Previous sessions (most recent first) - videos and presentations
Videos and supporting material are uploaded as soon as possible
Saturday 8th May - Diatonic (2:00pm start)
RACHELLE PLAS - how to improvise on the harmonica, and create a harmonica part using simple notes, rhythms and effects. [VIDEO]
Saturday 24th April - Chromatic/general interest
PHILIP HOPKINS - Eight harmonica performances that changed my life (and one of them is diatonic!) [VIDEO]
Sunday 18th April - Diatonic
MARCIN DYJAK - Introduction to jazz improvisation using 'Fly me to the moon' - [PRESENTATION, AUDIO FILES AND VIDEO]
Saturday 10th April - Chromatic [VIDEO]
PATRICK BYRNE - Based on his popular workshop at the 2019 Harmonica UK festival, Paddy will illustrate his tone-led approach to the chromatic with archive tracks from his three albums, videos of his band Chromactiv and live demos.
Saturday 27th March - Diatonic
SAM WILKINSON - introduction to 5th position, and using it to play Minnie the Moocher
Saturday 13th March - General interest
GIANANDREA PASQUINELLI & GIANLUCA CASELLI - repertoire of the harmonica duo with electronic devices (orchestral harmonicas and sampler) [VIDEO]
Saturday 27th February - Diatonic
BEATA KOSSOWSKA - blues grooves, riffs and licks. Plus Major/minor pentatonic scales in 1st, 2nd and 3rd position [VIDEO]
Saturday 20th February - Diatonic
GILES ROBSON - Art of Sonny Boy Williamson [VIDEO]
Saturday 30th January - Diatonic
AIDAN SHEEHAN - Welsh folk music for harmonicas [VIDEO] [PRESENTATION] [CHORDS FOR SONGS]
Saturday 23rd January - Diatonic/blues
BEN BOUMAN - Tongue blocking versus puckering - why and when to use each method separately and together, and how to practise switching between them [VIDEO]
Saturday 16th January - Chromatic/General interest
ANTHONY CRAVEN - 91 year old Anthony does a light hearted talk of his 60 years of experience playing harmonica, starting as a small boy after meeting Tommy Reilly at the Palace Theatre in Hull. His first Hohner chromatic harmonica was £5! [VIDEO]
Saturday 9th January - Tremolo
JIAYI HE - How to arrange and play multiple Tremolo harmonicas [VIDEO]
Saturday 2nd January - Diatonic/general interest
BERTRAM BECHER - maintenance/tweaking workshop for Blues harmonicas and some interesting special tunings that could be tuned from a regular Richter harmonica [VIDEO][PRESENTATION]
Saturday 19th December - all styles
CHRISTMAS SPECIAL! Our host Sam gives some tips and ideas about putting together a Christmas solo set [VIDEO]. This was followed by an open mic for participants (not recorded).
Saturday 12th December - Chromatic
ALBERTO VARALDO - Rhythms and improvisations in South American music [VIDEO]
Saturday 5th December - Presentation
PATRICK BYRNE - The Show Must Go On... dealing with performance Anxiety [VIDEO] [PRESENTATION]
Saturday 28th November - Chromatic
SANTIAGO ALVAREZ - Introducing Argentinian Tango-folk [VIDEO]
Saturday 21st November - Blues Diatonic
PAUL LAMB - techniques & tips on playing the Sonny Terry style of Blues harp…. with some other greats mixed in! [VIDEO]
Saturday 14th November - Jazz/Classical chromatic
PHILIP HOPKINS - Practice techniques for jazz and classical harmonica (diatonic players welcome too!) [VIDEO]
Saturday 7th November - Diatonic
RICKY COOL - Building a strong foundation for your harmonica playing. Please download harmonica fundamentals before the session [VIDEO] [PRESENTATION] [5 note scale exercise sheet]
Saturday 26th September - All harmonica types
NEIL WARREN - Transcribing harmonica solos [VIDEO] [PRESENTATION]
Saturday 19th September - Diatonic
