I kept watching to the end because I was enjoying the photos and wondering what might pop up.
I heard someone recently lament of Charles Manson; “if only he’d used his powers for good”. In the past I have not enjoyed your clips so much despite your plainly evident skills, just because they get a bit similar after the first couple choruses. There’s a bit of that here but the the visuals provide a kind of additional hook that provides the element of surprise that is missing once you get used to the repetition in the music. Anyway, you kept me watching to the end. kind of weirdly fascinating and no denying you can play a harp like nobody’s business
Yes it does remind me of two geese flying along chatting to each other, like they do. I like it. It's definitely Ted Burke though as the 6 draw is your favourite note of all time?
I think the diatonic harp is good for these hypnotic loopy things. The music stopped about half way though? I was expecting some surprise ending - and I suppose it was, because it was silence.
What does the title mean? I'm not going to search for it in case it means something unsavoury.
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Dec 01, 2017 5:55 AM
MindTheGap - I believe the title is a "click bait" one - humorously.
Honkin' - while I kinda share your opinion of Ted's playing, one has to admit that it is a unique one of a kind easily recognizable style, just one that, in my 20 years of teaching experience, is not a style that many are interested in learning nor pursuing. - but, that's just been my own personal experience with players/students out there... ---------- The Iceman
I had hoped that your new video was more like this more traditional one:
It is OK to play non-traditional material, but I just couldn't get into the GRELB video.
I am not a fan of looped harp, even when done by touring pros with extraordinary skills. Additionally, while I like fast playing and indulge in it myself sometimes, I like it used for specific purpose during a song or in playing a really fast song, but not in every song.
This critique includes my own efforts with my own overplaying at times, and those efforts of pros whose playing I greatly respect, but who seem musically out of balance sometimes. To me, fast playing is the other side of slow and expressive playing, just as loud playing is the other side of soft playing. The use of dynamics adds interest to music.
I hope you continue to post videos of your playing, because you DO have really good harp skills. Perhaps you could pick one to add to Nate's playlist?
Also, I wish you would be playing out with other musicians making live music. There is a give and take that isn't present when playing over backing tracks or looping. You are a good player who should be playing out. ----------
doug--thanks for the remarks. the video is from 2008, 9 years ago, and was an experiment. the one you posted better reflects how i'm playing now.
i have, actually, been playing live a few times in the last three months, small affairs, open mics. one of those times was playing with our own Gnarly at a San Diego venue called Cafe Europa. it was great fun, and i plan on more of that. lately i've been playing country music with a couple of other sober friends. it's fun, and we'll see how it goes.
I can't tell you exactly why I like it, but I do. I think it could have used a little change in the middle or to have been a bit shorter. The theme just seemed to have run it's course a little before the end.
Also, there was a plosive on the loop. I tend to get those on lower harps. The big push of air you need sometimes sounds like a popped P. Yours might have been an artifact of the recording though. If it's on it's own track it's fairly easy to fix with a fade; it's a lot harder if in the mix.
I agree. I know that the idea of major/minor is more ambiguous in blues. It's more subjective and less of a rule. But the flavour of Help Me is strongly minor, and for me there was too much major especially in the first version.
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Dec 04, 2017 2:54 AM
