Ok, taking the (first) plunge. Uploaded my first youtube video. I would love any critique more constructive than "You suck".
I have been playing since march this year and try to use some different techniques here. TB, LP and so forth, nothing fancy really. My doublestops are all over the place so if anyone has pointers there i'm all ears. A/V sync is awful.
You're doing well. On the plus side: Your tone is pretty good. You seems to be hearing the changes. You had good variety in your verses. You are using a combination of chords and single notes.
On the minus side - lost the rhythm once in a while. Need to work on your bends. You use the 3 draw unbent a lot more than you use it bent down a half step - and it will sound much more bluesy if you were to reverse that. You bend down to it - but keep working on your bends until you can start the note with it bent and leave it there. And try to force yourself venture further up the harp - I think you never went beyond the 5 draw here.
But keep it up. I can hear you're using Barrett's instructional materials - they're good stuff and Dave is a great teacher so stick with it. ---------- /Greg
Hey, not bad. Do you play any other instruments? The reason I ask is that you seem to keep pretty good time and exhibit some musicality (if that's a word) for someone who has been playing for so short a period of time. There's a lot to like. You didn't try to do too much, stayed within yourself, left some open spots for the background music to move around you. I would like to learn that trick where you pull the harp away from your mouth but it keeps on playing. I would be encouraged if I were you.
@geordiebluesman - I try to play a bit everyday. It often just comes down to playing along some songs or backing tracks.
@Greg - Glad you thought my tone were ok. I have actually been working mostly on my tone up until now. Just started to focus on trying to shape up that blue third. Still a long way to go. I'm at the point where I have to consciously bend it instead of just playing it right, you know. I can really hear what you say about the high end of the harp. I just can't seem to get there. I tried to hit a octave root jump somewhere in all that so I think blow 6 came along, albeit barely :)
Barrett's books are really great. I've got a lot of them but have still to complete one... Poor focus, and car wood-shedding at night.
@FMWoodeye - No, no other instrument really. Some minuscule guitar playing. But I spent my youth dancing whenever I had the chance and do believe that I picked up some kind of timekeeping there. As for the away-from-face-playing: I'm sorry but that's a signature move for my along my 1-10 hole bent warble-chug. It stays a secret.
We started playing around the same time. You in March, me in April. What can I say? The race is on!!!! LOL...just kidding. Good job.
I can relate to your playing. I hear the newness in it like I hear in mine after recording myself. I thought you did a good job. But I hear the newness like I said; which is normal...not a bad thing. I feel it for myself also and wonder when the hell I'll get passed that or how to get out of this spiral. I too have to kind of "iron out" the wrinkles. The searching for what to play as I'm playing. Actually it helps me to listen to you. You are very close to me in tenure.
In the world where I come from, even though it is only by a month, you would still be considered my senior. My "sempai." I would therefore be bound to bow down to you and never correct you. You could only correct me. With that in mind I offer my 2 cents with all due respect to my senior.
What I hear in my recordings I hear in yours. An extra note or two in some spots while in others a note too little. Or a missing "connecting" note, which ruins the flow. I think that at times I repeat lines because I am a tad lost as to where to go and it buys me time. Did I hear that?maybe just a little..not sure. I also throw in the works. TB, LP, slaps, octaves, splits, etc and I hope desperately that someone notices. Then afterwards I wonder if I had too much going on just for the sake of "hey did you hear that? Rather than musicality.
Hey, you (we) have only been playing a short time. The bottom line is I thought it was good...real good for 8 months. And I am not in a position to really comment anyway. I'm just trying to relate, brother to brother since we are close to the same amount of time playing. We mat still be speaking the same language. Well, even though you are my senior. Great job! ---------- Tommy
Very good tone! I also liked your vibrato. Perhaps one thing I would pay more attention is the rhythm - are you using metronome yet? When you play along the songs it is rather easy to loose the rhythm - or the brains might even invent a new "groove" while you are playing so that you don't actually notice you are not in a rhythm. Metronome helps with that.
Thanks a lot guys. Tommy, I definitely hear what you're saying. I am probably "newer" than you in a way. I picked up the harp and blues at the same time. Hadn't REALLY listened to blues before that. I'm trying to remedy that by steeping myself in it now, though. I (and probably you) are at the point of playing something fitting but staying away from the "same old shit". I tend to lean to the SOS playing since it sounds good and is not all that old to me anyway :).
@apskarp - Tried it a few times with metronome but that just made me more confused. Have to have another try at it I guess. The brain does groove on its own. When those real great musicians let it, it can be cool as hell, like Jimmy Read and Jimmy Hendrix. Other times it's just bad.
