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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > Cover of DeFord Bailey's "Davidson County Blues"
Cover of DeFord Bailey's "Davidson County Blues"
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cliffy
197 posts
Oct 19, 2016
8:39 PM
I've been really getting into some of the old-time players lately, DeFord Bailey being one of them. Here's me doing some:



If any of you are really fluent in the style, I'll take all the pointers you'll give :)

Thanks,

Cliffy (Bill Lifford)
indigo
278 posts
Oct 19, 2016
9:35 PM
You've got it!
JInx
1253 posts
Oct 21, 2016
8:08 AM
Nice
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Harp Study
216 posts
Oct 21, 2016
9:25 AM
Very nice indeed.
cliffy
199 posts
Oct 21, 2016
4:36 PM
Thanks so much! I really am happy with how this song is turning out.
John M G
79 posts
Oct 21, 2016
7:51 PM
Thanks for posting this. It's got a hook into me and I'm following your lead.
I down loaded one of DeFord's original versions and played it through Amazing Slow Downer at 45% speed. I just can't believe how accurate he is with his tongue blocking. At the 7 to 8 second mark he does a triple slap block on the 7 hole draw which he repeats in later passages. You really have to slow it down to hear just how precise he is. It sounds like there's a couple of people playing when you listen to it a normal speed, it sounds like there's a couple playing it when you listen to it a 45% speed too!
I can see why you took it on, very nice.
cliffy
200 posts
Oct 22, 2016
6:16 AM
Hi John, I know EXACTLY what you are talking about. In the part at the time you cited, he gets four tongue "beats" when I can only get three in the same space! It's actually the one thing that takes the song from being a really good song to a superhuman, off-the-charts-amazing song.

The rest of the tongue slaps/punctuations make more sense and are all paced "normally". But the thing where his tongue goes 1-2-3-4 on the harp blows my mind every time I hear it. I'm not doing a very good job of describing it very well, but fortunately you explained where it happens so people can hear it and they won't think I'm crazy for describing it the way I just did.

I think your way of describing it might be more accurate, because it sounds to me like "note-tongue-note-tongue-note-tongue-note".

Others: my description is awful but listen to the clip John posted and then listen to the one I played. DeFord makes this happen and I can only do three-quarters of it.
nacoran
9268 posts
Oct 23, 2016
1:03 PM
Nice playing Cliffy. :)

That quick pulse, John M G, sounds like a tongue roll to me, not a regular slap. Great on blows, not so good on draws.

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Nate
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First Post- May 8, 2009
cliffy
201 posts
Oct 24, 2016
12:00 PM
Hi Nacoran, I just checked. That quick 4-beat quick burst phrase is a draw, not a blow. It's (at least I'm doing it as) 7 draw and four draw, blocking the 5 and 6. Or maybe it's 7draw, blocking the 4,5,6. And then lifting the tongue to let the chord beat through. I still cannot do it at the same speed as the song. It's making me mental :)
The Iceman
2961 posts
Oct 24, 2016
12:58 PM
Listening to the original, I had my imagination mute out all the accompaniment and discovered a real nice melodic line.

DeFord's highest notes being sustained/played/staccato'd creates a pretty cool linear idea.

He seems to use the accompaniment in a supportive role, distinguishable because of its decreased volume.

Impressive 3D control of his sonic environment.

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The Iceman

Last Edited by The Iceman on Oct 24, 2016 12:59 PM
nacoran
9271 posts
Oct 24, 2016
6:52 PM
Cliffy, I think maybe I misunderstood where you were talking about. I was hearing the first intro burst.

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Nate
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First Post- May 8, 2009
John M G
80 posts
Oct 24, 2016
11:51 PM
Hi Cliffy
I slowed that note to 20% speed.
I'm buggered if I no how he does it so clean and so fast.
It's 7 hole draw and I now count 4 chords played over that 7 hole draw same as you did.

Have a listen. The video is done at 1/5 original speed! Amazing

I'm way behind you, but it's got me hooked and I'm going to try and follow your work on it too.

