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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Ever been a better time to be a harp player?
Ever been a better time to be a harp player?
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Grey Owl
61 posts
Apr 11, 2013
10:11 AM
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What do you reckon? Pros and cons, equipment, styles, literature, learning aids etc., gigs. work on harps. Do you think you would have developed better or preferred starting playing in a different era.
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TheoBurke
371 posts
Apr 11, 2013
10:19 AM
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In some ways it's a great time to be a harp player, but in other ways the attention has been a definite buzz kill. Much like guitar players, harmonica players are increasingly obsessed with their gear, from mics, pedals, amps, sound boards, and with an excessive obsession with the admittedly difficult technique of overblowing; much like guitarists who, one after another, seek to be faster than Malmsteen with both picking and sweeps, harmonicists aspire to be Levy, Sugar Blue, Jason Ricci, a situation that makes this thing more competition than avocation. Much of this has stopped being fun--I retired from playing in bands because there were too many others at jam sessions trying to show me up, cut me, give me crap for not playing like the Old School. I am afraid that this the worst thing that can happen to an art form. Quantity changes everything.
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Ted Burke
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheoBurke?feature=mhee
http://ted-burke.com
tburke4@san.rr.co,
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FMWoodeye
612 posts
Apr 11, 2013
10:35 AM
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@TheoBurke...I think one would have to go some to "show you up," my young friend. As far as not playing like the "Old School," art is art; and if you limit yourself to simply copying those who came before you, you are merely a technician. I won't hesitate to use a lick or phrase that grabs me, but I never try to learn, for example, someone else's solo note-for-note. I take great pleasure in harvesting material or influences from varied sources and coming up with some original licks. Now, in the process, I come up with a LOT of corny or lame licks, but when something cool happens to fly out of my harp, it's the closest I get to feeling like a kid on Christmas morning. But to address the question (finally), I think it's the best of times simply because of the amount of material available and the easy access...from old Leadbelly recordings up to today's cutting-edge players.
Last Edited by FMWoodeye on Apr 11, 2013 10:36 AM
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harmonicanick
1863 posts
Apr 11, 2013
10:58 AM
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@Grey Owl
We all, on this forum, are wrapped up in the harmonica, and perhaps we do not acknowledge that the harmonica comes under the 'rare' label.
I think there is a renaissance, because the harmonica is replacing the recorder as a learner in some schools in the uk, and the us (blues for schools)
Personally, I find enormous enthusiasm for the sound of the harp when I go out to play (3 x per week) amongst young and old, however there is a level of ignorance about it ie. its a toy, which continues.
But, in answer to your question, this is a great time to be playing with all the internet stuff and equipment and knowledge shared on this forum amongst others.
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Grey Owl
62 posts
Apr 11, 2013
11:31 AM
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Interesting answers guys.
@harmonicanick I didn't know they were introducing harmonica as a replacement for recorders in some schools, that's an interesting development. Although it has to be said that the recorder is only one step down near the bottom of the ladder than the harmonica in the ears of most people.
Yeah unfortunately a lot of folk still think the harmonica is a toy, or campfire accompaniment instrument.
Many folk just don't like the tone of the harp, so the skill of the player is irrelevent. It's a bit like the recorder, you can have a virtuoso performance and people would still have associations with the amateur out of tune renditions by kids.
I had some harp playing at my house once and a couple of music buffs were listening and very soon got fed up with it and it wasn't even me playing:)
But back to the question, I am in two minds about it on one level I enjoyed in a perverse way the struggle with learning to play the instrument on my own, learning from records etc., and I am not sure if I would thrive in the 'land of plenty' now as Theo was alluding to, the many benefits might become distractions/discouragements, and if only I had a 'X' harp I might be a better player, or if only I could tweak my harps etc., or that new mic, new amp.
However I'm hopeful that the explosion of interest can only be a good thing in the long run and the public's exposure to consistent good and innovative play from the pros will render the campfire toy a distant memory.
