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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > Chromatic harmonica practice?
Chromatic harmonica practice?
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Kingley
3493 posts
Mar 07, 2014
1:44 PM
I have been getting more and more interested in playing the chromatic and want to move away from simply playing blues in 3rd position on it. As a result I have been practicing major scales and blues scales in all twelve keys, learning a few straight melodies and trying to work out some of Miles Davis - So What on the chromatic. When practicing the scales I have been playing them in intervals of fifths. e.g: C,G,D,A,E etc, etc. I then move onto playing the melodies I have been learning, then trying to jam along with some non blues stuff. Is the above a good way to get a handle on the chromatic? Should I be practicing chromatic and minor scales as well? Is there anything else I should be looking at adding into my practice regime?
jnorem
91 posts
Mar 07, 2014
2:01 PM
You should be practicing any and all scales, and don't forget the modes. Practice arpeggios too, up and down. Practice the chromatic scale starting on each note of the chromatic scale, also be able to start the chromatic scale on any random note. Go the full length of the instrument, up and down.

What kind of chromatic do you have?
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Call me J

Last Edited by jnorem on Mar 07, 2014 2:01 PM
Kingley
3494 posts
Mar 07, 2014
2:06 PM
Thanks for the tips. I have a Chromonica 270 Deluxe and a 280 Chromonica.
jnorem
93 posts
Mar 07, 2014
3:01 PM
So you have a four-octave chromatic, good.

When I was learning (I wanted to be able to play jazz) I got some of the Aebersold books. You'll definitely want to get this one:

VOLUME 2 - NOTHIN' BUT BLUES

It's blues changes in different keys, with a CD of backing tracks. Great for jamming along to.
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Call me J

Last Edited by jnorem on Mar 07, 2014 3:07 PM
WinslowYerxa
509 posts
Mar 07, 2014
3:05 PM
Work on the alternative ways to play C (left or right versions, blow vs B# inhaled version) and F (draw or blow E# version) and incorporate them into your scales, arpeggios, licks, etc.

Work on playing the chromatic scale using all alternates for C and F, and also in small chunks such as as a 3-semitone rang up and down, then starting it a semitone higher, etc., and as chromatic upper and lower neighboring notes to scales and arpeggios.

For every scale, play it not only as a chain of seconds (A, B, C, etc.) but also as a chain of thirds (A C E G B D F A, and then B D F A C E G B) and as fourths (A D G C F B E A)
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Winslow
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capnj
206 posts
Mar 07, 2014
8:57 PM
Man I love third,just have to buy more chroms to cover.Thanks Winslow,and jnorem,this the right way,and I just need to conjure up the discipline to get er done.

Kingsley,your going to get their first,good fun in learning that 16holer,and monster sounds.I am enjoying finding many other than blues tunes for a chromatic touch,never be adler.
Truly can impress with that skill set.I am very much into melodies,even to a fault,other mus. were saying just play the licks,then they hear me throwing harmony,and melody,their is a place for groove licks,love them both.

Last Edited by capnj on Mar 07, 2014 9:31 PM
Kingley
3495 posts
Mar 08, 2014
12:41 AM
Winslow and jnorem, thanks for the great advice guys.
Capnj, yrs the more I get into the chromatic, the more I realise what a great instrument it is. I'm really enjoying playing some very basic jazz stuff and straight melodies on it. Just wish I'd stated what back when on it and paid it more attention. Playing their is great and iI love it. When you start to move beyond it though you begin to see the real power of the instrument.
Kingley
3496 posts
Mar 08, 2014
12:41 AM
Winslow and jnorem, thanks for the great advice guys.
Capnj, yes the more I get into the chromatic, the more I realise what a great instrument it is. I'm really enjoying playing some very basic jazz stuff and straight melodies on it. Just wish I'd started way back when on it and paid it more attention. Playing third on chrom is great and I love it. When you start to move beyond it though you begin to see the real power of the instrument.

Last Edited by Kingley on Mar 08, 2014 12:47 AM
Thievin' Heathen
291 posts
Mar 08, 2014
7:47 AM
A Jazz Bass friend of mine suggested Charlie Parker licks, so I asked Santa Claus for a Charlie Parker book. Santa was good to me, I got a couple of CD's and a book. About 100 pages of Bird chops. If I ever learn them all, I think I will be well received at most any jazz jam. No small accomplishment, should I succeed.

Scales are good. I like the way I can visualize the note layout of a scale and think, "there's a sharp here so I need to push the button".

I am still in my infancy with all this. I figure it will start to come together in about 2000 more hours.
Kingley
3498 posts
Mar 08, 2014
10:43 AM
I reckon I probably need about 20,000 hours!
Diggsblues
1317 posts
Mar 08, 2014
5:15 PM
I would get beginning flute study book. Also, Jamie Aebersol.
I think Vol.21 has major scales and modes. It's good to apply those scales and arpeggios. Remember everything in Jazz is not bebop.

Diggs

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Last Edited by
Diggsblues on Mar 08, 2014 5:19 PM
wolfkristiansen
267 posts
Mar 09, 2014
1:03 AM
Third position yields those fat, beautiful chords when you suck (sorry, draw) with a wide open mouth on the chromatic. I love it for that.

I don't want to lose that juicy sound. I'll stick to third. I use the button once in a while; Little Walter didn't. Does that make me a jazz player?

The above is somewhat tongue in cheek. If someone can point me to other positions that let you open your mouth and sound good while grabbing a handful, I mean mouthful, of notes I'm all ears (and mouth).

The chordal aspects of the chromatic mean a lot to me.

Cheers,

wolf kristiansen

Last Edited by wolfkristiansen on Mar 09, 2014 1:05 AM
WinslowYerxa
514 posts
Mar 10, 2014
11:34 AM
You can get various kind of chords in just about every position on the chromatic.

Obviously the big draw chord works as a minor6th chord in third (D) on a C harp) and Eb (10th). It also works as a rootless 9th chord in second (G) and ninth (A-flat).

The blow chord works not only as a major chord (C - first- and Db - eighth), but also as a rootless minor 7th chord (A - fourth - and Bb - 11th).

Those are just the most obvious 3 and 4 note chords. There are plenty of two-note double stops and splits, even ones where you can alternate between them for broken chords played with special rhythms.

The chordal stuff is there on chromatic, but you have to puzzle out how to stitch the fragments together.
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Winslow
Find out about the 2014 Spring Harmonica Collective!

Last Edited by WinslowYerxa on Mar 10, 2014 11:35 AM


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