geordiebluesman
704 posts
Mar 16, 2013
3:40 AM
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I'm gonna be working up a Country song with a guitarist next week and I want to put a bit of country sounding Harp licks on it but I have no idea how to play something that won't sound Bluesey.
How do I get that country sound?, is there a "best" key to give that Country sound,What's the favoured position?
Any help would be great.
Cheers Geordie.
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Kingley
2403 posts
Mar 16, 2013
3:55 AM
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Concentrate on playing clean single notes and the melody lines of the song. Use either first or second position depending on which sounds best for the song in question. Listen to lots of Charlie McCoy, Todd Parrott and Terry McMillan for inspiration.
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sonvolt13
133 posts
Mar 16, 2013
5:06 AM
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Use the major pentatonic scale in 2nd position. Quickest way to get a country sound.
Last Edited by sonvolt13 on Mar 16, 2013 5:06 AM
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FMWoodeye
597 posts
Mar 16, 2013
7:03 AM
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Invest in a Skype lesson with Todd Parrott. Really.
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TetonJohn
101 posts
Mar 16, 2013
7:12 AM
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For some songs, long-held, single-note, campfire-style, hand-vibrato (don't know the technical term!) can work well over the chord changes. You will recognize the familiar I-IV-V chords.
When I back-up country singers, they like that the harp gives a "bluesy feel," so don't worry TOO MUCH about not sounding like your playing blues!
Last Edited by TetonJohn on Mar 16, 2013 7:14 AM
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Jim Rumbaugh
848 posts
Mar 16, 2013
8:30 AM
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A 2nd vote for the Major pentatonic scale. That's why Adam Gussow (and others) calls it "the country scale"
But there will be SOME tunes where you can use the blues scale. Ballads, melodic, and "pretty" tunes = major pentatonic. Boogie, rocking, and dancing tunes = the blues scale.
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theharmonicaclub.com (of Huntington, WV)
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dougharps
363 posts
Mar 16, 2013
9:01 AM
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The above advice is good. Listen to country harp, as Kingley suggested. And Jim's advice is good.
First position melody work can be nice.
Here are a couple of cross harp riffs that have worked for me with a regular Richter tuned harp (as opposed to country tuned harps that have the 5 draw raised a half step for a major 7th in 2nd position):
Draw 1, blow 2, draw 2, 234 chord hit bent a half step slide to unbent, repeat this, then bend down a half, then draw 2.
Blow 6, blow 5, draw 4, blow 5, then 234 chord hit bent a half step slide to unbent, repeat this, then bend down a half, then draw 2.
These riffs work in well with a lot of country songs.
Avoid the draw 5 about 99% of the time, and when you use it, it is usually a passing tone, not emphasized as in blues.
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Doug S.
Last Edited by dougharps on Mar 16, 2013 9:09 AM
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bonedog569
853 posts
Mar 16, 2013
1:24 PM
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There are country 'licks' - but start with the melody. It's a concept only Blues players (and some Jazz) seem to be able to live without.
Serve the song with what it calls for,- your vocacularhy of licks, may or may not apply. If you learn how to play the notes of the melody first, you will get a feel for the song - your 'licks' can then build off and around that.
A lesson from Tod certainly wouldn't hurt.
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oldwailer
1957 posts
Mar 17, 2013
9:12 AM
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It helps if you have on cowboy boots with a little cowshit on the toe. . .
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Oldwailer's Web Site
Send a tip!
"Too Pretty for the Blues."
Last Edited by oldwailer on Mar 17, 2013 9:13 AM
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Lmbrjak
145 posts
Mar 17, 2013
6:54 PM
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lots of nice harp on the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band albums. Especially good is the "Will the circle be unbroken albums". A wide variety of Bluegrass and country on there.
Last Edited by Lmbrjak on Mar 17, 2013 7:03 PM
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Rubes
674 posts
Mar 18, 2013
1:49 AM
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Be sure to throw in the old....YEHAAAAA!
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One of Rubes's bands, DadsinSpace-MySpace
Old Man Rubes at Reverbnation
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andysheep8
28 posts
Mar 18, 2013
9:00 AM
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Also you can get 'Country' tuned harps, or if you're handy you can re-tune your own. I like to get one harp for 1st and another for 2nd position; hold one between thumb and index finger, t'other between index and middle finger; (what my kid calls the "swear" finger)and switch as the mood takes me.
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geordiebluesman
705 posts
Mar 19, 2013
1:34 AM
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Thanks for the Top Tips chaps, I'm on it,Hey Oldwailer if I can't get any Cow shit for the toe of my boots will Dog shit do instead!
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