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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
new vibrato discovered
new vibrato discovered
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FreeWilly
1 post
Aug 18, 2011
5:11 AM
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As a new forum member, I'd like to start off with a mighty thank you to all of you. I've been following this forum for a while now and I can't believe the richness of the info and the kind atmosphere around here. Seems that mr. Gussows aura really attracted the right sort of people.
I've been playing the harp for a long time, but only recently have I started to really practice on a daily basis and try to really be a - well - musician?
So last night (European time) I took the leap and went to my first jam session. Being an advanced intermediate+ on the Gussow scale, I thought it would be the next step.
And boy, was it. Got me scared as hell! But reflecting afterwards, it was a real nice experience. The people and musicians were really nice. I got to know a few before the session started (if you're a first timer, being open about it and coming in early really was a good tip I found somewhere in this forum) and already during the first song, the sessionleader gestured me to play along, telling me what key the song was in and everything. So I played from my chair in front of the room - acoustically (it's a small session, only 20 people in the crowd), being applauded enthusiastically upon the sessionleader's instigation! Then for the next song I was gestured on stage and played a couple of tunes through the PA mic. I wasn't really loud enough (intentionally - not wanting to belong to the guild of harp players that overdo it), but everyone was very warm and even complimented me afterwards. There was a nice slow blues in A I even let my self go on for a progression or 2, which seemed to be appreciated. So it was a very nice start to what hopefully will be a ride through musicland. Thought I'd share that as a way of introduction and Thank You.
Now about that vibrato.. The first notes through that mic I tried to make a nice strong 2 draw with a hint of throat vibrato. But what came out.. well.. I haven't a clew as to what that was. Didn't even sound that crappy, but I was like: huh? Anyone ever had that happening? I kinda choked, forcing air through my throat anyway and produced a really bizarre sound.
I guess playing the harmonica is like skiing: the more you let yourself fall, the easier the bends are. So I found something to work on: letting go. Any tips besides alcohol??
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joeleebush
323 posts
Aug 18, 2011
8:34 AM
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Alcohol on stage is a crutch for the weak. After you get off stage, guzzle at will.
Being secure in your stage presence will compensate a long way for any lack of "fancy harp work". Watch professional big league humorists or even politicians on tv with the SOUND TURNED OFF. Watch the mannerisms and the body language they project.
Most have been coached by the best. Learn to enter a stage, stand at a mike, and exit like they do. As much as I dislike our President's politics, I will be the first to admit that he walks on stage like a champion!
Study how he does it.
Today, sadly, that is a very overlooked part of a performance....and one of the easiest to straighten out because there are so many examples to study. (a lot easier than getting that pure 3 hole draw distort on an F harp).
If you're fat...then lose weight. Bill Clarke told me once that he would give up 20% of his harp skills just to look thin and manly on stage. He fought the weight thing for years.
I, personally, have been fighting weight ever since I got older..its a millstone around the neck for stage performers.
Dress for success and send out the right message....NOT with a blues brothers hat or sunglasses. You're better off looking like a lawyer than some bum who just staggered off the city bus.
Steve Martin, Johnny Carson, Sammy Davis Jr., Billy Eckstine preached it..."always look better than the audience"
You will be okay. The harp stuff will come with time.
Your writing shows a degree of humility that is absolutely essential to growing as a performer.
Good luck in your journey.
Regards,
Joe Lee Bush
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www.joeleebushshow.com
Last Edited by on Aug 18, 2011 8:58 AM
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harmonicanick
1266 posts
Aug 18, 2011
9:44 AM
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Watch the singer in order not to play over the words, but fill in where appropriate.
Take your solo and take your time with single notes and leave those spaces, especially on the 'turnaround' - this creates acoustic tension.
Face the audience and play up, don't look down, look at the back of the pub just above the audiences heads.
Try to stand up and play if possible.
Use vibrato occasionally.
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nacoran
4460 posts
Aug 18, 2011
5:31 PM
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Standing is important. I've got bum feet and I'm not sure what I'll do about that if we start getting longer gigs, but standing does wonderful things for your tone, singing and vocally. (This advice can be disregarded if you happen to have a marathon runners pulmonary system like certain people, but for most of us standing helps.)