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My MBH Profile
Grey Owl YouTube
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Last Edited by Grey Owl on Apr 11, 2013 11:34 AM
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Tuckster
1268 posts
Apr 11, 2013
11:55 AM
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It's the best of times,it's the worst of times.
I would have loved to have access to all this information when I started out. I think it would have accelerated my learning curve. A lot of time wasted trying to figure certain things out.
Like the cat in a room full of rocking chairs,I don't know where to look. There is sooo much information,I don't know what to focus on. I want to learn this and that and that and that, etc. It gets confusing.
Last Edited by Tuckster on Apr 11, 2013 11:56 AM
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rainman
82 posts
Apr 11, 2013
12:39 PM
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The sound,tone of the harmonica is an acquired taste, much like sour cheese. It take's a little time to learn to appreciate it. Many never give it that chance.
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colman
242 posts
Apr 11, 2013
12:57 PM
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I started blowin` harp in 1968 and the only thing i had was assimilation and it works !!! also I`ve found that old school blowin` is sitting pretty with no new school beating around the bush !!!
Last Edited by colman on Apr 11, 2013 1:00 PM
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Bigtone
201 posts
Apr 11, 2013
1:54 PM
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I think there are both. If we didn't have so much technology then most cats would be forced to go watch like music and go learn in a live setting in a real life setting. Getting throw in situations is what makes you grow. You can watch videos for ten years and get good but it is a whole different story live. I feel we need a mix of it. The old cats had to play every second to be as good as they were I mean Little Walter was a monster because he hung out with Muddy Waters and the Myers brothers and Jimmy Rogers everyday for years. Who wouldn't become great from that? The difference is back then you had to go out every night and get better, you had to bust your balls with a lot of hard work to become good but now it is easy to gather technique from a simple video. We def have it way way way easier than the old cats and that shows in the way a lot of harp players play nowadays. We have a huge group of players that have tons and tons of tech skills and tone but we loose the other half which is passion and raw determination for being better because the guy at the blues jam is whoopin your ass every monday haha. I prefer gettin my butt handed to me face to face then over a computer. Getting embarrassed is a good thing sometimes
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Littoral
827 posts
Apr 11, 2013
3:01 PM
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Bigtone, well said. Getting sat down is the best meds. What chaps me is guys who haven't put in the time and can NOT handle being shown something. Saying "it's my style" when the dude can't even articulate a single note, not one.
Ok, vent over :)
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dougharps
384 posts
Apr 11, 2013
3:33 PM
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In terms of the quality of instruments and the easy availability of information, it is the best of times.
I do think that at times there is too much theoretical information and directions about how to play that puts beginners off. I have learned a lot of theory since it became readily available, and I value it greatly, but nothing replaces what you learn when you first explore the instrument by playing and listening, and by figuring out songs by ear. I learned 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th positions before I ever heard of positions just by trying to play songs that were modal. Being poor at that time and having a limited number of harps was motivation to try new things.
Now there is a wealth of information, and when it became available I was ready to benefit from it. I think the downside of the current scene is too much information and too many people telling you their "right" way to learn harp. I believe in self guided learning... I don't think there is one way to learn harp.
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Doug S.
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Goldbrick
148 posts
Apr 11, 2013
3:36 PM
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Music skills have advanced greatly in the last 20 years -when I was a kid-if you culd play Johnny B. Goode on guitar or wipe out on the drums-you were in.
My son could play that stuff at age 9
Harp is interesting to me 'cause I see and feel it primarily as rhythm instrument and the ability to mimic other instruments ( horn stabs, bass lines, chords) excite me. I guess 'cause I am a still mainly a drummer. The ability to add licks that are melodic take it past the rhythm thing to another dimension
I love the sound of acoustic and amped harp like a do a slide guit or a deep conga.
So yeah its a great instrument to play and a great time to experiment with all the resources out there
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