. . .you're chatting with someone and the conversation may swing around to music, hobbies, the weekend or any other topic that leads to you mentioning that you play the harmonica.
The ensuing chat may include questions on what you play, where you play, why you didn't choose a 'proper instrument' and many other things.
Sometimes, you may mention that you carry a harmonica with you most of the time leading to 'do you have one on you now?' 'Yup' 'Play something then, let's hear you!'
At this point about the only recognisable thing I can ever remember is a second position version of Amazing Grace that I learnt ages ago to help me practice draw bends. Other than that, while I can hold my own with other musicians applying the backing, my solo blues playing sounds a bit lacklustre in isolation.
So my question to you all is; does anyone have any suggestions for something to play that is:
- Not stupidly complicated to play
- Recognisable to a lot of people
- Sounds undeniably cool when played solo
Please bear in mind, I am intermediate level, and I mostly lip purse, though I am starting to incorporate tongue blocking into my playing more, so some chord slaps or octave will be managable. I can't overbend yet, but my blow and draw bends are fine.
Suggestions, audio clips, and videos are all welcome.
Last Edited by on Jul 18, 2011 6:51 AM
Start with your Amazing Grace, it's a great song! Then just as you have them weeping blast into some hypnotic blues chuggin rhythm. Then wrap it up with a bit of improv in 2nd position.
Don't forget to bow at the end
Last Edited by on Jul 18, 2011 6:57 AM
A funny things is I have had the opposite happen a couple of times. I've played something...just noodling around...for the average person and because they find it so difficult to play a harmonica they think I know what I'm doing..lol. As soon as they hear you play single notes/holes they are like "wow!" How the hell can you play only one hole??
Then if I bend a note they really think you can play. The only problem is then they start saying...hey you gotta hear this guy play harmonica....hey Tommy, play something. "THEN" the trouble starts!!
I played the main riff from 'Walking by myself', little bit of tongue-blocking involved but it always goes down well! Yeah, that followed by a little Howlin' Wolf-style chugging, a few greasy warbles lol - the most recognisable harmonica sound for most people, seems to trigger something off in their brains ;)
I have the same trouble as you also Tommy, lol its all good until you encounter someone that knows what they're listening for...
This has to happen to alot of us harp players, especially if you always carry a harmonica (or more!).
We probably all have a set of warm-up riffs, licks, and phrases that we use when we start practicing, or when we just pick a harp up for a few minutes... so I would start with that, since you are warming up... but don't over-do it.
Always good to have a few "recognizable" songs, but this may depend on who your "impromptu" audience is... but you can't go wrong with anything that is played well.
Here are several of songs that I like to play... but it always helps to have practiced these a bit before hand:
1. You Are My Sunshine (I like to sometimes do the intro from Norton Buffalo's "Walking Down to Suzy's" as the intro) 2. Shortin' Bread (Madcat has some great versions of this song) 3. Fishin' Blues (another great Madcat song) 4. Heatbreak Hotel 5. Easy (Big Walter) 6. When the Saints Go Marching In 7. Baby Please Don't Go 8. Workin' Man's Blues (Merle Haggard song, nice version by Charlie McCoy) 9. Mellow Down Easy 10. Too Late 11. Summertime (I prefer using a Natural Minor harp) 12. Far Away Places (1st postion, Sam Cooke) 13. Poor Wayfaring Stranger (5th position)
I remember trying to learn the harp about 20 years ago. I learned a few basics and how to bend and I could mess around in a 12 bar blues progression. Probably a little less than my current level since starting again. I played at a Christmas party along with a guy strumming an acoustic guitar. He knew how to play the harmonica ( and could actually play) but he didn't that day. I could see in his face he knew I didn't know what I was doing. After I stopped people started asking me how I learned and what those bluesy sounds were (bends) and were quite amazed. I could tell the guitar player was pissed!! lol.
I was basically playing riffs out of Gindicks old book combined with pieces of "Down home Blues" off of Harp Attack...hahahaha. ---------- Tommy
Tommy mentioned "a Christmas party"... its good to know a few Christmas songs... some of the ones that I like to practice and play:
1. Blue Christmas 2. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christms (I use a Melody Maker) 3. O Come O Come Emmanuel (Paddy Richter) 4. God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman (Paddy Richter or Natural Minor) 5. We Wish You A Merry Christmas (Paddy Richter) 6. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (Melody Maker)
There are two songs that come to mind that I started to learn years ago and they were my auto 'go to' songs for many years.
