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As a performer and instructor of 30 years, I have helped students from around the world learn the language of blues harmonica both virtually and in person. I built BadAss Harmonica from the ground up, which not only restores and sells vintage microphones and amplifiers, but offers webinars, lessons, jam tracks, and much more!
Currently touring and recording with the Nick Moss Band (on Alligator Records).
Blues Music Award - "Blues Band of the Year" (2020)
Blues Music Award - "Traditional Blues Album of the Year" (2020)
Blues Music Award - "Harmonica Player of the Year" (2019)
SPAH “Bernie Bray Player of the Year” award (2019)
"Best Modern Blues Harmonica Player" - 3 years in a row/Real Blues Magazine
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Fantastic version played with so much feeling. I wish I could play like that. Want to play this over and over.
Thanks, you are the best!! super harmonica style🎉🎉🎉 
That element and GA-40 Amp rig......wow, right up there with the "Tigerman" Tone! (Even though that was a GA-90) BUT......as good as it gets for full blues tone. Nice!
@@gabrieln3613 thanks!! I have used my crystal mics and a GA-40 (and sometimes a 20) on many recordings 👍
@@DennisGruenling I can see why! I once had a GA90, Good tone but not a practical amp for gigging on stages. The GA6 I had sounded good but that GA-40 is very muscular and thick toned. Nice. Nice ceramic for somebody.
Loving the video's Dennis. Thanks so much. All the best brother. -Rick
@@Ricksurranosr thanks bro - hours get back up there soon!!
Why are they new SP20? Modifications?
@@ikust007 for me it’s a “newer” one, as I haven’t played one in many years. Got this last year and really surprised with how well it plays and feels. I still prefer wooden comb Marine Bands personally, but it’s a nice harp overall.
Sounds great 👍
@@christophermoon64 thank you! I love these mics
I love it!!! Not only is it a good lick, but it’s rooted in a foundation of rhythm and scales. It’s a natural extension of the boogie woogie patterns you teach on your site and a great demo of how to apply that same approach to a solo. NOT just a random selection of notes to be memorized. Thanks!! ❤
@@mgraci1 thank you!! I try to pick some licks here that are important for one reason or another… but it’s always fun for me to figure out my own stuff too 😂🎶
Do you keep tongue on comb while moving to 1 hole?
@@etaborya most of the time I do (I use either side, depending), once in a while I don’t.
Thank you 🎉
great little lick il be useing it .thanks mate
@@terrysmith8704 thank you!
Love the way you explain in slow mo.
@@1eddybee thank you! Really the best way to break anything down ⚡️
Love these 3rd position ideas!
@@1977palvarez thanks! I play so much 3rd position, it’s like 2nd nature 🤣😉
Great harp🎉🕶️💯
Thank you, I love classic Chicago Blues!
you sounded fairly decent the other day at campus jax"s , was that sad hours i heard?
😆 "fairly decent" is one step up from "impressingly mediocre", but thanks for the comment! Yes, it was Sad Hours, my favorite Little Walter number
Great answer to such a silly statement!
@@1977palvarez the comment was indeed silly however, the question was legit. i confuse sad hours and blue midnight on occasion. it was obvious by the applause the band sounded great. were you there ?
@@sharkair2839 Sad Hours is my favorite and two things to distinguish it come to mind - it starts out with 12 bars without the harmonica, featuring that descending bass line, and also it is not as slow as people think, it’s a little more uptempo than his other “slow blues” numbers 👍
Great! From Brasil 🇧🇷
Dennis they need to call you Captain Crunch !! That's outstanding !!
Exelente saludos desde México 🇲🇽 #kingfiguero
thats how to play 3rd position william clark style well done Dennis you done it great
what is the cost for lessons
@@boydross in the caption, you will see link for info on my website membership. I just loaded new content for this month, including several lessons, a couple webinars and other study materials… Membership costs less than one lesson per month and you have 24/7 access to different content that I curate each month to study with, listen to, watch, learn from… and most importantly learn WHY behind these things which helps you learn better and faster 👍
Valuable stuff! Please keep it up. Thanks
@@farblunjet14 thank you!! I’ll try to keep these going every week 👍 lots more in the website⚡️
Gorgeous riff! Cheers 🥂
🤘🤘
"Play it clean" Different licks sometimes takes a little different technique to execute cleanly. By slowing it down, and maybe looping that phrase, you're able to listen and figure out what it takes to play it cleanly. Thanks Dennis....wise words indeed. And the phrases you're teaching are killer! 👍👍
@@harpbaby1 thank you! Many times, when working on fast phrases, players get them wrong because either A) they can’t really hear or tell all the notes and sounds being played, and/or B) they just don’t have the control or technique to do them as someone else does. So the key really is to slow them down and do them piece by piece by piece, clean and clear, then build up speed. You don’t necessarily have to clean up the “dirt” in a phrase if it is deliberate, but even slowing down and figuring out how a “dirty” sound is played will help you be able to play it fast once you learn it correctly 👍
Absolutely. You're a great teacher Dennis. As always, thank you, thank you, thank you.
