Pistolcat
699 posts
Oct 01, 2014
1:04 PM
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The largest harmonica association of Sweden, HarpMeet, had a convention in Norrköping on September 27-28 2014. The Jam on Saturday evening was the weekend pinnacle. The bands 'Blue Comets' and 'Train yard' was very professional and friendly and a lot of us shy, hobby harpists ended up on stage. Here is my version of 'Telephone Blues' with Blue Comets.
Feel free to comment. I already know that there were quite a few misses in there but all constructive critique is very welcome.
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Pistolkatt - Pistolkatts youtube
Last Edited by Pistolcat on Oct 01, 2014 1:18 PM
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CarlA
609 posts
Oct 01, 2014
1:53 PM
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Well, the crowd seemed to dig it. Doesn't matter what we think;)
Last Edited by CarlA on Oct 01, 2014 1:53 PM
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Harpaholic
551 posts
Oct 01, 2014
3:49 PM
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I don't know WTF the last post is about, jealousy?
Its certainly not constructive or supportive.
It was a good rendition by a good band that knows how to play blues.
You did a really good job!, I enjoyed it!
Maybe Carl will bless us with his version so we can see how its supposed to be done.
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jbone
1781 posts
Oct 01, 2014
8:01 PM
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Hey Pistol- hats off to you man. Very nice!
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http://www.reverbnation.com/jawboneandjolene
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000386839482
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbTwvU-EN1Q
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Pistolcat
702 posts
Oct 01, 2014
9:35 PM
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Thanks guys. I'm aware that there was mistakes and I'm not sure why I posted it since it is lacking quite a bit. I guess I just wanted to show some playing with a real band. The live music situation on a jam just blows the at-home-playing-to-a-backing-track (my usual harp fix) out of the water.
Since the harp was so central the singer just gave us solo after solo on all songs. I fumbled the first part of mine and was really looking forward to let it go but it's hard to step off when your first base coach is waving you on :).
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Pistolkatt - Pistolkatts youtube
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Kingley
3708 posts
Oct 01, 2014
10:15 PM
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Pistolcat - I think you did a good job. The main thing is that you're aware of the mistakes you made, so they will improve over time. My only suggestion is maybe think about trying to learn to sing as then your harp playing would have even more impact and you'd also have more control over the band. All in all though a good job, well done. You should be proud of that.
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eharp
2235 posts
Oct 01, 2014
10:36 PM
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Here we go again.
You read things into Carl's post that I am not, harpaholic.
All I got out of it was if the crowd loves it, that, maybe, should be enough feedback.
I thought it was pretty good.
Never post a vid and an apology.
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Blocker
152 posts
Oct 01, 2014
11:55 PM
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Hey Pistolcat, I for one really enjoyed that. I don't really have any constructive criticism just praise. I listened to the whole clip and I think I will steal some of your licks.
Also in CarlA's defence he has put a smiley face at the end of the remark, so I think it may have been taken the wrong way by Hapaholic (just trying to avert a slanging match here).
Last Edited by Blocker on Oct 02, 2014 12:00 AM
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CarlA
611 posts
Oct 02, 2014
12:15 AM
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@eharp
@blocker
Bingo! I appreciate the understanding. You both understood exactly what I meant :)
@harpaholic
I still love you man ;)
My comment was meant as a POSITIVE towards pistolcats playing. IMHO if the crowd likes the playing( and they most certainly did from what I heard upon the conclusion of the harp solo) than as far as I am concerned the mission is accomplished succesfully. There is no jealousy because pistolcat and probably 99% of players on this board are way better players than I am, and I have no problem admiting this. Can you? ;)
Last Edited by CarlA on Oct 02, 2014 4:13 AM
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Martin
702 posts
Oct 02, 2014
5:08 AM
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I believe that the Pistolcat has been playing just a few years -- but I don´t know exactly how many -- and that factor should enter the judgement of the performance.
In view of that it´s quite simply great playing.
My "objections" are petty, but I think that on a slow tune like this with plenty of long wailing notes you should add more vibrato. Fat vibrato. Un-ashamed vibrato. Take for instance when you enter, I think you would come across woth a lot more authority if you had considerably more vibrato; also, perhaps you sound a tad thin on the higher notes.
Vibrato is of course a very personal thing, and some people think it´s "fake", but on the harmonica, for holding out longer notes I think it´s something of a sine qua non.
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Rubes
900 posts
Oct 02, 2014
5:29 AM
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Great note choices and phrasing! I loved it!
