nacoran
6080 posts
Sep 12, 2012
7:42 PM
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Improvising with my bass player tonight at open mic. I usually play through the house system, but I brought my amp down tonight. For our third song I pulled out my harmonic minor. It took me a few bars to find the groove, and he shook me at least once, and I hit a couple double stops that were supposed to be single notes, and the harp was a little too echo-y but overall I think I got the sound in my head out into the room. Eb Harmonic Minor.
Critique is welcome.
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Nate
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Last Edited by on Sep 12, 2012 7:42 PM
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DukeBerryman
16 posts
Sep 13, 2012
2:24 AM
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That Harmonic Minor sounds cool - makes me want to try one. Good choice for just jamming along to a bass. That type of improv is tough, but I would've stuck with just one theme, and then do variations. Can't say I heard a single theme and variations, but sounds like you were looking for one. Do it again next week!
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nacoran
6083 posts
Sep 13, 2012
9:56 AM
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Thanks for the feedback. Yeah, I did a lot of noodling. It could have used something to tie it together. I was actually going to try to repeat some of the stuff from the beginning when the bass player flashed the wrap it up signal. I love the harmonic minor. I've tried solo, standard, natural minor and harmonic minor now.
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Nate
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Rick Davis
667 posts
Sep 13, 2012
11:49 AM
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Nice. very cool sound.
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-Rick Davis
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JInx
304 posts
Sep 13, 2012
12:13 PM
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To my ear, it sounds like you guys are playing beyond your limitations. I would go with a simplified bass part, emphasising roots and 5ths, 1/2 notes and whole notes. This will open things up a lot and you'll be able to run that harmonic minor like it's meant to. Get down with it.
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Sun, sun, sun
Burn, burn, burn
Soon, soon, soon
Moon, moon, moon
Last Edited by on Sep 13, 2012 12:13 PM
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Noodles
326 posts
Sep 13, 2012
12:17 PM
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Harmonic minor is an interesting tuning. The bottom end is great for 1st position because the 3b is built in as the 2-blow. You don't have to fake it. I've often plotted to take a spare harp (A or G) and retune to harmonic minor.
Then, you can it a step even further.
You tune down the 6D another whole step and the 7D an additional 1/2 step, something interesting happens.
You end up with a harp the gives you 3 complete Blues Scales in 1st position without any overblows. That might wake up the middle of the harp for a lot of players, (myself included).
Might be worth having a specialty harp that can do that in 1st position. My choice would be an "A" harp I think.
Last Edited by on Sep 13, 2012 12:18 PM
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DukeBerryman
21 posts
Sep 13, 2012
12:26 PM
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@Noodles - Cool mod! I just got my first Melody Maker, and it offers some good flexibility. You can play it in 2nd position just like a regular Major Diatonic, plus play major scales - it's like the best of both worlds.
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Noodles
327 posts
Sep 13, 2012
1:30 PM
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Melody Maker is another interesting tuning.
PADDY RICHTER – Raises the 3B a whole step
COUNTRY TUNING – Raises the 5D a ½ step
MELODY MAKER – Combines Paddy Richter and Country Tunings. Additionally, the 9D is raised a ½ step, (octave of 5D)
Last Edited by on Sep 13, 2012 10:59 PM
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nacoran
6084 posts
Sep 13, 2012
2:34 PM
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JInx, yeah, we were pushing it. I've never claimed to be a star, but there were only half a dozen people in the place so we figured we'd give it a shot. Dan is a better improv player than I am. I have a hard time keeping up on stuff I haven't already written and I was having a hard time handling the mic, which was causing a lot of the accidental double stops. I'm usually an acoustic player. I should have stayed on beat better, but I'm trying to adjust my playing stance. I used to sway to the beat, but it looked like I was humping the mic stand. I gave up about half way through and humped the mic on this one. :)
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Nate
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laurent2015
418 posts
Sep 13, 2012
6:20 PM
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Nate. Sorry, I can't see anything.
Do you have a link? Thanks.
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BronzeWailer
792 posts
Sep 14, 2012
1:26 AM
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"Humped the mic." Thanks, Nate. That's one mental image I will never be able to erase. :)
I liked listening to your piece. I try to step out of my comfort zone when I can. Part of the learning process, I believe.
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lor
154 posts
Sep 14, 2012
9:54 AM
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Nice jam, I'd say.
When I'm out hiking in the wilderness, I am always going farther, curious about the landscape over the next hill or beyond that next bend in the path. Sometimes I feel like I've gotten too far from camp, might have to spend the night in unfamiliar territory. Wondering what delightful surprise awaits the morning sunrise.
Exploring for a melody.
Go for it!
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nacoran
6085 posts
Sep 14, 2012
11:33 AM
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Laurent, it's just an audio clip. It seems to be behaving badly. It keeps autoplaying when I open this thread, even although it's set not to. Here is the raw link:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/5193776/Posted%20to%20the%20internet%20do%20not%20move/Blue%20Flint.mp3
BronzeWailer, there actually is a video of me doing another song a different night when my mic stand humping was on full display. On the bright side, seeing the video lead me to my current diet, and I've lost about 25 lbs.
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Nate
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