Last Edited by John M G on Oct 25, 2016 12:52 AM
cliffy
202 posts
Oct 25, 2016
6:48 AM
Hi John, I can't play it now while I am working, but I'm gonna have a look/listen later tonight. Thanks for posting this! :)
nacoran
9273 posts
Oct 25, 2016
7:48 AM
What position are you guys playing in?

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Nate
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First Post- May 8, 2009
cliffy
203 posts
Oct 25, 2016
5:13 PM
@ Nacoran: I think I'm playing in cross position on my A harp (so playing in E). And the opening burst accent is definitely him rolling the tongue, I think you are right. At least that's how I play it.

@ Iceman: you're spot on, mentioning how impressively DeFord plays the accompaniment/rhythm parts at a lower volume. His accent playing serves the melody and doesn't compete with it. It's masterful, definitely, and it's what gives the song its "magic" or "spark".

...unlike all cover versions like mine! I'm still at the point where I'm just trying to physically produce all of the sounds at the right tempo. I hope to get it one day where I can put some subtlety and nuance into the song, to take it to a real musical level. One day! :)
The Iceman
2965 posts
Oct 26, 2016
8:50 AM
Hey cliffy,

Why not put that micro managing all the sounds and how many times the tongue trills aside for a minute and spend quality time just understanding the melody as a separate entity - play it single note style, ignoring the accompaniment in order to strengthen that aspect of the song, letting the notes ring out.

Then, slowly add the accompaniment, making sure it is underneath and supportive of the melodic line while simplifying the tongue flutters to match your technique level at the tempo you enjoy.

If you play it with great melodic line and subtle accompaniment, it will could sound more impressive than approaching it the way you may be right now.
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The Iceman

Last Edited by The Iceman on Oct 26, 2016 9:41 AM
mr_so&so
1052 posts
Oct 26, 2016
9:13 AM
Nice job on that cliffy. I liked it a lot. You've also inspired me to put some of those tunes on my "to do" list.
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mr_so&so
cliffy
205 posts
Oct 26, 2016
9:38 AM
@ Iceman: I love that idea. That's what I was hoping for in posting; that somebody would have great ideas for ways I can improve. And this method you describe sounds like it will be useful for all sorts of learning. Thanks so much, I'm going to try it today.

@ Mr. So&So: thanks! Glad you enjoyed it :)
Michael Rubin
1128 posts
Oct 27, 2016
7:59 AM
Nacoran, Please define tongue roll.
Thanks.
The Iceman
2968 posts
Oct 27, 2016
9:38 AM
In Cleveland, Ohio, at Corky & Lennie's Delicatessen, they used to have a tongue roll - tongue on a Biali roll w/mustard.
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The Iceman
1847
3775 posts
Oct 27, 2016
10:02 AM
Michael Rubin
1129 posts
Oct 28, 2016
4:49 AM
So 1847 says a tongue roll is a rolling of the R. I cannot yet do that, but that's is not what I hear at 7 seconds. For those who can roll their r's, can you do it on a draw note? I thought the blowing of the air was an element in what created the sound.

Nacoran, do you confirm that's what you meant?
cliffy
208 posts
Oct 28, 2016
5:00 PM
I cannot roll my tongue on a draw, although I can do it on the blow notes easily. And I'm certain that the "four-beat" at the 7 second mark is just tongue-blocked draw-and-release-the-chord notes, nothing special, just done brilliantly and super-quickly.
cliffy
216 posts
Nov 06, 2016
5:21 AM
Hello everybody, one of you had suggested checking out Grant Dermody and said that he has a version of "Davidson County Blues" on one of his albums. I've been trying to find it, but no luck. If any of you know where GD has a recorded version of this, can you please point me in the right direction? Thanks. ??
sydeman
172 posts
Nov 06, 2016
7:28 AM
Look at his album Lay down my burden.
the song is David's Cow

Last Edited by sydeman on Nov 06, 2016 7:29 AM


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