( and great vox and shirt on bandleader! )
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Old Man Rubes at Reverbnation
Dads in Space at Reverbnation
Benny and Rubes at Reverbnation
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BronzeWailer
1477 posts
Oct 02, 2014
6:15 AM
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Nice work Pistolcat. Good to see you out and about. I like your tone in particular. I don't have any suggestions. One always hears one's own "mistakes" loudest! It's interesting to hear what others are doing too. Thanks for sharing.
[My guitar man doesn't think there is such a thing as a mistake. Just notes you may not have intended to play.] It's very liberating to think that way...
BronzeWailer's YouTube
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jawbone
555 posts
Oct 02, 2014
6:25 AM
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I sure didn't hear anything wrong with that !!! Good job !!!
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If it ain't got harp - it ain't really blues!!!!
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Pistolcat
703 posts
Oct 02, 2014
10:28 AM
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Thanks all for listening! I really appreciate it! Carl - I always try to see posts from the positive side as I know most here mean well. Thanks for your comment. As for the crowd - a majority was fellow harpist and this was a very, very supportive happening. But I sure liked the whoops and yells.
Kingley - I'd like to be able to sing. I'm working some on it but haven't really got it down yet.
Martin - thanks man. I've been playing for three and a half years now. Still working on it. There's HarpMeets really advances me and I love going to them. I hear what you say about tone and vibrato. I, too, think the high end sounded thin. I guess I was a bit tense :). On the other hand I liked the way I got the intro even if it was a bit too short and tense, too.
Jbone, Harpaholic, Rubes, Jawbone, eharp and bronzewailer - Big Thank You for listening and your support. It means a lot to me.
Eharp - I have had lovers who told me the same ;)
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Pistolkatt - Pistolkatts youtube
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Milsson
171 posts
Oct 02, 2014
10:59 AM
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I go to a jam now and then so I know how painful it can be, your nervous and you are not getting along with the gear but you are doing a great job!
I believe hornfeldt brought his bassman? If I have the chans to play a mod bassman on a slow blues I would work primarily with dynamics and the timbre, thin and fat and all the sounds in between. That's what I like most with good amps, if you play quiet and thin you have a clean sound and when you play loud and fat the preamp overdrives.
One big plus for me is that you choose to stand back when the guitarist plays his fills.. To many harpist just hit the gas and don't care about the other musicians. Again good work!
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Harpaholic
553 posts
Oct 02, 2014
11:26 AM
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I don't sling mud at anyone online, it shows your spineless! Not accusing anyone!
I also don't think I'm the only one that interpreted Carl's comment in a negative way.
Why post a comment to a posted video that's open to interpretation, doesn't make sense? He asked for constructive critique.
I have no problem admitting that 1/3 of the players on this board are better harp players than I.
Maybe more, maybe less?
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Pistolcat
704 posts
Oct 02, 2014
12:12 PM
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Anywho. Here's a clip from little later that evening when I loosened up some. Second position this time but still my Fat Harp custom A harp.
My camera had shut off here but I recorded all audio with a Yamaha pr7 PCM recorder. I think the sound was really nice, compared with a cam. What do you guys say?
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Pistolkatt - Pistolkatts youtube
Last Edited by Pistolcat on Oct 02, 2014 12:22 PM
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Pistolcat
705 posts
Oct 02, 2014
12:49 PM
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And here is a third song where I just climbed onstage and cut in at the second song mic... Leffe, the singer/band harpist, bails me out when I forget how to play on the low octave in first :D. I brought a whole bag of harps but I could just have brought the one A harp and played Telephone in third, Got love in second and Humbuggin' in first ;D
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Pistolkatt - Pistolkatts youtube
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jpmcbride
71 posts
Oct 02, 2014
9:39 PM
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Pistolcat,
That's exactly the kind of playing that will get you invited to sit in with bands! Excellent!
You left lots of space, didn't play fills over every opening, never stepped on the vocal, and played a couple of nice solos that fit with the song. I'd call it a big success!
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Jim McBride
www.bottleoblues.com
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Barley Nectar
543 posts
Oct 03, 2014
2:43 PM
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Nice job PC. Must be cool to play with a harp dedicated band. Keep going and good luck...BN
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Pistolcat
708 posts
Oct 04, 2014
2:36 AM
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Milsson - It was Mikael Falls Bassman. I should really work on my mic and amp technique. Its a lot more to it than "having a good acoustic tone". Thanks for listening!
Jim - Thanks man!
BN- It was a very supportive event. Kind of pro-am feeling. A sheltered workshop as we say in swedish.
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Pistolkatt - Pistolkatts youtube
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