[Harp-L] Learning disability & the harmonica



Hi

I am doing research into folks with Data Processing Disorders (DPD) for a film I'm making. DPD includes dyslexia, dysgraphia, in short any condition that scrambles data going into or out of the brain. Now my research so far has shown an interesting correlation between these areas of disability and a 'natural' talent for music.

I have taught all sorts of folk and found that the harp was a good gateway instrument, even for folks with sever physical impairment.

Have you any experience of working with DPD type folks?

If you teach could you say if you noticed if your 'learning impaired' students were quicker to pick up harp tuition than your 'normal' students?

Do you suffer with any learning impairment? and if so how do you feel it informs your ability to learn and play the harp?

I suffer with dysgraphia but found that whilst I can't hand write text so it could be read, my music writing is fine, the only problem that I get is sometimes writing "Dit Dah" when I mean "Dah Dit".

The Dyslexia Inst. say that according to their testing in this area DPD folk score well on pitch related things but poorly on phrase copying and rhythm. This doesn't match my findings at all. Of course the Dyslexia Inst. didn't do their testing with harmonicas but I think the fact that we make our rhythms with our tongues does make all the difference. I can speak rhythm patens on the harp that I couldn't clap to save my life.

I am finding that impairment in one area tends to go hand in hand with extra gifts in other areas and for folk who have trouble with text music appears to be the most commonly gifted area.

Thinking back over 30 years of harp teaching I would say that mostly those that I taught who had DPD all had better tone, were more expressive and inventive that 'normal' students. One of these that I'm thinking of won the Jnr Blues section in the World Harmonica Championships, after he had been learning for just a couple of short years. Not that I would embarrass him by I.D.'ing him. Whilst he had fab tone and invention he real trouble with writing and school work in general. I'm sure that Norman Ives could back me up here.

So I'd be glad of your thoughts and experiences concerning the above.

If you want to take this off list I'm at drmidnight@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

ATB
Dr Midnight AKA David Priestley





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