Joe Lee is right about owning the stage with the mannerisms of confidence. You can be humble and easy going and still project confidence. To use the comic example, even when a comic is deliberately projecting under-confidence as part of the shtick they do it confidently, or it doesn't work. But if you fail confidently, the world is yours. :)
see more funny videos, and check out our Yo Dawg lols!
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Miles Dewar
1068 posts
Aug 18, 2011
6:08 PM
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Drink if you want. It won't make you play better.
It Can lower your inhibitions. Somewhat useful to the shy.
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* I do Not understand who "Alcohol on stage is a crutch for the weak" actually applies to? Clarify please.
I do NOT see how this could apply to ALL players in ALL situations. Or is it just when you actually use the alcohol as an "Aid. So as I said before, Please Clarify.
Last Edited by on Aug 18, 2011 6:10 PM
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jbone
616 posts
Aug 19, 2011
5:01 AM
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i found out early on the one too many drinks would make me a legend in my own mind. period. it may have caused me to make an ass of myself as well. i have not needed that crutch for many a year now and my real progress started once i was shut of addictive substances. alcohol was definitely a crutch for me for some years. i found myself just a bit too loaded to do a decent job with a harp several times. to me the only person who can decide if something is a crutch is the person engaging in the behavior. but the caveat is, one must try to listen to one's peers and audience. and to one's own self.
Miles- my wife is a great example of the lessening of inhibitions. she will almost never have more than one drink when we're out. a couple of saturdays ago at our cd release party, she got a double scotch. drank it ALL before we got on stage to open the show, and did well. then all evening she was a social butterfly, talking with everyone and flitting everywhere! she's usually sitting quietly there in the back, observing everyone. that night the drink loosened her just enough. she is my Cheap Date, one drink a night for the most part!
manners and poise on stage are essential. all the cool tricks in the bag will not endear one to particular band members or the audience. sincerity and even simplicity may, however. doing what one knows with conviction. i've been sort of coaching a fellow harper along for about a year now, just trying to explain what i'm doing on a particular song, in a particular position, etc etc. i can do some fairly complex stuff and it sounds good to me and even to him, but often the audience has no idea what i'm doing. their thermometer is, does it "sound good"? so i'll leave the stage and my (sort of) protege will get up and do the simplest thing possible and the crowd eats it up! there is a lesson there,i call it the KISS principle. Keep It Simple, Silly! last night
he was doing a minor thing i could have sworn was 3rd position on a G harp. later he told me he had grabbed a minor tuned A harp and was in 1st position! it sounded so good.
i have found that a quiet confidence- and competence- goes much farther than a wardrobe or a too-cocky attitude. these days i don't wear a hat at all except rarely- makes my head sweat!- and never a jacket or tie- jacket always came off 5 minutes after hitting the stage- a nice shirt, decent jeans or slacks, good dressy or casual shoes, no shorts, no flipflops, no t shirts for me. i may not outdress the audience but among them nobody who has not seen me would suspect that i'm a harp guy. they find out when i get to the stage. my wife refers to me as Clark Kent and Super Harp.
being a harp player requires manners and some sort of conversational skills. speaking when asked to is essential as is not interrupting. some conversations have no need or little need of a harp voice. i have played with a band that had one song that needed 2 notes from me, 4 times, in the entire song. but those 8 notes made or broke the song, so i was vital, yet i had to try and be humble and just do my best with very little opportunity. and it worked well.
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6SN7
182 posts
Aug 19, 2011
6:31 AM
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Last week I went to a jam. There was a harp player already there, amp sxet up and he was first. He was a nice guy, said I could use his amp and we had a nice chat. He played the firsty five songs anbd played well, agterwards telling me he played all his tricks and licks and had made a good impression.
I was asked to play later w/ 2 guitarist (one a Pro ax hero/legend) and a guest vocalist. For the next 5 songs, I backed the band and singer. I played solos only when pointed to and filled when directed. No frills, no bells, I worked at making the band sound the best they could, particularly the vocalist who was loved by the audience. Our 5 song set was band showcase, an ensemble, and was different from ther rest of the sets that day that players threw everything they knew out there.
At the end of the evening, the bassist came up to me and said he enjoyed playing with me. I joked, "I bet you tell all the jammers that. "
He then said "I tell everyone that they are good players, but never do I tell them, they played well with the band, because they play as individuals and not as team players. You left stuff on the table and didn't feel the need to blow the wad. You came out and backed the vocalist and killer guitarist and made them sound great. Thanks for keeping it in check."
