@fallonsteve291 Oh wow. That didn’t take long. I’m going to have to back order it, hopefully a Christmas present at the very least. (oh man, why did I bring up Christmas already)
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Hello @RollyJoe,
what Christmas? We’ve got 40 °C here today! The thought of Christmas cools down immediately… 
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Hi @RollyJoe and all others reading this thread,
In case you missed this (or, much worse, do not know or ever heard his music): check out this really fantastic recording of Howard Levy.
Regards,
– Slim (humbled beyond belief)
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Great tip @RollyJoe!
Yes, he’s very impressive and has a good likable demeanor @Slim I think.
I’ve already saved the book and will pick it up this month. I’m kind of stuck with my progress at the moment. I guess I’m missing intermediate steps to learn to achieve bigger goals.
Astrid wishes you a good time 
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@AstridHandbikebee63 It hover’s in the 100’s (Fahrenheit) in the summer but I still don’t want to think about it! 
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Thanks for sharing this recording, @slim. I had never heard it! GREAT STUFF! I received the book on Friday, and opened the package after a 3 hour harmonica gig (Two 1.5 hour sets with a 20 minute break! Whew! 
)
By the time I ate some food and watched a TV show with my wife it past 1:30 in the morning when she went to bed. I was like, “I’ve gotta just read a few pages of this book before bed.” Well I read the first 25 pages, and then find myself down in the studio trying things out.
I’m having a blast with it. @Slim I think you’d enjoy it immensely. It’s trippy for intermediate and advanced players who’ve been training themselves their whole lives to switch from blowing first on the first 6 holes going up, to drawing first on holes 7-10.
This book comes along and is like, we’re just can do breathing patterns - not playing scales or arpeggios - let the notes be what they may.
It’s crazy how hard it was for me to blow-draw-blow-draw on each hole 1-10 and back down. And then draw-blow-draw-blow do the same thing. So hard to “un-train” myself to switch at hole 7, lol!
Howard claims this book is for all experience levels. That may be true for a few beginners who are very motivated to practice things with a deep understanding of the concept of delayed gratification.
But I don’t think his metronome markings are realistic for beginners. He’s saying you should be able to do the above exercise, written as 16th notes, so one click per hole (blow-draw-blow-draw) at 90 BPM as a “moderate” tempo and then work up to 120. I’ll be interested to see if any true beginners can hack that. My guess is it’d be better to start at 60 BPM and work up to 90.
Here try it for yourself at 90 and 70 and LMK whatcha think:
I think it’s pretty typical for virtuoso’s like Howard to overestimate what a beginner is capable of. That’s why it’s better to learn from less accomplished players like yours truly. 
Just kidding. I love Howard Levy. I’m so grateful he exists, and I’m very grateful and inspired by this book…
I’ll be sharing a lot more about it over time as my experience with it grows. Thanks again to @RollyJoe for the heads up on it! 
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Awesome @Luke,
I love seeing you in the “lab” putting in the licks. I’m just starting out as you know but I already feel real improvement in my overall harmonica awareness and technique. Thanks for making Beginner to Boss so fun and accessible. What a great foundation. Thanks for leading by example. It’s so motivating. Put in the work. Improve. Relax and enjoy the process.
Mahalo,
~James
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Hi Luke @Luke
I think you hit the nail on the head. I’m sure the book will help almost any level player, but it will take so much dedication and effort that many beginners will give up on it. My copy should arrive in about 3-5 days and I hope that my dedication level is high enough that I can profit from the lessons!
Regards,
– Slim 
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Hello, @Slim,
I’m glad you’re getting it soon. Please inform us and especially me, because I have saved it but haven’t bought it yet.
There are many books for beginners I, but it is difficult to find one that is suitable for beginners II.
I wish you a nice day!
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I’m excited that you’re getting it @slim! I’m predicting that you will LOVE it. It certainly has gotten ahold of me.
