Putting A Foot In It

Harmonica Lesson Outtakes
We were learning our first study piece with a new group at school today. Hugh asked if he could play it through by himself. Our teacher asked him to stand in front of the group and show everyone what he’d been practising. Hugh not only played the piece faultlessly, but he even ended with a flourish of ascending blow notes. The teacher asked what we call a flourish like this. The question was met by blank faces. ‘OK’, said the teacher, ‘I’ll give you a clue. It begins with G.’ More blank faces. ‘Gliss..?’ he prompted. Still blank faces. ‘Glissand..?’ he prompted again. ‘Ooh I know’, said Theo, ‘Glissandals’. Trust Theo to put his foot in it. ‘That’s very close Theo, but there’s no holiday footwear involved here. It’s called Glissando!’

You can find out more about playing glissandos here. If you don’t have our subscriber log in, check inside the front cover of your Music Diary, or your Music Pack, or email us a request with your harmonaut’s name.