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Bluegrass Harp?
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TmickyD1
16 posts
Feb 05, 2015
4:49 PM
I know this is a blues forum, but there's not much of a blues scene here in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia. Do y'all know of any good bluegrass harp players I could listen to for inspiration? I haven't ran into too many in person.

I know Sonny Terry's style can be used fairly effectively to this style of music as well.

Most of my harmonica playing is in jams like this.

Last Edited by TmickyD1 on Feb 05, 2015 4:51 PM
Harp Study
72 posts
Feb 05, 2015
5:40 PM
Try Buddy Greene and Mike Stevens. Both great players. Also PT Gazell has an album called "Pace Yourself" which is another fantastic example of what a harp can do in a bluegrass setting.
clyde
395 posts
Feb 05, 2015
5:47 PM
Love it

David naiditch

Last Edited by clyde on Feb 05, 2015 5:51 PM
KC69
435 posts
Feb 05, 2015
6:06 PM
Frank Bard: Harmonica from the Heartland
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And I Thank You !!
KCz
Backwoodz
Bluz
sonny3
243 posts
Feb 05, 2015
6:11 PM
Great playing! Check out an album called Pickin and Blowin by Peagram and Parham.Also Mark Graham does this kind of playing.Jimmy Faden with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band as well.Im really into the Old time first position playing of cats like Herman Crook and Dr. Humphrey Bates.
GMaj7
609 posts
Feb 05, 2015
6:27 PM
Nice.. Nice.. Nice...
Great stuff.. all of you guys..
Check out that fool fiddle player switching out instruments in the middle..
Tell him.. he's awesome..! wow..

Good harp... like how you back it off when the other guys come in..
Really nice..

(Left handed guitars make my head hurt...) You guys are all talented.. post more
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Greg Jones
16:23 Custom Harmonicas
greg@1623customharmonicas.com
1623customharmonicas.com
GMaj7
610 posts
Feb 05, 2015
6:28 PM
BTW - David Naiditch is one crazy good bluegrass player with a sweet jazz style.. Does it on chromatic. Really amazing and very enjoyable .....
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Greg Jones
16:23 Custom Harmonicas
greg@1623customharmonicas.com
1623customharmonicas.com
Harmonicatunes
9 posts
Feb 05, 2015
6:42 PM
Nice stuff.

My advice would be to learn some of the common bluegrass fiddle tunes. Many of them sit nicely in first position. David Rice from "Boiled Buzzards" did some great recordings.

For pointers on which tunes to learn, and how to go about it, check out this page on traditional tunes

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Tony Eyers
Australia
www.HarmonicaAcademy.com
everyone plays...
GMaj7
611 posts
Feb 05, 2015
7:07 PM
Oh wow..
I forgot about Tony Eyers...he's good, too.
Has a great You Tube of
Whiskey For Breakfast..
1,000 of the views are by me..
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Greg Jones
16:23 Custom Harmonicas
greg@1623customharmonicas.com
1623customharmonicas.com
Aussiesucker
1419 posts
Feb 05, 2015
7:11 PM
Also check out some of Todd Parrots playing of some Gospel tunes.

I regularly go to bluegrass jams & love it. So far I'm the only harp player amongst sometimes between 20 & up to 50 musicians. Although I'm in my mid 70s the bluegrass scene here is young and vibrant with some fantastic musicians to lean on and learn from. I got my love of bluegrass as an offshoot of country but also in attending the Harmonica Academy there is a great repertoire of bluegrass fiddle tunes. My harp choices are standard diatonics or Paddy Richters for many of the fiddle tunes, & major x or MM tuning for the more traditional country ,folky or gospel. Wailing on the bottom end can result in unfriendly stare ie until you are accepted.

check out the followin article on the etiquette of bluegrass jamming:-http://users.ece.gatech.edu/~tom/roles.html
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HARPOLDIE’S YOUTUBE
TmickyD1
18 posts
Feb 05, 2015
7:16 PM
Thanks for the replies everyone! I'll definitely check out these guys. Y'all gave me some great leads. I've heard of Buddy Greene, but the rest are all new to me!

I'm also glad yall like the song. I realized about half way through that I probably shouldn't have used a train rhythm for 4 minutes straight in the background, but I powered through. It WAS a good lung exercise even though I was getting light headed by the end of that one! haha.

Both the guitar player, Chris Rose, and the fiddle/banjo player, Corbin Haysett are on youtube. I'll grab a few more videos and post em in just a minute.