Thanks for the vids nice work
@@Crushbandicoot-wv8xb thank you! Always takes me a minute to figure out my own licks 🤣
@@DennisGruenling it is when you do something really cool in the moment sometimes I can’t recreate it
Thanks I found that out the hard way. Take it slow then work up the speed.
@@carltakats327 yes indeed! That’s really the true “shortcut”!
Ceramic elements are my fav Dennis they have more low end to them and you usually don't have to worry about leaving them out in the cold or heat. Sounds great !!
They are still fragile, and shouldn’t be left in extreme temps but yea, they are great!
Thanks, Dennis. Some tricky riffs there 👍.
yo Dennis,,I was over at curtis salgado's basement the other day,he said he bought his mic from you do you happen to have that same mic,in stock..for sale??spike from Vancouver Washington.
I can build one for you. Message me on Facebook, Instagram or email from my website and I can do that. Thanks!!
GREAT !!! Thank you very much.
Thanks for this. Please keep doing it
Great stuff, thanks for sharing your knowledge on this beautiful instrument
Thank you!
TY! 🍀
1:01 thank you for precious comments !
Just telling it like it is 👍👍
As always Dennis your absolute awesome technic and your wealth of knowledge a master player that I always enjoy to watch and learn thank you so much for sharing your craft your a inspiration to all harp players !
Thank you!!! New one posting today soon… I appreciate the kind words 👍
Bad Ass Mother Harmonica Playing ! Ohhhhh Ya Love It !
👍👍
Thank you for saying if you are tongue blocking or not. New subscriber…
Of course. I started out not blocking like most people. All are welcome here, just keep in mind that T-blocking will help in all areas of playing (breath control, tone, and all types of sounds and techniques available)…and honestly it is not as difficult as people think it is. But I am aware not everyone does it. Many of the sounds, textures and techniques you hear me play come from blocking however…thanks for sticking around!
@@DennisGruenling I do both . But i like to know how the real musicians like you, do. Cheers
@@ikust007 thanks! I am one of the players that uses TB just about 100% of the time, even with my overbends.
@@DennisGruenling wow!!! Overbends!!! Ouf !!
Dennis I really admire you breaking these licks down I know it's not easy that's why I don't teach. Fantastic job! ALL HAIL FEARLESS FRIDAY !!! Austin- 3:18
Thank you!! Lots more coming… 🥳
nice and fat tone on that on Dennis !!
Thank you Dennis. I do like to tongue block. My biggest problem is not being able to bend on hole 3. Players say it will come at some point. They say do not stop tongue blocking. I am trying to hang with it. You are a true inspiration.
Thank you so much! It will come, but let me help. I often get students blocking and starting to bend in the first lesson. The trick to bending is it all depends on controlling your airflow, whether you are blocking or not. Choke off the airstream towards the back of your throat to get the most common bends on 2-3 on the common key harps
Dennis- Fearless Fridays are gonna be awesome! To me the magic of this is not so much laying out the notes but giving your thought process of what you were trying to do with the lick in context. THANK YOU!
I can get more into that as well… that is what I do with most of my teaching… it is the WHY behind everything that means the most⚡️ Not so much my thoughts process when I play because it’s immediate (not really a conscious thought in the moment) but there is a reasoning to why I go places and how/why it all works 👍
Awesome content. Please keep these lick/technique breakdowns coming!
Thank you! I will 👍
Thanks Dennis! Been hoping you would do some lick videos like this. Looking forward to learning from you.
Thanks!! Lots more coming ⚡️
Awesome 😎
Great video thank you 😊
Thanks for watching‼️😎
The silence between the notes is amazing....❤
The way you phrase the notes together and the spacing is SO important, it makes the difference between just "playing notes" and "saying something"...thanks! I actually talk about this specific point in the VIP lesson this month.
@DennisGruenling cool, it's completely true Denis. For me, it's the difference between a professional and a beginner. That's why I love the way you play. And something more to me is the groove, feeling and emotion you give to all your notes. Thank you for that, it's a gift for my ears....kinds regards from Belgium 🇧🇪 😀
Thank you for doing that video, very helpful!
Glad it was helpful! More to come...
Hi, Dennis! It’s great to see you again. I miss Tunesday :). The time you take to do this for us is really appreciated. Regards from Spain. PS: If you have ‘problems’ breaking down your licks - imagine how we feel!😂 Cheers man✌️
Thank you very much! Haha, well I know the WAY I play, but I always improvise, so the timing and phrasing and ideas always change...this is really when the music happens I think! Thank you
Yeah! 😎
Wow Dennis, that is so generous of you... Whenever I need to hone my blues chops, I spend time with ANY of your videos. And now you break it down for us? Kudos amigo. You're creating a whole generation of players. And as one of them, thank you.
Thanks so much!! Enjoy and stay tuned for more