About Us
Aside from being the founder and author of HarmonicaLessons.com and a longtime professional harmonica teacher, Dave has also been playing in bands, making albums, and doing recording session work since the late 1970's.
- Dave Gage, Founder and Author- Dave has made his living playing and teaching diatonic and chromatic harmonica in the Los Angeles area for over 30 years. In that time period, he has logged over 10,000 hours of private and group instruction. He is the chief author, programmer, photographer, and designer at HarmonicaLessons.com. He constructed it in 1999 as an off-shoot of the ever growing popularity of the instruction and information found on his homesite, Dave Gage.com.
Dave grew up in the Los Angeles area, became an Eagle Scout, swam and played waterpolo in high school, worked as a semi-pro photographer, and went on to college. At UC Davis, he was a dual major in Philosophy and Music. At this point, he also began teaching harmonica and playing in local bands. After college, he returned to Los Angeles and put together the first Dave Gage Band while training in Shotokan Karate, playing tennis and volleyball, and studying jazz improv on the chromatic harmonica.
In the recording studios, he has done numerous session jobs including all the harmonica on the mid '80s network TV show "Davis Rules". He has also written, produced, and played the music for various radio and TV commercials. He has played or recorded with artists such as Andy Summer (Police), Mark Mothersbaugh and Bob Casale (Devo), Rick Springfield, Bill Ward (Black Sabbath), Jack Bruce, Lee Oskar and others. He also was one of the songwriters and lyricists for the Disney Channel show "Adventures in Wonderland." He has worked with the Hohner and Lee Oskar Harmonica Companies over the years as a pro endorsee and new product consultant. And he has written articles about the harmonica or aspects of its playing for Guitar Player Magazine and the Alesis quarterly "Reflections".
His influences on harmonica include not only the greats of his instrument like James Cotton and Paul Butterfield, but guitar players such as Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, and Stevie Ray Vaughn (Dave uses a technique called tongue-switching which gives an effect much like tapping on the guitar -- -- audio samples below). Besides playing the diatonic and chromatic harmonicas and singing lead vocals, he also plays guitar, keyboards, and does sequencing and digital recording in his home studio.
His first album, "Well You Can't, Now Can You", was released on CD and cassette and was reviewed in 1995 by the Music Connection Magazine and rated a 9 out of 10. In early 2001, Dave and the GAGE Band released a new album on CD, "Love You Just The Same". This album includes a total of 12 songs, both original and cover tunes, done in the unique GAGE Band "alternative blues" style.
- AYM Music- AYM Music is owned and run by Dave Gage and is the parent company for HarmonicaLessons.com, HarmonicaStore.com, Harmonica4kids.com and other harmonica websites. When you become a Member at HarmonicaLessons.com or purchase one of our instruction products, you may see "AYM Music" as the company on your credit card bill.
Video: "Struck By Thunder" (hard rock harmonica)
RECORDED in 1994- "Inspired by an AC/DC riff. Written and recorded by myself and Scott Linssen (electric guitar). Features one of my all time favorite snare samples." [Video Length: 03:25]
*Played in the key of "A" on a standard key of "D" diatonic in 2nd Position. The solo was played in the key of "Db" on a re-tuned B diatonic in 3rd Position.
RECORDED in 1994- "Inspired by an AC/DC riff. Written and recorded by myself and Scott Linssen (electric guitar). Features one of my all time favorite snare samples." [Video Length: 03:25]
*Played in the key of "A" on a standard key of "D" diatonic in 2nd Position. The solo was played in the key of "Db" on a re-tuned B diatonic in 3rd Position.
Video: "Live Blues Solo"
RECORDED in 1991- Dave Gage at a Rock-Blues jam soloing on 12-bar blues in "A" on a "D" diatonic (sorry about the audio quality on this one). [Video Length: 01:30]
RECORDED in 1991- Dave Gage at a Rock-Blues jam soloing on 12-bar blues in "A" on a "D" diatonic (sorry about the audio quality on this one). [Video Length: 01:30]
Video: "Love You Just the Same" (GAGE Band)
RECORDED in 1999 (released in 2000)- At some point, the Dave Gage Band became just GAGE. This was the first and final album for this hard rocking blues band. This is the title song of the "Love You Just the Same" album which included a total of 12 songs. It also included studio band versions of the Dave Gage instrumentals: "Struck by Thunder", "68 Blues", and "Secret". [Video Length: 04:34]
*Harmonica played in the key of "G" on a standard key of "C" diatonic in 2nd Position.
RECORDED in 1999 (released in 2000)- At some point, the Dave Gage Band became just GAGE. This was the first and final album for this hard rocking blues band. This is the title song of the "Love You Just the Same" album which included a total of 12 songs. It also included studio band versions of the Dave Gage instrumentals: "Struck by Thunder", "68 Blues", and "Secret". [Video Length: 04:34]
*Harmonica played in the key of "G" on a standard key of "C" diatonic in 2nd Position.
Video: "Tap 2" (solo rock harmonica)
RECORDED in 1995- "I was testing out a Barcus-Berry harmonica pickup and different sounds on an Alesis QuadraVerb GT effects box. I took the output of the mixing board and went directly to a DAT recorder so I could listen back later. I liked it enough that I decided to call this jam a 'song'. The first "Tap" song was on my "Well You Can't, Now Can You" CD from 1990. This was similar enough that I called it "Tap 2". It was a one time direct recording with no overdubs. The sounds created by the tongue switching techniques were inspired by Eddie Van Halen tapping and whammy bar effects on electric guitar." [Video Length: 02:19]
*Played in the key of "E" on a standard key of "A" diatonic in 2nd Position.
RECORDED in 1995- "I was testing out a Barcus-Berry harmonica pickup and different sounds on an Alesis QuadraVerb GT effects box. I took the output of the mixing board and went directly to a DAT recorder so I could listen back later. I liked it enough that I decided to call this jam a 'song'. The first "Tap" song was on my "Well You Can't, Now Can You" CD from 1990. This was similar enough that I called it "Tap 2". It was a one time direct recording with no overdubs. The sounds created by the tongue switching techniques were inspired by Eddie Van Halen tapping and whammy bar effects on electric guitar." [Video Length: 02:19]
*Played in the key of "E" on a standard key of "A" diatonic in 2nd Position.
Video: "68 Blues- 1994 version"
RECORDED in 1994- "Written and recorded by myself and Scott Linssen (electric guitar). In 1999, a new version was recorded in studio with a live band. I like both versions so both have been uploaded." [Video Length: 03:19]
*Played in the key of "C" on a standard key of "F" diatonic in 2nd Position.
RECORDED in 1994- "Written and recorded by myself and Scott Linssen (electric guitar). In 1999, a new version was recorded in studio with a live band. I like both versions so both have been uploaded." [Video Length: 03:19]
*Played in the key of "C" on a standard key of "F" diatonic in 2nd Position.