Last Edited by TmickyD1 on Feb 05, 2015 7:19 PM
TmickyD1
19 posts
Feb 05, 2015
7:37 PM
GMaj7, Thats a nice version of "Whiskey Before Breakfast" That version is a bit more mellow than mine. (don't mind the percussion guy in the back...)


Heres some more videos of our band memebers. This is the fiddle/banjo player Corbin Hayslett, Its hard to believe this guy on only 20yo



And finally, the guitar player, Chris Rose, hes not just a bluegrass player. He's the guitar instructor for the college I go to as well

Last Edited by TmickyD1 on Feb 05, 2015 7:39 PM
Lmbrjak
245 posts
Feb 05, 2015
7:53 PM
You and your friends sound great TMick. Here's Doc Watson,who is one of my favorites.
Lmbrjak
246 posts
Feb 05, 2015
8:17 PM
And one more. Much of his best stuff isn't on Youtube. We had a thread on here a couple yrs. ago. Type in Doc Watson on forum search if you want to hear more.
Aussiesucker
1420 posts
Feb 05, 2015
10:06 PM
Not in the strictest sense Bluegrass ie incorrect mix of instruments but a great Bluegrass song 'Man of Constant Sorrow' with some great harp from Mickey Raphael. What I like about Mickeys playing is the fact that he never overplays which is how I think players of bluegrass harp have to behave. Enjoy

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HARPOLDIE’S YOUTUBE
Ed Hopwood
3 posts
Feb 06, 2015
2:12 AM
Love his playing on this video. The Phrasing is quite sparse and rhythmic at times, lots of space!
I play quite a bit at Bluegrass sessions and I agree that it can be good to underplay a bit at first, especially when other musicians are taking breaks and then knowing some of the repertoire of course makes a massive difference.
For a quite clean puckered approach to Bluegrass I've found Sandy Weltman's videos on youtube useful.
Ed
rbeetsme
1616 posts
Feb 06, 2015
4:14 AM
Charlie McCoy, Brenden Power, James Conway.
Sarge
437 posts
Feb 06, 2015
7:08 AM
Tennessee Wagoner

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Wisdom does not always come with old age. Sometimes old age arrives alone.
GEEZER1
219 posts
Feb 06, 2015
8:35 AM
Love this Thread, thanks
kudzurunner
5294 posts
Feb 06, 2015
10:33 AM
Sarge
438 posts
Feb 06, 2015
11:50 AM
Hey thanks sonny3, I appreciate it.
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Wisdom does not always come with old age. Sometimes old age arrives alone.
Philosofy
656 posts
Feb 06, 2015
12:36 PM
Just a little heads up: from talking with Buddy Greene, he said that most bluegrass players don't like harmonica players. And Joe Fillisko said (with a smile on his face) they were like musical nazis. I've always been under the impression you can't "jam" with bluegrass. You HAVE to know the melody, and if you don't know it, don't try to fake it.
Diggsblues
1640 posts
Feb 06, 2015
12:57 PM
Don't forget the great Mike Caldwell

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Diggsblues
1641 posts
Feb 06, 2015
1:04 PM
Also, the great Mike Stevens

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Aussiesucker
1422 posts
Feb 06, 2015
1:41 PM
I would agree & disagree with Philosophy. Certainly most bluegrass musicians don't like harmonica 'players' & here the key word is 'players'. But prove to them that you know & understand the etiquette, the harmonica & you as the player will be accepted. Certainly having a good repertoire of some of the more complex fiddle tunes will have you in good standing but there is ample opportunity to wing it on the majority of tunes. Having some of Sandy Weltmans Bluegrass licks is very helpful. The majority of the tunes we play at bluegrass jams are fairly easy to play and are not that dissimilar. I was told by one of the leaders of our group that to not be afraid to take solos but to be sure to stay in key & on tempo. I get lead breaks on most tunes we play. If you are able to sing it will add another string to your bow as lots of bluegrass involves singing and harmonies. Another thing to be aware of is in introducing new tunes ie do your research & have bluegrass references and an armful of pages with lyrics & chords for the other players. If unsure as to if a tune is acceptable to the genre then friendship with a guitar, banjo or mandolin player & their involvement in intro of the tune will most likely work. The Parking Lot Pickers Song book contains ca 200+ popular bluegrass numbers but of course there are thousands more.
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HARPOLDIE’S YOUTUBE
GEEZER1
220 posts
Feb 06, 2015
7:31 PM

Last Edited by GEEZER1 on Feb 06, 2015 7:38 PM
GEEZER1
221 posts
Feb 06, 2015
7:37 PM
Feb 06, 2015
7:31 PM
Edit
I can tell from experience that bluegrassers do not want harp players playing with them. They feel if Bill Monroe didn't have them they are excluded. Some of them even want to exclude the Dobro. Little do they know Bill did have a harmonica player and an accordion player in the 1940s. Unlike the Polka players who welcome all instruments. Silly isn't it?
Harmonicatunes
12 posts
Feb 06, 2015
7:43 PM
Cold Frosty Morning, a bluegrass standard, from the Tony Eyers Trio.