JOAN PAU CUMELLAS - Bluegrass and Country [VIDEO] [BACKING TRACKS: Jambalaya; Backing track in G #1; Backing track in G #2; Backing track in G #3 (honky tonk); Backing track in G #4; Backing track in E]
Saturday 12th September - Tremolo/Diatonic
DONALD BLACK - Scottish Celtic Harmonica [VIDEO]
Saturday 5th September - Chromatic
TONY JUKES - Slow... The Magical Sound of the Chromatic Harmonica - Part 2 [VIDEO] [PRESENTATION]
Saturday 29th August - Diatonic/chromatic
DAVIDE SPERANZA - Circular breathing & Mississippi bagpipe (using two or more harmonicas for creating drone notes or chords) [VIDEO]
Saturday 15th August - Tremolo
SIMON JOY - An introduction to 3:2 hornpipes [VIDEO]
Saturday 8th August - Chromatic
SAM SPRANGER - Building a classical repertoire, and approaching jazz standards. Advice for beginner/intermediate chromatic players and advanced diatonic players for those that can play diatonic chromatically. Workshop notes Sheet music: Bluesette; Le Cygne; Satin Doll. [VIDEO]
Saturday 1st August - Diatonic/Blues
ADAM PRITCHARD (intermediate/advanced) - Getting started with 3rd Position Blues [PRESENTATION] [BACKING TRACK] [VIDEO]
Friday 31st to Sunday 2nd August
Chromatic weekend [VIDEOS]
Saturday 18th July - Diatonic/Blues
RICHARD TAYLOR (all abilities) Playing holes 7-10 with confidence [PRESENTATION] [VIDEO]
JASON RICCI (Playing solo, with and without singing, Q&A) [VIDEO #1] [VIDEO #2]
Saturday 11th July - Chromatic
JOFF WATKINS (all abilities) Playing blues in the key of G and improvising [PRESENTATION] [VIDEO #1] [VIDEO #2]
Saturday 4th July - Diatonic/jazz (The Summertime Session)
SAM WILKINSON - Getting to know the basics of Summertime in third position, and ideas for variations [VIDEO] [PRESENTATION]
MARCIN DYJAK - Improvisation techniques, scales, and patterns for Summertime [PRESENTATION] [BACKING TRACK]
Saturday 27th June - Diatonic/Blues
IAN BOYLE - Melodic playing... dressing up your tunes [VIDEO]
RICHARD GJEMS - Bridging traditional and contemporary blues techniques [VIDEO #1] [VIDEO #2]
Saturday 20th June - Chromatic/diatonic
SAM SPRANGER - Scale exercises for beginners, and tips and tricks for diatonic players crossing over to the chromatic [VIDEO]
ADAM GLASSER - Introduction to Improvising on Chord Changes
Saturday 13th June - Blues/diatonic
PAUL GILLINGS - Introduction to bending [VIDEO]
WILL WILDE - Demonstration of different diatonic harmonica tunings [VIDEO]
Saturday 6th June - Chromatic harmonica
NEIL WARREN - Diving deeper into Blues Chromatic: learning some more licks and looking at a couple of classic Blues Chromatic solos [VIDEO] [PRESENTATION]
TONY JUKES - Getting your chromatic harmonica to 'sing' [VIDEO] [PRESENTATION]
Saturday 30th May - Blues/diatonic
SAM WILKINSON - Exploring the high end of the harmonica [VIDEO] [PRESENTATION]
BEN BOUMAN - Blues in 3rd position & customising diatonic harmonicas [VIDEO]
Saturday 23rd May 2020 - blues/diatonic
SAM WILKINSON - Building improvised solos using only one hole (beginner/intermediate) [VIDEO] [PRESENTATION]
RICHARD TAYLOR - Whammer Jammer Part 2 [VIDEO] [PRESENTATION]
Saturday 16th May 2020
Blues for intermediate and advanced players
LEE SANKEY - [VIDEO] Timing skills
RICHARD TAYLOR - Whammer Jammer Part 1 [VIDEO] [PRESENTATION]
Old-time/Zydeco/Bluegrass/jug-band for all players
ED HOPWOOD [VIDEO] [PRESENTATION]
Saturday 9th May 2020 - Chromatic and tremolo - for beginners and intermediate players
NEIL WARREN - Blues Chromatic for blues converts [VIDEO] [PRESENTATION]
SIMON JOY - Tremolo harmonica for beginners & Tremolo harmonica for intermediate/advanced players [VIDEO]