harpdude61
1208 posts
Jan 05, 2012
8:16 AM
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A few times I remember hearing pro players hold a single note for 12 bars or pretty close. I think Johnny Sansone did it at Hill Country in 2010.
What is the best note of the scale to do this on? Root? Flat 3rd, 5th, flat 7th.
I can't find any examples on youtube.
The few times I have heard this it was always well received by the audience.
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chadwalker
11 posts
Jan 05, 2012
9:28 AM
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You should put on a jam-track in the tempo and key of your choosing and 'wail' on any note you like... see how it fits over the 12 bars. Then try another note. See what expression you can draw out of each note.
The note you choose to wail on should fit the mood of the song. Personally, I like the flat 7th a lot due to the amount of tension it creates against the tonic.
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hvyj
2047 posts
Jan 05, 2012
9:50 AM
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@chadwalker: Interesting you should say that. I was recently taking a music lesson from an excellent bass player I've jammed with regularly. One of the things he told me was to resolve the 7b (which is the 3b of the V chord) if I'm going to lean on it over the V chord. He said that at jams he hears me lean on that note over the V chord without resolving it and it's a flaw in my playing.
I wouldn't have been doing it if I didn't think it sounded good, but after the lesson I've been resolving that note to the 5 and it does seem to sound better. I dunno...just passing this along since it recently came up during that lesson.
FWIW, I will occasionally take a music lesson from a good musician that doesn't play harp. I mean, I pretty much know how to play my harmonica--it's WHAT to play that I need help with and i find that i learn a lot from good musicians who don't play harp so long as they understand the limitations and capabilities of the instrument.
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