I thought I had some of this figured out...that it can mostly be played on a C harp. However, in discussing doing the tune with my band, there is some conflict about what key different parts are in and what scales would work best. Someone, if not all of us, are approaching it wrong.
Anyone with a sharper musical insight than mine able to help out? I thought I had handle on it, but every once in a while I can't communicate what is going on musically literate enough to talk in terms of things un-harmonica.
Obviously opinions on the harmonica parts are helpful too. I am a very mathematical thinker and not being able to say things like, "It is a C harp in second position using the mixolydian scale", drives me NUTS!
***I tried embedding but Youtube is now not working when I hit "share". It opens a new window and nothing comes up...
Mike, there are times when changing harps is the only real solution to anything or maybe just using a chromatic harp as well and just don't think entirely just in scales because groove and feel are very important considerations and there's times where the less is more philosophy works better or mainly playing something that would stay closer to the melody may work out better. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
Mike, there are times when changing harps is the only real solution to anything or maybe just using a chromatic harp as well and just don't think entirely just in scales because groove and feel are very important considerations and there's times where the less is more philosophy works better or mainly playing something that would stay closer to the melody may work out better. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
Mike, Do you have a specific question about whats going on musically in this song? Or just how to play it on harmonica? Seems like he uses one harmonica the whole time except for the one run at around 2:55. But then he switches right back.
Mostly what's going on musically. I've always approached it with a C harp switching to D and then back to C. I just assumed, since 99% of his playing at the time was in 2nd, that the song was in G.
In trying to rehearse it, the argument was made that it was in D over the initial harp parts. Shouldn't be a big deal or anything, but the parts I learned didn't sound right. Know what I mean? The harp used isn't as important as the notes and intervals, but something just doesn't sound right.
I can't talk about the actual band performance with enough theory to communicate it. So I guess I need to know both the structure of the song (to share with band) and if using a C and D harp is the easiest way to pull it off.
Since I didn't know the key or anything, I didn't think of this one in terms of position but rather what sounded right. This is the second time I've ran into a song and couldn't really explain the theory behind what I was playing but knew it sounded right with the backing track.
Somebody is playing it wrong..either me or the band and I don't know enough about the song structure to pull it off.
Well, Dm would mean a C harp in 3rd and that makes sense. I am lunch jamming to it and a C harp works, IMO. ---------- Mike Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas
I haven't checked the entire song yet, but the beginning of the song sounds like it's Dm, not G. He uses minor tuned harps once in awhile, so it's possible he could be playing 2nd, or even 1st, position on a minor tuned harp. I don't really use minor tuned harps so I can't be sure about it. Personally I would use a C harp in 3rd (unless I ran into some problems, then I might consider trying something else).
Last Edited by on May 28, 2011 3:15 PM