I’m still mostly working out his application of the first rudiment, the Single Stroke Roll to the harmonica - he’s got like 10 or 12 exercises just on that rudiment - and some of them are mind-BENDING, lol, such as -1 2 -3 4 -5 6 -7 8 -9 10. 
)
I did sorta dip my toes into the Multiple Bounce Roll thought which is akin to sweep picking (also known as economy picking) on a guitar. This kind of an idea:
1 2 3 4 -4 -3 -2 -1
2 3 4 5 -5 -4 -3 -2
3 4 5 6 -6 -5 -4 -3…etc.
It’s a lot of fun! Really interesting to approach the harmonica without any concern for theory or notes, just patterns and “rhythms of breathing” which in my mind is why he can safely “get away” with saying it’s for beginners.
Anyways, it’s getting my lips on the harmonica a lot more (because I want to get on to more exciting things in the book, but my temperament won’t allow me to until I can get a handle on what he’s presented so far!! 
) So I’m happy it’s making me play more.
I look forward to seeing what impact it has on my playing in a month or a year.
Thanks again @RollyJoe for the heads up. 
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That sounds very good, no theory and grades 
.
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Hi @Luke
How’s the Howard Levy book going. I’m keen to get one but they look like they’re all sold out?? 
Just asking your opinion on it for (what i consider I am) an intermediate player. I don’t have a problem in buying something if it going to improve me further. Do you know the best place to get one if it gets the 
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I purchased mine from amazon and it arrived in about three days – and that was after people were saying that it was sold out. 
I cannot yet say if it will really be that much of a game-changer, but I have only just started working with it. It is definitely good for improving your single note playing: jumping from hole to hole, skipping over holes, etc. For tongue-blockers … I really don’t know because I seldom do that, but I suppose that they would get the same benefits.
Regards,
– Slim
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Hello @fallonsteve291,
I too have had my book since Friday. It was only supposed to come today. it went fast
also 3 days. I also ordered it from Amazon and even got a €0.30 discount.
At the weekend I first dealt with the beginning and translated myself, since German is my mother tongue.
I like his style so far. I haven’t started the exercises yet. It seems as if the basics will be started first.
However, Howard Levy points out right at the beginning on page 23 that he will not go into detail about bends, overblows and overdraws. But I see exercises with bends. All are presented with both notes and tabs. Partly because of the length of the game, it certainly wasn’t easy at first.
My status is that I have completed the BTB. How safe it is in the long term, I cannot judge today. That’s exactly what I’ll find out with the book. It’s different than playing songs. Consolidate breathing technique, improve sense of rhythm
Everything in the book is written for 10-hole Standard/Richter-Tuned C Diatonic Harmonica.
There are also Download Free Practice Tracks.
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Waaasss!! Das will ich auch!! 
– Slim
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Dear @Slim, I would like to share the amount with you…
I had it saved as a wish and waiting for about a week. Then price less, bought. I always do that. Balance out some inflation. 
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Hi @Slim
Thanks for your reply. Yeah just tried here again and it said they were in stock, whereas earlier they were out. Anyway got it! Improving single note playing and i guess speed can only be a good thing i think Slim.
Regards Steve. 
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Hi @AstridHandbikebee63
Thanks for the rundown, It must be hard having to translate books into your mother tongue. Us English speaking countries don’t know how lucky we have it. I’ve just ordered mine, also from Amazon and should get it in a couple of days. NOTE: no 0.30 Euro discount though . (maybe that’s because have to translate it?) lol
Anyway i can’t help myself, if its new and anything to do with the harmonica, i’ll get it!
Happy Harpin!
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Hello @fallonsteve291,
great, then look forward to it. Of course it is time consuming to understand it in my language. In principle, it’s all about these technical terms, the rest is colloquial and that works.
I made notes in the margin and marked them. So I find it again quickly and I think there will be good progress.
Since I have already dealt with the BTB and various ones on YouTube, I know what is required. It’s good!
Thank you for writing to me!
We rock this thing, right ?
Greetings from Astrid
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