The first is Stone Fox Chase which I first heard played as the theme tune to a great music TV programme in the UK called The Old Grey Whistle Test. I learnt the first part of this and because non harp players had heard this because of the show, it registered more than playing any random blues song. In fact that's not a bad idea for you to select a theme from a show that features harp and you will get people's attention. I think Hakan who posts on this forum has done a tutorial for this on his YouTube Channel.
The second song is a piece I have posted before on the Forum which is also great to play and is called Work Song, made famous by the truly excellent Paul Butterfield. I have made a tutorial vid and tabbed the catchy intro here.
Work Song – Paul Butterfield – Harmonica Tab by Grey Owl Harmonica Key = Bb -2=draw hole 2: -3*=small draw bend on hole 3:+4=blow hole 4:-4Gliss-2 a quick slide from a draw on hole 4 to a draw on hole 2. -2*/-2 small draw bend on 2 released to draw 2
Some melodie which can be recognized by listeners. For older people I play "Autumn leaves" or "Besame mucho" or something from Russian folk or War II songs. For younger people I play some Beatles or something like this. ---------- Excuse my bad English. Click on my photo or my username for my music.
Last Edited by on Jul 19, 2011 2:00 AM
With a name like ReedSqueal I never have to worry about this. It really takes the pressure off. ---------- Go ahead and play the blues if it'll make you happy. -Dan Castellaneta
Hey Rich, am diggin that SBW I very much, first I've really listened to him. Can anybody tell me who's playing guitar behind on his recordings, if it was indeed just one guy for all of em. Cheers :)
Shouldn't an intermediate player already have most of this figured out?
If your solo blues playing is lacking, you should probably work on it. If you need inspiration, try listening to some Rice Miller recordings from Europe in the 60's where he is playing solo or with Memphis Slim. The tunes he recorded for the Abco label like, "Keep Your Hand Out Of My Pocket" and "Steady Rollin' Man" also work well.
Lots of tunes recorded by Big Walter transfer well to playing solo. Tunes like Christine, the Honeydripper, Easy and others work out well as solo performances. So does the stuff from the album, "An Offer You Can't Refuse".
In order to pull off a lot of that type of stuff unaccompanied, you have to develop your own sense of rhythm and groove. All of the old guys had that sense of timing and rhythm. Even when they aren't playing, you can still feel the music.
Like anything, it is a skill that can be developed.
@DirtyDeck - I think it was big Joe Williams and Robert Nighthawk.
@Joe L "Shouldn't an intermediate player already have most of this figured out?"
*Hangs head in shame*
Over concentration on isolated techniques. I can solo over backing or in a jam situation just fine, i can play small snippets from songs that I've put in the time to learn, I can play a solo piece that accentuates I,IV,V; but I've never made myself learn a whole recognisable (to the majority of people) tune.
I'll second gene's post. Good lessons you can purchase from this site are What'd I Say by Ray Charles, Crossroads by Cream and others, and John Lee Hooker Boogie. These pieces all include some tongue blocked octaves giving good tone on your own.Adam also gives you ideas to keep the groove going for more than one time throu gh the 12 bars. I'll trade you for the ability to solo in a jam situation.
Hey Andy, have you got any songs in mind that you wouldn't mind trying. Can you work out a well known tune by ear or do you prefer to play to a tab?
You say 'i can play small snippets from songs that I've put in the time to learn' which suggests that learning songs as such doesn't motivate you sufficiently to complete a song. Your stated development suggests that you have learnt far more complex stuff than will called for in learning a popular vocal line of a song.
I used to do what you do, ie learn to play cool sounding blues riffs. This is satisfying on a personal level and for listening musicians, but is not nearly as impressive with the general public who will often have a blank or indifferent attitude.
IMHO I would advise you to
a) choose a reconisable melody and one that you will motivate you to learn all the way through.
Say for instance a song like 'Summertime' which works well in second and third postion. You could learn to play it straight and then second or third time through change the tempo or add some improv. flourishes. Amazing Grace which you can already play is another good song for this technique.
A complex harp riff showing your versatility & technique may impress other harp players but may not impress Joe Public. So to sum up, you wouldn't have to spend to much time putting together a handful of songs to deal with the odd occasion when someone out of the blue says - play something then....
ps that 'play something then'... always comes across more like a challenge to 'IMPRESS ME' rather than an interested request to hear something played on the harp.
I usually play Simon & Garfunkel's "The Boxer". It's totally familiar to just about everybody. But, just elusive enough that people can't quite name it or put their finger on why it sounds familiar when it comes out of a harp.
Just say..."No, maybe later". Most folks will forget by the time later comes around cause they aren't really interested, just a passing interest and if you do play at that time, most positive feedback you get in this situation will only be a cheap thrill.
