Lifelong Harmonica Player To Conduct Workshop at Local Blues Museum

Lifelong Harmonica Player To Conduct Workshop at Local Blues Museum

In West Point, a Nashville-based musician, Tim Gartland, known for his proficiency in playing the harmonica, is set to conduct a workshop next month at the Black Prairie Blues Museum. The announcement brings excitement to local music enthusiasts eager to learn from a seasoned expert.

Decades of Experience in Blues Harmonica

Gartland’s passion for the harmonica started at the age of thirteen, with ‘Oh! Susanna’ being the first tune he ever learned. His interest soon turned towards the blues, which he had been playing, writing, and teaching over the last 50 years. Gartland has also released five solo blues albums and authored an instructional manual titled ‘The Talking Harmonica’.

A Workshop For All Levels

In this workshop named “Your Blues Harmonica Journey”, Gartland is keen on inspiring beginners and advanced players alike. Beginners, he promises, will be taught the fundamentals of playing the harmonica.

The workshop is not just a learning experience, but Gartland also envisions it as a gathering where participants can encourage each other and form a community of harmonica enthusiasts in West Point.

Details of the Workshop

The three-hour workshop scheduled from 1-4 p.m. on September 7, costs $40 per participant. Participants are required to bring a quality harmonica in the key of C, costing around $40. Instruction covers everything from choosing and maintaining your harmonica, holding techniques, single-note playing versus playing multiple notes, learning scales and songs, to advanced playing techniques.

Copies of Gartland’s book ‘The Talking Harmonica’ will also be made available for $20 at the workshop.

Spreading the Love for Blues

Deborah Mansfield, the director of the Black Prairie Blues Museum, expresses anticipation for Gartland’s forthcoming workshop. She added that the workshop is not just about learning the blues—it is about continuing the museum’s mission of spreading blues education and encouraging new players.