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Tony Eyers
Australia
www.HarmonicaAcademy.com
everyone plays...
Aussiesucker
1425 posts
Feb 06, 2015
8:23 PM
GEEZER1 yes Bill Monroe did play & record with harmonica players as did many of the early bluegrass musicians. I believe in most instances it would be the player who is not welcome. I know when I first became interested in bluegrass some years ago it was a case of tread lightly listen, take note & learn. Dobros are generally accepted and in fact many guitarists double up on Dobro. Were any players interested in bluegrass they could do no better than enroll in Tony Eyers course & get some bluegrass fiddle tunes into their repertoire. It is not an easy entry for harp players and having a second string ie vocals or guitar can make for easier acceptance. You can be a lousy guitar, banjo, fiddle or mandolin player & they welcome you with open arms but in the case of harp you are largely on your own. Many of the group I jam with come from different genres with a fair number coming from Country.But at our jams it is strictly bluegrass. There are traditionalists stuck in the last century whose likes and dislikes don't change but that could be said of all music.Newcomers who turn up at our jams are given a set of guidelines and barred if they have non conforming instruments ie percussive, electronic, brass or ukuleles. What I particularly love about bluegrass is that it is hugely popular with a broad range of age groups & in particular has a younger following.
Check out the following:-
http://www.celticguitarmusic.com/bluegrassharpmain.htm
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HARPOLDIE’S YOUTUBE
Aussiesucker
1426 posts
Feb 06, 2015
8:29 PM
Hey Tony that was super clever. Is it all you? Great stuff.
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HARPOLDIE’S YOUTUBE
TmickyD1
21 posts
Feb 06, 2015
9:14 PM
I really haven't had too many issues joining in on bluegrass jams on harp. Then again, I usually know some of the people there. I've also found that when playing in larger groups, I tend to get overpowered.

I either stick to my train rhythms or follow the mandolin if I don't know the song.I might even play the whole song ***Gasp no space!!!*** but it blends in with the rest of the instruments. I seem to be accepted by the groups I've played in. My biggest problem is getting overpowered sonically by the banjos and fiddles. I only have so much air I can push through a harp at once.

thanks again for the links guys.
Aussiesucker
1427 posts
Feb 06, 2015
9:48 PM
I agree with you TmickyD1 it is difficult to at times be heard and to be sonically overpowered by the fiddler and some of the banjo stuff is challenging. The other night after a banjo lead I was nodded to take a break on Turkey in The Straw ie a tune I know very well but I blew it as the banjo twang messed with my muscle memory big time. Picking the right harp helps cut through ie on D tunes I now use a High G ie a harp I hate but it works. I never sit near the fiddlers or the banjos if I can help it. Those that play well & stick by the rules always give me space.

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HARPOLDIE’S YOUTUBE
Barley Nectar
631 posts
Feb 07, 2015
9:23 AM
There is more bluegrass around here than blues. Mostly a classic rock /country area though. As a single note player, my harp fits in very well with bluegrass. As an amp builder/modder I don't get buried. Some players object to my pluging in, until I explain that I will only use the amp for reinforcement so as not to ruin expensive harps. You need to run the amp clean and use a clean mic. Never had any objection after they realize that this works well. Bluegrass is fun to play. Fast and exciting. Nice thread...BN

Last Edited by Barley Nectar on Feb 07, 2015 9:30 AM
Aussiesucker
1429 posts
Feb 07, 2015
2:47 PM
GEEZER1 I think the lines are somewhat blurred at times. Here is a listing of 'bluegrass' tunes from the Pickers bible & many are what might be referred to as olde time. I think it boils down to the style in which it is played ie the instruments involved and the way individual breaks are taken. Olde Time certainly play many of the same tunes but with a few more instruments and often all in together.Whilst harmonicas are welcome at Olde Time & Country the same can be said about Bluegrass ie harmonicas are welcome but perhaps the player not. And as with any form of music it evolves and new players emerge along with great new tunes.http://www.musixnow.com/PLP%20guitar.html
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HARPOLDIE’S YOUTUBE


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