colman
47 posts
May 12, 2011
8:51 AM
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I started playing harp in 1967 and played five years before i thought about a scale,then ,only because I started to play guitar. harp for me was learning a language,then how to sing it.that i heard from sonny terry and james cotton,meeting them in a coffee house.
so before i even tried a scale on the harp ,i was blowin` little walter etc. Assimilation was the best way for me to learn,and heard it from the real deal.you can find out
most blues harp men learnd this way...
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Ant138
940 posts
May 12, 2011
10:33 AM
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Assimilation is the best way for me too. I can hardly understand any music theory.
I know about 1st,2nd and third positon and i carry a circle of 5th's with me to remind me what key i need to be in but other than that i hate theory, it really turns me off playing. Its the reason i gave up guitar in the end. I noodled on that for years again listening to records and imitating what i heard.
I just put a C.D. or a youtube video on and learn by ear, its the only way for me, i feel it and it just seems to work.
That doesn't mean i just copy people. I've found from trying to copy the greats and learn their songs by ear i have more licks to play with and i think it helps with my own improvisation aswell.
Hopefully i'm picking a bit up from everyone but hopefully adding enough of my own touches to make my own sound.
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http://www.youtube.com/user/fiendant?feature=mhum
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Tommy the Hat
16 posts
May 12, 2011
11:21 AM
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I just had this conversation with a friend of mine (a guitar player) only about 30 minutes ago! I first picked up the harp about 20 years ago and at the time was being taught by a friend at work. I also had a book or two that explained a few pointers on blowing/drawing, bending etc as well as a few riffs. The guy helping me out also gave me some cassette tapes that had lessons that amounted to pretty much what the book taught. The tapes were by John Sebastian. Bottom line is that it was all about listening to harp players and learning licks/riffs and some techniques. Practice, practice and practice some more; playing along to records and with friends.
I put down the harp after a couple of years or so and now recently started again. I'm amazed at all the information out there now and most of it is very good. However I am also a little overwhelmed by how much "other stuff" is going on that the internet makes seem "necessary" to be a decent harp player. I used to just buy a harmonica and play, now it seems you have to open them up and tweak them! Overblows, overdraws, gapping, Theory, altered tunings etc. Some of it can take the fun right out of it...lol. Technique tips are great as is the ease of getting such information these days. But some of the other stuff can be a bit daunting at times. I wonder what the old timers did without the internet!
Tommy
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Seven times down Eight times up
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Fingers
39 posts
May 12, 2011
11:33 AM
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Someone once said....i just put it in my mouth and let it sing!!... words i remember when playing!!
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groyster1
1035 posts
May 13, 2011
10:12 AM
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@ant
I have the circle of 5ths printed off and in my 3 harp cases if its good enough for you its certainly good enough for me I have heard you play on postings and really enjoy it but what happened to GREYOWL??? did somebody offend him????
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Zadozica
110 posts
May 13, 2011
10:30 AM
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Isn't the circle of 5ths in it's most simplest form carried around you everday - in fact two versions, your right and left hands?
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Tuckster
835 posts
May 13, 2011
11:27 AM
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I keep hearing Buddha's voice in my head saying: Don't Copy!" Boy, I miss that grouch. I learned from copying. I don't know how else you could learn it. I remember trying to copy "that sound" by moving my tongue, lips, throat-whatever it took to get "that sound". I was trying to copy the harp player's "mojo" that set him apart from other players. In that process you end up picking up a lot of skills. Licks, tone,phrasing - it all gets absorbed. Only after you learn those basics, can you make it your own.
Ant- I used to think I didn't need theory to play and I still do, but I'm finding out that it helps me communicate with other musicians. I'm still pretty dumb about theory, but I know more about it now than I did a year ago. Slowly but surely. LOL
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Greyowlphotoart
543 posts
May 13, 2011
11:50 AM
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Hi groyster1. All is well man, Grey Owl's just been roostin' a while, but still enjoying the posts:)
Last Edited by on May 13, 2011 12:57 PM
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tookatooka
2354 posts
May 13, 2011
12:37 PM
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Hey GOPA! yeah I was getting concerned too.
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ridge
259 posts
May 13, 2011
12:40 PM
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I dunno... I've met my fair share of amateur harmonica players. Most of them are 20+ year players that never gave the instrument any thought and consequently haven't progressed.
Just because our harmonica predecessors didn't/may have not given the harmonica much thought doesn't mean you shouldn't.
That being said, I don't believe there is any better way to learn than through emulation and training your ear. But if you play without purpose, then you shouldn't be surprised when you don't have results.
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Greyowlphotoart
544 posts
May 13, 2011
12:59 PM
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Cheers Tooka
@Colman I sarted playing in the mid 60's and assimilation was the way for me also. There was really no other option back then.
I'm amazed to see the number of resources available today, but I sometimes think this can be overkill for a beginner who must wonder what on earth to focus on,
I can still recall the buzz I got when I managed my first draw bend. My progress was purely enjoyment driven with a narrow focus, trying to copy songs and styles and that retained my interest.
I personally think I would have been overwhelmed with choice if I started playing these days. Whether it be to get music theory sorted, take harps apart, tackle overblows, overdraws whether to TB, LP, UB, what make of harp? What gear? - amps mics effects recording equipment audio/visual? - I love all this stuff now of course:)
As a beginner you must be tempted to think am I having trouble with bending say because I got the wrong brand of harp or it's not set up right and needs adjusting.
When I bought my first harps usually Echo Super Vampers in th UK I sometime got duds that were tricky to play and you had to work extra hard with these playing-wise to draw bend.
This was frustrating but it did build up the chops. The only adjustment technique I heard back then was to dunk the harp in beer and as far as I remember there was no refinement proposed over the relative merits of using Lager or Ale:)
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