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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Weekly Thursday Open Jam Song
Weekly Thursday Open Jam Song
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ejakon
74 posts
Aug 04, 2017
2:03 PM
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So this will be the first of many open jam recordings Il post here for criticism, song is Queen of Spades in the key of C.
https://soundcloud.com/e-j-delos-santos/queen-of-spades
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KingoBad
1705 posts
Aug 04, 2017
7:29 PM
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While I am not trying to discourage you from it....perhaps a little more time woodshedding would do you some good before attending the open jams.
You need to pay attention to time, and when you come in on your call/response. Also (which is why I stated above). Your musical vocabulary is very limited.
Might I suggest learning 1 slow song, 1 medium song and one fast song all the way through. You can pick the simplest ones you can find. After you have those down, you will at least have a starting vocabulary so you know what is appropriate in each.
Also, please don't end a song that way. You are allowed to pull out of a clunker before the train wrecks... You might think it's jazzy, but it's not.
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Danny
Last Edited by KingoBad on Aug 04, 2017 7:30 PM
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ejakon
76 posts
Aug 04, 2017
9:17 PM
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how do yoy suggest I end a song then? and what songs should i learn? Do i need to add more expression to it because i was trying to keeping it simple and not play too much on a bullet mic
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nacoran
9560 posts
Aug 04, 2017
11:33 PM
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Try to come up with a theme or riff that you are going to use to tie what you are playing together. Pay real close attention to the groove.
Like Kingo said, pick some songs that you really get down. If you are going to the same jam, ask if they have or could jot down a list of songs that are likely to come up. Pick some you like and really work on having them down.
I think I'd be a little less worried than Kingo, as long as the jam guys seem cool, about when I should go up. If you think you are learning something by being up there, and people are laid back, go for it. You did a good job trying to keep it simple. You didn't play over the other guys. That's a good first step. Work on your dynamics on sustained notes, and don't be afraid to stay on one note if it's working. (My best riff is 4 measures of staccato repetition of one note, with increasing dynamics before going into a wail).
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Nate
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Mirco
523 posts
Aug 05, 2017
12:41 AM
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I think you did a good job of not overplaying. You didn't step on the vocals. That's huge. You utilized the space available in a good way. Less is more.
The actual lines that you were playing didn't fit with the song. When you're playing fills, think about the notes that you're playing and think about the time that you have available. You would do well to listen to how other musicians use that fill space. ("Fill space" or "fills" is when the vocalist is not singing, and it's a time that one of the musician will step up in that space. It's a response to the vocals, and you might even think of it as a mini-solo.) I suggest that you listen to not just harmonica players, but guitar players, horn players, organists... you can learn from anyone. Listen to other musicians and steal licks from them. (It's easier to steal ideas in the beginning, when you're not sure what's appropriate.)
There are resources for licks everywhere. I found this video from Tomlin Leckie, where he teaches a bunch of cool licks. Try throwing these in there, next time, and see how they go.
Harp licks
You sometimes hung on bad notes. When you play a song, try to determine what sort of feeling the song evokes. If it's a dark song (a bluesy song, or a rock song, or something in minor), use the minor pentatonic scale. If it's something with a lighter sound (a swing, a ballad, something major), use the major pentatonic.
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Marc Graci
YouTube Channel
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ejakon
77 posts
Aug 05, 2017
3:14 AM
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@micro
what notes would you have played had you been up there? i was trying to do the same thing but its hard to make a riff or a fill it in with meaningful notes when you cant hear what lyrics hes singing and when youre on a bullet mic
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Mirco
524 posts
Aug 05, 2017
10:45 AM
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It takes a lot of courage to get up onstage, so good on you for that. It speaks highly of you that you're recording yourself, reflecting on your playing, and seeking out constructive feedback. Not everyone does this.
This is a slow blues, with a dark feel. I would generally advise to stick to notes of either the minor pentatonic or the blues scale. When you hold a note, make sure it's a note that will create some tension, like the flat 3 or the flat 7. Stay away from notes of the major pentatonic scale, for the most part.
You sometimes seem hesitant in your playing. It lacks confidence. Listen, for example, to your lick at 1:57. The timing of the first four notes is irregular. It sounds as if you were not sure what to play. In this case, less is more. ("It's the notes you don't play.") I might cut out everything except for the last two notes in that turnaround (2:04).
I second what narcoran wrote about dynamics. Listen to the part around 2:19. The vocals end and you immediately launch into a full volume held note. It's a good idea, but it could be strengthened by dynamics. How can you shape that note? Think about changing the volume of the note as you hold it, so that it builds and swells. Think about adding texture to it, through changing your hand position (using something like wah-wah or hand vibrato). Think about changing the texture with tremolo or vibrato, or maybe dirtying up the note by letting in some of the adjacent hole.
In your solo area, I'd like to hear more. You played it too safe here. Take some of those licks I shared above and throw them together in a way that would make up a 12 bar (or 24 bar) solo. Watch the Tomlin video I shared above. Take some of those licks and play them to a jam track. For example, I like Lick #3. It's a two bar lick. Use some repetition. You can play it 6 times and it would be a decent 12 bar solo. (To avoid it getting too stale, change up the delivery of that initial note from time to time. Instead of 5 draw, do a 5 draw with a little of the adjacent hole. Or do a 45 shake. Or do a 2-5 octave. Or do some hand effects, or something with volume.)
Good job. Getting on stage, putting yourself out there for criticism... it's a bold move. Keep it up!
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Marc Graci
YouTube Channel
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ejakon
78 posts
Aug 05, 2017
10:55 AM
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@micro
I dont have confidence in my solos because i want to sound in tune lol. Like i usually draw on I, blow on IV and draw blow on the V. I could add more to the solo but im not sure if it would be in tune. But then i see Kim Wilson and Paul Butterfield and Jason Ricci thrash the harp so idk. Next week il try to add more confidence and vibrance in them. Il play acoustically next time and not on a bullet mic Thanks.
And why do some harp players play a few notes during someone elses solo or when they sing? always wondered that
Last Edited by ejakon on Aug 05, 2017 11:09 AM
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