As for drinking, get real. Booze helps nothing, not fear, anxiety and believe me, you do not play better. Getting drunk and getting on stage at a jam is a selfish act. Drink a cranberry juice before you play.
Last Edited by on Aug 19, 2011 6:33 AM
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FreeWilly
3 posts
Aug 19, 2011
7:22 AM
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Thanks for all the interesting tips and stories. Funny how a lot of you respond on the alcohol thing. I meant it kind of like as a joke, although I do find that when very nervous, it can help you loosen up a bit. I guess I'm like Jbone's wife, haha. I never drink more than 2 drinks an evening usually anyway, because I found that the days after the night before are a lot more productive that way.
About stepping on notes. Sonny Terry in mind, I tried one fill lick during two vocal phrases, and the singer started to sing twice as loud. Guess that's for regular teams only then.. Didn't try a second time.
As for the discussion on 'showmanship': it made me think about how I'd like to present myself. Thanks for that. I guess how you dress up is very personal. Bet there are lot's of people out there trying to look sloppy on purpose, or are just sloppy, that do fine on stage anyway. I just try to dress so that I feel comfortable, whether on stage or on. 'Dressing up' sounds to me more as something that might be part of a fixed band's act. I think you should dress and act sincere. Let the inside shine outward. If you feel like a bit of formality is in place - wear a tie. Show you care. If you feel like your among friends - wear clean clothes that feel comfortable - show you feel welcome.
Am I transcribing your remarks right if I say that if you go on stage, you should not stand there like if you where not interested in what is going on, but a bit open and energetic? To me, that just sounds like being nice. If you address people, you might want to look at them and not look to grumpy. I don't know about 'acting' though. A Dutch singer once said in an interview that to keep people interested, he doesn't try to project, but he tries to pull them into his mindset and concentration. He communicates by creating a place where people can 'visit' him (I am saying it in my own words here). Perhaps Howard Levy is a good example of that style also. Would fit my personality. I lol'd a the picture of the fail. Conforting really: now we know you can stand straight and upright, even if you're head's being flushed.
Wasn't thinking about that when I was trembling on stage the other day though. I'll try to occupy my nervous mind with all these positive thoughts the next time around!
About being part of the band and stuff: if you step on stage, you try to make music right? The only reason for making the music worse by portraying yourself overly is to be thought of as a good player, which nobody will think you are if you are clothering up the whole song anyway. Logic really rules out that option I'd say.. Probably nothing new.
Oh, and by the way. I don't think being obese (if that's the right English word for it) should be a problem at all. I'm more of a sporty type myself, but I guess that being heavy is only a problem if it is a problem to yourself. Don't see John Popper being bothered by it for example. His weight didn't seem to kill his attraction as an artist to me anyways. Or John Goodman's for that matter. They both did slim down for health, which might be saying something. I think slimming down is only possible if you're psyche is ready to be a slim person, but that might be way off. If you are just a bit chubby and are fine with that, no audience will protest or think anything about it.
I'd like to hear more stories about modest harp players getting the kudo's. Am I right in thinking that the reason for the slight hesitation I felt from the music man and women when talking about harp players comes from some harpies boldness? Or is it just jealousy that almost everyone likes that sound more than any other instruments :P
Last Edited by on Aug 19, 2011 7:27 AM
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FreeWilly
4 posts
Aug 19, 2011
7:23 AM
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Ok. Upon seeing my post I'd like to add that I will work on shorter posts. Djeez. Here's the first one ;)
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lor
11 posts
Aug 19, 2011
8:16 AM
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@FreeWilly: that strange sound you mentioned in the first post - was it like a snore? That's happened to me a few times, a brief snore on a hard draw. I don't what it sounded like to the listeners. It kinda scared me. I've tried to duplicate it on purpose but it doesn't happen the same way - yet. It ought to make a staccato effect. Weird stuff.
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FreeWilly
6 posts
Aug 19, 2011
8:34 AM
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@lor: Should be the same thing. So deep a bend that it just kind of bloafbs at you. Perhaps not so much a snore as a clumpf sound? That build up of pressure presumably needs a special state of mind. I just tried to get it again because of your post. Got close, but not quite. Thank God :)
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