How to play harmonica like a Rock Star (The Mixolydian Mode, John Popper & More) 

What amazes me about you Jason, apart from your brilliant playing, is that you still find time to pass on your skills to others. That says so much about you as a person. You are a credit to the harmonica world, a true star.

OMG this has helped me so much. I struggle to play with a few groups because I try to force blues scale or minor over them. This was the missing piece. How ironic is it that the secret is "all the holes work now". Thanks for making and sharing this!!

Loved seeing Jason and Bad Company live recently in Ellicottville, NY. Got to chat with him before the show. The guy is as nice of a person as he is a harp player. Additionally, he has given all these free lessons to the world via RU-vid ... It's all exceptionally impressive. Oh, and his wife is way cool too! :) Jason isn't a "Chop Hound" man! (Neither is Popper.) Music isn't a competition! It's sharing ourselves.

I’ve always avoided this scale because it was associated, for me, with soulless speed playing. You changed my mind.

So thankful that someone with your knowledge and abilities takes time to explain this to the rest of us!

i can just from this, you are a great player man, cheers!

Great lesson Jason, thank you sooooo much for sharing.

Super useful. Many thanks for sharing your wisdom Jason.

Great lesson Jason. You are truly a class act my friend.

I love this. Thank you, Jason.

Great video bro ! Been watching you for over 10 years ^.^ keep it up

Thanks. Your playing and teaching are awesome.

Even though I watched this when it came out, I have a number of times since, including today... I'm always reminded or get something new to reflect upon! I'm really looking forward to your Pat Ramsey lick #2 video premier on Fri 6-4-21 to shed more insightful light on some fast "Pat"tern" playing! Thanks Jason! Blues On, & Happy Harpin, "MoonCat"! 😊👍🎶😎

Love this period you and John are definitely the 2 best I've ever heard

Much respect, my dude. You're damn good and have good taste in music

All I can say is "more videos, Jason". Anything you post, be playing, be teaching, I'm highly interested in.

I can't thank you enough for your unselfish teachings. You have done miracles for me on this instrument bro. I appreciate you. When I get cash I will compensate you for it for sure. I can't wait to meet you some day. I rocked with popper on stage

Jason, you’re just plain awesome dude! Love your stuff!

Thanks brougham keep pressing on .keep giving it away to keep it .

Please take care, you are a true talent.

I came here on June 4 2021 via Jason Ricci's Awesome Pat Ramsey Lesson

Man, how cool is that?

Thanks for the video! I'll try playing a little mixolydian now too. You sound great as always! All the best!

Jason. I think it's amazing considering what you have been through and the obstacles you have overcome that you are still so down to earth and yet a hero to many in so many different kinds of circles. (me for one) Keep it up brother. You shine, man! PS. Can you do a cool hungarian minor jam, sometime? Or point me to something that you probably have already done in that mode?

Thank You

What a brill lesson. Just got into playing harmonica. Myxo......what!?! Got a bit of learning to do 🤔. Cheers mate. Never heard of you before, new to all this but will be following this up. Thanks for your time and effort, GOD BLESS YOU 👍😀😀😀

great lesson, love it! yes! Thanks :)

Giving respect and props when respect and props are due. Class act, Jason Ricci, you.

Excellent 😃💥

Hey Jason you was so right about scales and i was so wrong, thanks again

Love this! "Butterfield inflections" ...

You da man. Thank you.

I loveee you Man!!!!!!!!!! Thanks a Lot...

Great performance, its true pleasure seeing you on new vids! Maybe you'll like an idea for a new video - I've seen some Jazz Maj7 backtracks on YT and of course they require overblows on 2nd position, but seem to fit better Country tuning for fluent playing (raised 5D). There are gems of solos and licks around those chord progressions, so... thought you can have fun with the concept. Cheers!

Wow ! I do hear Jerry there!! Love me some Jerry

Man youre so lovabale and awesome

Thanks for this Jason. Weekend study material! This scale work better on the higher keys? Always love your tone! I like Popper and Blues Traveler too. I know some hardcore Blues folk aren't into his style and that's cool, but I'm a guy that digs it all. Like with guitar, just because I listen to B.B doesn't mean I can't like Steve Vai.

3:00 - Newbie, that makes sense! Less likely to lose my place or dbl on single but will see? As I hit save+vid Thank4Tips👍

Great video. I can't get my 2 to bend, perhaps I will check the gap and of course keep practicing. Is there a special rule of thumb when setting gaps when you want to draw bend or over-blow? Or does the ideal gap always correspond with the best non-bent tone? People do the same with guitar, making it a competition - but all music could really be described as communication or personal expression, so authentic musicians are pursuing the sound they hear and every one is different. I like the respect you give to others including your fans, new harmonica players as well as the masters - it sets you a cut above.

Yeah that the scale Popper got famous off of for sure!! That’s awesome sounding. I don’t know much about out modes but I just or this sounds amazing. Question; would it be beneficial for me to learn by scales on harmonica, like one would learn scales on guitar? On pedal steel we didn’t really do scales much because you are effectively playing a 1 finger guitar. Amazing advice from Popper that you read out of the book. You shouldn’t try to out do other players…. Be you. We are all 1 of 1. Use that uniqueness to your advantage. I know when I’d be on stage with another pedal steel player, I would change the mood, or provide a change of scenery. What I mean is if the other guy is playing blinding fast 16th notes that is gonna wear the audience out real quick. So I would come in on the 11th or something like that and play it like a blues player would, real loose with it and not play 16ths but vary tempo… maybe a while note to start or a half note. I’d rather hear a guy play with dynamics and his playing to emote than to hear a guy who sound alike he is running scales all night even if they are at 1000 mph. Thanks as always Jason.

Badass . Thank you. I just started blowing harp.

Hello. I’m a fan. Are you playing with a harmonica in richter ? Thanks

Man, you OK? Thanks for the lesson BTW

What would be the note layout for mixolydian mode on a chromatic?

Why would someone take the time to dislike this video? What's not to like?

Great tutorial, but Im not sure if thats exactly how John does it. How exactly does he play that lightning crescendo from really high notes to the really low ones and back again? Which notes does he suck and which ones does he blow to achieve all that? Thats the real mystery.

Rather than use the 3 draw double-bend, why not use the 3 blow on a Paddy Richter harp? I think you would lose the gliss, but getting the note would be easier -- especially at high speed.

Blues Stories? Pleeeeze?

I’m pretty sure that I saw this guy at Cow Pasture Blues Festival in Stillwater, NY/August of 2022.

But I don't want to play like a rock star. I want to pull off those fantastic intros that Butterfield did. I want to play classic pop tunes like Musselwhite. I want to play Mongo Santamaria's "Afro Blue" like a guy named Ricci does.

Give me just 4 notes and i'll make you cry...

Klingt sehr Orientalisch das Backing Track ist einfach Super Genialer Spieler und einer der heraus sticht von anderen Harp Spielern aber er sollte auf hören Drogen zu nehmen der sieht echt fertig aus. Sehr schade Alles gute aus Deutschland

Or heroin?