I feel like I'm a decent chromatic player who's hit something of a wall. The paucity of instructional material (compared to diatonic)- especially for intermediate to advanced players- makes it hard to find new techniques to put on the to-do list. I know I could start branching out from 3rd position, but I want to get farther with the traditional 3rd pos. stuff before moving on. For frame of reference (if anyone is exceptionally interested in my little problem), here's a vid of me jamming today. Gives an idea of where I'm stuck:
There's actually enough instructional material out there to acquire a lot of learning. For instance, I just checked out a great instructional vid from Adam.
If you have a little budget to work with, there's David Barrett's instructional material.
I'm not sure if you are a tongue blocker, but that is a great technique for both diatonic and chromatic, and will take time to master, and is so worth it( I am more comfortable with lip pursing/pucker, but use tongue blocking extensively, for certain effects, especially playing blues chromatic).
Studying the note layout/intervals of the chromatic(as well as diatonic)will help you learn your way around the instrument as well...from there you can learn other scales(for other than 3rd pos. blues).
Listening to and studying blues chromatic masters like George Smith, Rod Piazza, William Clarke, Dennis Gruenling, and others for phrasing, time, as well as riffs, are all worthwhile pursuits.
Other ideas: Put together a band, or get in a band...that will force you to learn more than you would otherwise. Just the prospect of being in a band might make you work harder to get a handle on what you're doing, at least that's what I've found.
It sounds like you have enough technique(you can never have enough technique)and ideas for now, but you might work on slower pieces, and milk the instrument for all that great tone and feeling...that and phrasing. Phrasing is really important.
You’re playing a C chromatic. When you play in 3rd position, you are playing in the key of D. Playing a 12 bar blues in D, the chords are D-G-A, that’s the 1-4-5 progression.
Write down the blues scale beginning with D. Write down the blues scale beginning with G. Write down the blues scale beginning with A.
Figure out how to play those scales on your chromatic from top to bottom.
When you play a blues in D, you begin with your D scale. When the tune goes to the 4-chord (G), you go to the G scale. Do the same with the A.
You’re trying to play within the scales over the chords. That’s where the music is hiding. You just have to dig it out.
If you go to my profile page and scroll down, there’s a note chart with the enharmonic notes. That should help you. Download it. Scales are the foundation you need to build upon.
Last Edited by on Aug 14, 2012 4:27 PM
I agree with Noodles. If you want to separate yourself from a large majoroty of the blues chrom players learn that the slide is for more than the flat 5 in third position.
If I played blues chromatic and wanted to break through a wall, I'd get lessons from Dennis Gruenling. Good guy, good teacher, encyclopedic knowledge of harmonica playing.
Alex. The easiest and most effective way to get round the Chro (I've been spending time with it myself) is to study music theory and use the piano as your guide when working with scales and chord voicings.
There really is no other way around it and it'll expand your mind in a good way.
Consider picking up some of Jamie Abersolds books or The Jazz Handbook by Mark Levine. Get your hands on a keyboard and chart out the note layout for your Chro.
Learn all the 12 major scales and pentatonic scales too. That stuff is really useful. Then transpose what you know into all 12 keys.
When improvising in the blues idiom, You only need to use one scale.
The Major and Minor pentatonic scales have in built melody, they forego the dissonant notes and if you stick to them, you will never hit a bad note in your work. Your phrasing might suck but hey, least youre in the right key..right?? (EDIT: This is a rhetorical question. You don't suck)
Anyway, consider this.
You're playing a Blues progression in D so you will want to use the D minor pentatonic scale for that bluesy sound...
Scale build: 1 m3 4 5 m7 1 aka D F G A C D
Now you could also use the D Major Pentatonic scale to expand on even more melodic ideas within the blues idiom...
Scale Build: 1 2 3 5 6 1 aka D E F# A B D
Now consider the chord types and builds you may be using in the progression...
CHORD BUILD FOR KEY OF D MAJOR
CHORD TYPE: Dominant 7
D7 (I) 1-3-5-m7 G7 (IV) 1-3-5-m7 A7 (V) 1-3-5-m7
CHORD TONE CHART
7 C F G 5 A D E 3 F#B C# 1 D G A
Interestingly enough, if you're in the key of D Major, you can construct ideas on either the Major or Minor Pentatonic scales, both have strong melodic qualities and resolve soundly. However if youre in a minor key, its best to stick with the minor pentatonic scale only.
My two cents though, if you need some advice, is to pace your soloing, its sounds too rushed and the note selection sounds very randomised, try to give yourself space to think about where you are heading with your playing. Music is just as much about telling a story and connecting the listener with what is in your head.
further to that, I recommend taking these ideas and transposing it into all 12 keys.
Im only really scratching the surface of the surface with this stuff.... The rabbit hole goes deep..
I don't know if it was the recording or you, but there was a lot cutting out. A number of times where you went to play a note, but nothing happened for a split second. If it's not the recording then first you have to learn how to gap the reeds. Second you may be hitting them with to hard of an attack! OK back to your question. I didn't hear any bends? The suggestion of playing the chord changes in a very good one! Also learn how to play 12 bar in C F G. On a Chrom you bend both draw and blow notes! A neat "trick" is when you want to play a note (say G 7 blow) you can push the botton in, start the note bent, release the bend and release the botton. Sometimes I'll push the botton back in and release it quickly. It also works well on the 6 draw. You can do it anywhere on the harp. It just should be part of a scale, or a chord tone to the key being played.
Thank you all so, so much for the advice! It feels a little hijack-y posting my own practice vids and asking questions very specific to my own skills/needs. Thanks for the responses and criticism. Phrasing is definitely my biggest weak spot, it seems. I think this will just take practice, ie, getting my brain caught up with my hands, so there's no rushed, "shit, where am I going?" feel. I was thinking that as far as using more available scale tones, I'd practice some 2nd position stuff. The I chord would be enharmonic with the D major pentatonic, as well as being the iv chord in third, right? And the v chord in second (C) would be enharmonic with the minor pentatonic for the v chord in third (Am). Is this a good approach, practice method? Jbone, I'm in Fayetteville, home of RJ Mischo, who I'm getting to go see in a couple hours!
Assuming you're still playing your C chromatic, 2nd position is G. I'm not sure what you mean by "The I chord would be enharmonic with the D major pentatonic" but you are right that the I chord (G) is the same as the IV in 3rd position.
Here's a chart for your C harp:
Position I chord IV chord V chord 1st C F G 2nd G C D 3rd D G A 4th A D E 5th E A B
Timeistight, What I meannt was that a D major pentatonic scale has one sharp, F#, and so has no note that isn't contained in G major. So if I learned some 2nd position chrom, I could later go back to 3rd and incorporate major pentatonic licks more easily because I'd engrained the habit of hitting the button to get F# from playing in G. Kinda circuitous logic and a poorly-worded thought, but it somehow makes sense in my brain. KeithE- those transcriptions look like they'd do me a lot of good- one classic, and one funky key that would force me to pick up some new tricks. Thanks!
Michael Rubin has some really informative stuff on chromatic. http://www.youtube.com/user/michaelrubinharmonic I can't remember the number of the videos but his Meat and Potatoes series has a good run of chrom stuff. If I had to guess I would say around 25 or so. His whole series is very informative. I encourage you to check it out! ---------- Brad
