Just my opinion, which is worth what you paid for it.
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Great advice. I am not sure I have 2 hrs, but I will try to do more than the 20 minutes I have started out with. For me, it will feel like a grind until I feel I can play a bit of real music… then the playing/practicing becomes fun. Thank you. This is exactly what I wanted to hear. So glad you are enjoying your playing!
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Since we started so late in our harp experience I look at it as if I practice two hours and one hour is the norm its like starting as if you were 35. Only way I can think of to make up for a misspent childhood, which is what mom told me about putting so much interest in baseball, football and billiards. Right she was.
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It’s gotta be fun, else what’s the point??? Rock on! 
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Well said. Time wasted on something you do not enjoy or have to do cannot be bought back with all the money in the world. I have been through the grinder in a large city, 3.5 a day traffic, kids to put through college, etc. I no longer keep a schedule, often cannot tell you the date or time. I use it playing a harp unless she mandates something necessary. I can spend hours alone practicing and enjoy it with the ringer off. I do not have any plans to change. I also find the harp an interesting instrument. No large lifting or power problems. They re not expensive and can be put in my pocket next to my chair. Sure glad I started playing.
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Thank you. That’s what I want… an activity to unwind with and relax the mind. Hope I get to that point where I am making music.
You can always do the EdHarmonica it’s a different tuned harp but, they have a site where you can get tabs and stuff. You can find the info on Seydel web site.