Ok, so the song probably isn't the best song for harp but a lot of working bands have to play it and why not, the paying folks like it!
Assuming the chord progression works around D, C, G... What harp works best for covering the signature licks. I've only really heard LD Miller play it well and that was a quick intro on Idol years ago. Like most harp players, if it isn't I, IV, V, it takes a little computation. I'm thinking a C harp, but not sure. ---------- Greg Jones 16:23 Custom Harmonicas greg@1623customharmonicas.com 1623customharmonicas.com
I played in a country rock band in the eighties and had to rock out on this add-nausium. It can be fun if you don't have to do it two or three times a week. Second position works just fine. ----------
Yeah, he did it well.. better than most Was hoping to hear some licks, but either way, hat's off ---------- Greg Jones 16:23 Custom Harmonicas greg@1623customharmonicas.com 1623customharmonicas.com
It's not in G, as such, but rather D mixolydian. Second position would be fine if you had a G like mine, a Joe Spiers Stage One with a Evanwood comb. I still would rather use a Power Chromatic . . .
Last Edited by Gnarly on May 23, 2013 11:23 PM
Ok, I looked at the sheet music. There is one (1) sharp meaning the song is written/charted in key of G. No doubt about that.
I suspect the mode is D mix meaning the D scale with a C natural/minor 7th.
Agree on key of G/Dmix mode?
Assuming our middle-aged over amped guitar playing band is following the chart (They surely have no idea what "key" the song is in), on which harp would the standard licks lay out the best?
---------- Greg Jones 16:23 Custom Harmonicas greg@1623customharmonicas.com 1623customharmonicas.com
Last Edited by GMaj7 on May 24, 2013 5:44 AM
This is from a huge thread on that site. Most on there agreed it was in G, but the argument that it could be played as being in G or D is made well by many.
So you pretty much just play what sounds good and you are ok. I don't think is sounds good with a lot of blues harp on it, though. ---------- Mantra Customized Harmonicas My Website
Last Edited by HarpNinja on May 24, 2013 7:00 AM
bestalkooper.jpg Al Kooper signed Lynyrd Skynyrd to their first major contract, MCA, and produced their first three albums, including Second Helping, which featured "Sweet Home Alabama."
In fact, the Brooklyn-born Kooper is the "Yankee Slicker" Ronnie Van Zant is referring to in the song "Working for MCA."
And though you've probably never noticed it, that's Kooper doing a Neil Young imitation in what he calls a near-subliminal track on "Sweet Home."
Just after Van Zant says, "Well, I heard Mr. Young sing about her," a barely audible Kooper sings in the left speaker, "Southern man, better use your head ..." In an e-mail interview, Kooper said it was his idea to add the line. And nobody's ever noticed it before he tells them it's there.
Why has the song stood the test of time? "Because it's ALWAYS been an obvious ... masterpiece," Kooper said. In fact, he knew it would be big before it was ever released. He wrote in his memoir, "Backstage Passes ..." that he purposely released "Don't Ask Me No Questions" as a single first because no other song would be an adequate follow-up single to "Sweet Home Alabama."
As for the story of Ed King playing his guitar solo in G, even though the song is in D, Kooper said, "IMHO, the song is in they key of D. Ed disagrees and says its in the key of G. We are both talking about the same finished recording. It is an opinion about an existing piece of music."
Some stories say Kooper tried to change the solo to D in the mixing process, but King won out. "Neither of us wishes to 'fix the key,' Kooper said, "the discussion is an interpretation of what each of us hears. Ed IS playing his solo in they key of G while in my opinion the song is in D. That causes some interesting note rubs but I got used to them after a few hours because Ed refused to change the solo in ANY way."
Read more about the worldwide impact of "Sweet Home Alabama" on al.com.
So in all this, my question is still the same. What harp lays out the best for the riffs????????????????? Someone nudge Michael Rubin... he knows this stuff. I'm actually thinking (F) harp with 5 draw to pick up the Bb and the 5 OB to get the B.
Anyone??? ---------- Greg Jones 16:23 Custom Harmonicas greg@1623customharmonicas.com 1623customharmonicas.com
What are you trying to play from it? Are you trying to cop the guitar lead or something? Are you going for a certain feel?
Both the Bb and B are easy to play on a C harp...which gives you a ton of flexibility to jump between keys and scales.
Since it is G, D, C it depends on what you are trying to accomplish. If you look at those three chords, a C harp in cross works just find for finding notes. The thing with positions is this:
If you are playing diatonic to a key, you can generally find a scale on a harp that fits neatly into two octaves depending on what you're looking for - do you want single notes, chords, juicy bends, no overbends, etc.? ---------- Mantra Customized Harmonicas My Website
LD played patterns in cross harp that included typical blues harp wail notes. There is nothing wrong with that, but he was not following the harmony of the song. He essentially played 2nd position blues harp stuff. If you want to get ubber technical, he used patterns in the middle of the harp that are ambiguous, but lay out nicely to play fast with. This is exactly like thegearpage link I shared. If you think of G, D, and C and how they layout on a C harp, the middle octave has no "out" notes unless you start overbending.
I think the sound I would like to play/hear are notes played that don't sound like a lost and misplaced harp player but instead copy the over feel of the guitar riffs although the piano line is pretty cool too and that may be a better fit.
I think a harp player that could land some easy triads across the chords could kill a lot of time on a ride and do a good job fooling the crowd into thinking he/she is earning his money. Anyhow, this horse may be buried, already, but would love to hear someone take a stab at it.
I promise I will be gentle. Thx Ninja and Gamber, as well as the other posters. Obvious you guys know your stuff. So much better discussion than flat sanding a Blues Band, IMHO.
:)
---------- Greg Jones 16:23 Custom Harmonicas greg@1623customharmonicas.com 1623customharmonicas.com
If someone can get me a solid backing track, I'll jam to it with a couple of different harps at some point this weekend and share it. ---------- Mantra Customized Harmonicas My Website
Here's the pre-plane-crash band doing it on British TV:
This version also ends on a G chord, but I think the studio track just fades out at the end, which I guess makes sense if the band and producer couldn't agree what key it was.
Any how, G major or D Mixolydian have the same notes, so it's kind of academic. I've been playing along on a C harp (second or third position, depending if you believe Al or Ed) but it should work on a G harp, too. On a G, you could fake the Cadd9 chord with a 2-5 split.
Last Edited by timeistight on May 24, 2013 10:43 AM
I'm in agreement with bonedog on this. And C definitely feels like 3rd pos. as well. (I just went and listened to the original studio version and it's definitely not in the key they play it live)
Last Edited by cyclodan on May 25, 2013 1:52 PM
I went to make a clip with the Burke backing track, but was having problems with Reaper...I couldn't use Audacity as I have a new interface that Audacity doesn't support.
I was trouble shooting for about 15min then had to stop. I watched a YT and it turns out I was arming the backing track for recording but should have left if off. Dumb of me.
Back to the drawing board tonight. It will take maybe 2min to do a clip, but I don't have much free time until next week.
I did, though, get to jam for about three minutes with the track switching between D, C, G, and A harps. It sounded good on all four. I think I may have changed my mind and would go with a C harp in what is essentially cross harp if I were to do it live again.
I've been working a lot on major playing in cross the last couple of months and it is easier for me to jump between scaled than in 12th. ---------- Mantra Customized Harmonicas My Website
