I purposely didn't make any comments on this. Just thought I'd post it and see what happened and what kind of comments or discussion would be generated. I was curious to see if it would instantly spark some negativity but hoped it wouldn't. Sadly, no surprise, it did with a 2 for 2 count. Nothing about his harp set up. Straight in and dredging for the shit to pour. For me there are too many opinionated legends in their own lunchtime with inappropriate elitist, sanctimonious views. Too many R soles of the first degree on this forum for my taste and not just on this post. Nothing friendly or inspiring here at Modern Blues Harmonica forum. I give up. There are some really helpful guys here. But that is killed by all the crap too many want to pour out on someones tone, somebody else's phrasing, or if he or she is or isn't a tongue blocker. There are quite a few world class players who post here from time to time. I can't think of any of them that has EVER been so arrogant or rude in their comments about another player that some of you feel you are free to do on a regular basis. Your negativity says way more about you than all the shit you try and throw at other people, sad. Very sad.
So was this a test and 2 guys failed? Tell me about sad.
I have some comments if you're around to see them. 1) I am not near at that level so he gets credit for working hard, studying in the correct manner and accomplishing what is obviously an intricate piece. I would have never chosen that to try and play. 2) A question, why he has 2 harps stacked. I don't play but one single song in the duo where I use more than one harp. If that says I'm a slouch so be it but we have great times and I have risen to many challenges. 3) This forum is here for not only information but opinions to be rendered. I don't like some of what I see but that does not make it wrong or less than valid. One guy actually added his experience with the artist. He formed an opinion based on his experience elbow to elbow.I find that has value. I have made posts here and been all but ignored. That sucks but I have no idea if people have listened to my stuff and found it lacking, or I'm not qualified, or what. So be it. I find a lot of reasons to come back here often. I will say this and that's all: If you can do what the guy does and then want to critique, you have the right in my book. If you can't maybe you need to look up "student" in Webster's.
Sounds alright to me,I remember seeing thin lizzy in Brighton sometime the late 70's,probably promoting live and dangerous,and Gary Moore was still a member.They were really tight and every now and then Gary would chuck a plectrum into the crowd creating a mass bundle,although we were into punk then they were awesome!?I can't remember if he made this after he left or on a break from the band.
I think Wilde does a pretty damn good job of approximating Gary Moore's guitar. There are a few overblows, but the song lays out surprising well on harp.
Wilde is using stacked C (bottom) and G (top) harps. He is using the G harp to get expressive draw notes, instead of blow notes i C. It's a nice touch.
@snowman - So you don't like his style, you go up there with the express purpose of taking him down a notch and then get all huffy when he responds as expected?
I never liked the actual song much but this is great harmonica technique isn't it? Emulating the high-gain, single note guitar style complete with deep vibrato. Who else is doing that?
As for the comments, it's important people are allowed not to have to applaud everything, so that's fine. On Snowman's story, obviously you had to be there, but is it possible he was annoyed because you were trying to rile him, rather than because you were copying him? Just a thought.
EDIT: ah happy honker got there first with that thought. I don't know if you have this in the US and elsewhere, but the current thing in the UK is the 'banter'. Someone does something obnoxious and everyone is obliged to say it's great with the threat of being accused of not having a sense of humour by your peer group. The worst shame in the world. Not saying that was the case here, but worth bearing in mind when having a laugh with someone. Especially someone from the UK!
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Feb 26, 2018 1:19 AM
This video has been up here before, and as I remember people then were generally very positive. That´s also my general impression -- people here are generally very positive. Generally. John MG obviously has another perception of the ethos of this forum. But honestly, one poster who did not like the style and tune, and one who did not like Will himself -- that´s not any bigger hill of beans, is it?
As for me, I rather like his skilled way of approaching Moore´s guitar sound as well as the accuracy of the melodic part; the singing I could do without however, but that´s secondary on MBH.
People are easily offended these days (and I know I comitted something akin to a cardinal sin when I confessed that I did not like John Mayall´s (unskilled) harmonica playing at all) but surely we must be allowed to have our opinions.
I agree with The Happy Honker. This is a solid performance from Wilde.
He is an accomplished player, and has his own trademark sound. Watching some of his other videos, I sometimes get the impression that he plays pretty hard/loud. But it seems to work for him, and he gets a powerful tone.
Music is art. There is no "right" or "wrong" in art. Not everyone likes the same art, thankfully, or the art world would become pretty homogenous.
Last Edited by AppalachiaBlues on Feb 26, 2018 8:58 AM
hes done some great youtube tutorials.....with no compensation to him and for that......appreciate his efforts......there are people on this forum very hard to please with standards way too high for me
Yes, sorry guys I was sloppy, but I thought that I made my way around it on the G in 3D pos. But of course you´re right: and that long E he holds at around 2:10 bleeds in a bit of the G note, typically 2nd pos effect. (With that I mean that he plays in A minor on a retuned D harp ...) The video does not follow this however, since he appears to use the silver coloured harp for that part, but I guess it´s all filmed to the existing track.
This is a pretty clever arrangement using 2 harps as mentioned above i.e. A minor natural on top and C below.
It looks like from the pic posted by Dox that there is a separator between the 2 harps (maybe magnetic?) or a strip of wood placed between the flat cover plate of the lower Seydel Session Steel and the slanted portion of the Seydel 1847 above. Must try that as it looks as if it would simplify swapping from one harp to the other.
I have had a stab at tabbing out what I think he is playing at the start which was made more difficult due to the fact I don’t own a A minor natural harp and had to transpose his song in audacity so I could use my G minor harp and Bb harp!!!
Anyway……
Green = A minor Harp and Red = C Harp
(-4-5 chord) +4-3-3*-2-2**+2 (+3gliss+5) -4Vib
(-4-5 chord) +4-3-3**-2-1+2(+2gliss+4)-3vib
-2-3*-3-3*-2-2**+2-1+1(+2gliss+4)-3vib
-3-3**-3***-2**+2-1+1
I'm not 100% certain of the harp key on the last line but it definitely finishes on the +1 C Harp
Not touching that solo;)
Here is a new vid by Will. A bit of tasty funky harp plus a Yonberg Harp review tacked onto the end!
He's certainly competent, but I didn't enjoy it. Seeing the clip on the Reverb.com site with reference to "Contemporary Harmonica", maybe I'm just not contemporary enough to appreciate the overdone style. But, I do understand why the musicians wore noise cancelling headphones. ---------- BnT
That's great playing, in my opinion, and an interesting approach. Not my favorite of his music, though. I've always thought the song is a tad cheesy lyrically and musically; very hard to sing that one and not come across like a Hallmark card, but he gave it his all and nailed the guitar solo sound and feel from the Gary Moore recording. That's modern blues harmonica, or some version of it. I have enjoyed his free tutorials too. Very well done, easy to follow.
Wilde can play his ass off, don't kid yourself. We can't help what we like, but some here give the impression at times that they'd complain about the wine selection at the Last Supper.
Good point, Octafish, and I confess that I´ve never been bowled over by those Israeli wines ... (But no doubt that he´s a really accomplished harmonica player.)
Cool improve to that backing track by Quistjam ..... a bit of homage to Jason Ricci @mooncat there... as he has improv'ed to the same track on one of his teaching videos also. I like Will Wildes stuff also - another variation to modern harmonica playing . Check out his you tube acoustic with his sister on guitar "Fly around the world" for some of his other skills. Some may not like him as above but when people like @Mooncat approve, I'd have to question wether is open minded enough for the more avante garde development of blues harmonica playing.After all, if some of the greats those people are now judging against weren't avante garde in their day we'd be playing first position ommpah music!
