Hey guys, do you have any practice tips or exercises you would recommend when soloing unaccompanied to maintain in time? I've no problem tapping my foot along with a band, backing track, or metronome & knowing where I'm at in the solo but if I remove all that and just tap my foot things tend to go sideways. Feels like it's one of those long earned things it takes a good thousand hours for or I just haven't found the right exercise yet?
Good question. Try studying poety, metre and iambic pentameter and stuff. Read Shakespeare out loud ----------
Last Edited by JInx on Sep 12, 2017 6:55 PM
I like these tips on using a metronome from bassist Victor Wooton. Especially the part about seting the metronome to click every 5 beat in 4/4, allowing you to check a different beat every measure and helping to gain a sense of timeing independant of the metronome.
play phrases that lead to chord tones on the downbeat of each change.
good players always play the changes or if they don't, it's on purpose to build tension or something. IMO, players who don't really play the changes end up sounding amateurish.
oh, one more thing. You should be able to hear the 12 bar progression IN YOUR HEAD. Tap your foot, snap your fingers and let the changes play silently through your mind. See if you can get through several choruses. Sometimes I can't sleep at night because the music is still going in my brain heh.
---------- 4' 4+ 3' 2~~~ -Mike Ziemba Harmonica is Life!
Last Edited by slaphappy on Sep 12, 2017 8:18 PM
Try singing the melody of a 12 bar you know in your head while improvising. This is good trick not only to keep you in time but also will help give meaningful structure to your improvisation.
I have one or two lines memorized that I been practicing with recently, the first 12 bars of Satellite Rock by Gary Primich (https://youtu.be/R7ZcU3yap9Q) & the bass line to Killing Floor by Howlin' Wolf (https://youtu.be/EGIE28q3fEA. What do you guys think are other good worth while 12 bar melodies/lines to memorize?
Tomlin Lecke has a recent lesson on this: https://www.tomlinharmonicalessons.com/solo-rhythmic-harmonica-playing-beginners/
I struggle with this skill myself, and find that I can only practice it effectively if I know what I am playing really, really well so that the playing is more-or-less automatic and I can concentrate on rhythm.
+1 on the basslines idea. Those also will benefit when you play with a band. You can ALWAYS match the bass player's bass line and it ALWAYS sounds cool. Great way to contribute to the overall sound.
I'd suggest Dave Barrett's material on bass lines on bluesharmonica.com. I'd also recommend a few of Gussow's videos. His videos on things like: Put On Your Red Dress, Upper Octave Boogie, John Lee Hooker Boogie Blues, PowerHarp Groove... ---------- Marc Graci YouTube Channel
My suggestion is to listen to a lot of Jimmy Reed and Magic Slim until the pattern and groove is completely stuck in your head. I also suggest that you move to the music. Tap your feet. Snap your fingers. Do something. I think the problem that many players have is that they dont feel the music. It needs to be part of you. If you're counting, you're screwed.
Plus, if the thought of listening to that much Jimmy Reed and Magic Slim is not appealing. Blues isn't really for you. Go do something else. You've gotta feel it.
Last Edited by Joe_L on Sep 13, 2017 4:23 PM
I teach students to get into walking around the block while playing.
Once you start walking (and as long as it is not up and down hills), your body usually finds a comfortable steady pace - let this be your "metronome".
For beginners, I work with them on my "Church of the Sacred Hut-ta Hut-ta" concept - inhale "Hut-ta" exhale Hu-ta" linked to left foot, right foot.
The "Hut-ta" is a blues shuffle groove reproduction.
Since a normal walk is a steady pace, it helps reinforce good timing as your body naturally feels the tempo via step step step. As a matter of fact, it is here that one can turn off that intellectual side of the brain analyzing steady tempo. The body takes care of this stuff automatically, freeing your mind to consider how to shape your "Hut-ta" or anything else you are dealing with in regards to attaching harmonica technique to a steady tempo.
Just trying to be helpful - if you hadn't mentioned the metronome, I'd have suggested whittling down your accompaniment to just that before doing without it. It's difficult to know what the problem is. The only two things that occur to me are: - 1) chops - how long can you play with the metronomome without a break? 2) breathing - playing with an accompaniment may force you to play even if your breathing isn't right, but without the motivation of an accompaniment, poor breathing may put the kybosh on it? Sorry if that's no help. 3) perhaps a little drumming practice would help? Just with pens and a mouse mat or something? ---------- Andrew. -----------------------------------------
Last Edited by Andrew on Sep 14, 2017 7:08 AM
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