If they press again later on, then you know you have someone who actually wants to listen.
So now is your goal to "impress them" or to actually share what you love to play or are playing to a harp player?
If it is to impress, that is usually real easy with the average listener as already said above.
sMy advice would be to..
Start with a slow wailing turnaround riff, with real soul and heavy like. work you way to the 1 chord and then kick it into fast chuggy type vamping behind your simple blues licks ( lots of the usual corny stuff 3 bends etc...) as you go through a 12 bar blues (be sure to indicate your chord changes) everyone knows the progression of these chords and it will add integrity to your tension adn resolve licks as they follow along. Make sure you add the 4/5 draw warble and even bend it too(folks go ape over this riff even though it is so simple). when you are doing the fast thing and really rolling along hit a high note for a long time and tap your foot or hand on the bar table to keep it going. (if you want to learn something cool watch kim wilson's fFlat and do his tongue blocking chordal thing while keeping the top note clear, not that hard to do but jaws will drop). then end with a kick ass run down riff from 6 blow that slows down to indicate the end is coming. All of this is stuff that most harp players will not be too impressed with, especially if you are more of a beginner/intermediate and not an advanced/intermediate and maybe even roll their eyes (if they are not nice) so know your audience.
If you want to just share, then screw what they think and play what you are in love with on that day.
if they are a harp player of any level I would advise against Amazing Grace, we have all heard it 1000s of times. just play something simple that is really in the groove cause we know that is mostly what counts.
Back in the mid to late 90s, when I fronted a cover band that played mostly current mainstream rock/alternative music, I'd play the intro solo from Blues Traveler's Runaround. We played it and But Anyway at every show, and they always went over well. ---------- Todd L. Greene
I've just had a go at this great tune and it goes something like this
+6+6+6-6+6+5 I am just a poor boy +5-5+6+7+7-7-6 Though my story's seldom told -6-7-6+6+6-6+6-4 I have squandered my resistance -4+5-5-5-5-5-5+5+4-4-5+5+5 For a pocket full of mumbles such are promises +7+7-7+7 All lies and jests +7+7+7-7-7-7-7-6-6 Still a man hears what he wants to hear -6-6-7-6+6+6 And disregards the rest
Musical link to Chorus+5-5+6-4-4-4-5-5+5-4+4
Lie La Lie +7-7+7,+7+7+7-7-7-6+6 +7-7+7, -8+8-9+8+8-8-8+7+7+7-7+7
I know the phrasing on each verse is different but it's a start.
(Sorry, couldn't figure out how to embed it, also, clip is about 3:30..she pops the question at about 2:30, and what he plays is a little shy of a minute long. I say, play this just like Huey (I certainly can't), and the listener would have to be pretty jaded not to dig it and manage at least a little smile. Note: when he was done I think Rachel referred to it as sexy. I dig this clip so much I put it in my favorites folder, and have pulled it out many times. I don't know where to start though to try and disect it to try and learn it, but then again, I ain't got the ears..... or chops for that matter.)
Last Edited by on Jul 19, 2011 11:28 AM
thanks, jaybird, lots of good advice on here. I particularlly like ANT and Sorin, they are playing that groove I was talking about.
I'll try and post something soon, super swamped and not set up for computer recording.
I watched one of David barrett's interviews on harmonicamasterclass chanel and I can't remember which guy said it but.
He said he gigs literally 100s of times a year and started to experimenta at a weekly gig. He would focus on playing a solo that was technically impressive and would gauge the audience response and it was usually moderate.
then he would play a solo that was not technically hard but would focus on the emotion and the crowds response was always great.
just something to keep in mind when choosing how to wow folks.
Last Edited by on Jul 19, 2011 12:24 PM
Great thread!! this actually happened to me recently at work! one of the younger guys brought in a cheap harp! and someone said hey Fingers you used to play didn't you? PLAY SOMETHING!! so with reluctance i played a version of Stone fox chase! well this room of loud mouthy blokes went silent and then burst into spontaneous applause!! i hadn't played for years! what a stroke of my ego that moment was!> LOL
1. low rider 2. angel in the centerfold (unison line) 3. those were the days (Archie Bunker) 4. Rockford Files (TV theme) 5. anything that sounds like Rosanne (TV) 6. I'm a man (hook)
Who is your audience at the moment? Target their age of likely hits. Church friends? play hymns. ---------- Robert Hale Learn Harmonica via Webcam Low Rates, High Results Gilbert AZ (Phoenix) http://www.dukeofwail.com
