tookatooka
3469 posts
Sep 04, 2013
4:15 PM
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I learnt a great lesson today and it was something I'd never have thought of myself had it not been for Frank and Adam over on the TB/LP thread.
Part of the discussion was about trying to improv without sticking hard and fast to the 12 bar format but to try and play through the 12th bar without the usual resolve on the turnaround.
This is exciting for me because I always made a point of using some form of turnaround and resolving on the root note and then started again on the next 12 bars, resolved on the 12th bar and so on and on.
I've tried to do this on the attached recording but I don't know if I've managed to achieve this yet. It's very difficult to change old habits and it seemed odd trying to play through the 12th bar with notes which fit but didn't constitute a turnaround.
If you want to listen and provide any feedback and/or comments I'd be very grateful. It's a slowish jazz/blues piano backing track courtesy of Maximo Spodek on YouTube. It was a single take (first time ever) after just a short practice session trying to utilise this new idea. It's in the key of C using a F harp so it may sound a little shrill for the chicago blues set :0)
Thanks for any input. Much obliged.
Note: I just listened to this again and I think I've failed miserably. More work required.
Last Edited by tookatooka on Sep 04, 2013 4:30 PM
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KingoBad
1383 posts
Sep 04, 2013
8:02 PM
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My first comment would be to go with the low F.
It felt like you were way above the mix, and it did not sit so well with me.
You may want to vary your attack and phrasing. The whole piece is rather sing-songy (if I may make up a word) and very uniform across the whole song.
Try racing through a bit with a flurry of notes, or dig in, add a chuck, or some staccato notes. Syncopate some phrases.
The one thing that really stood out for me was a lack of blue thirds. It all sounded very major. You can obviously hit them, as you did several times moving around.
I think you did a decent job as an exercise and the first time through. Your playing is very nice, just very sweet sounding...
You may want to spend some time building tension on the 11th and 12th bars so that playing through becomes much easier. The best exaggerated example of this I can think of (right now) it Phil Wiggins' solo on "evil twin sister blues" on the video from HCH3. I would post it, but I am on my iPhone. He does a masterful job.
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Danny
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Danny
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GMaj7
278 posts
Sep 04, 2013
10:03 PM
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Liked how you developed the idea... and really liked the the staccato note at 48 seconds.. I think in jazz that is what really sticks out.... You could have done a lot with that staccato effect, especially when you hit it hard.. like a horn would have done..
Liked the high work.. cool..
You might spend some time working on phrases for the V chord.. that one always is a little tricky..
Good stuff and great to hear something besides straight blues!
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Greg Jones
16:23 Custom Harmonicas
greg@1623customharmonicas.com
1623customharmonicas.com
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JInx
520 posts
Sep 05, 2013
6:37 AM
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sounds pretty good. only thing for me is, my attention drifts after the 2nd go round. if you could manage to sing a verse or two, the piece as whole would really come together.
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Sun, sun, sun
Burn, burn, burn
Soon, soon, soon
Moon, moon, moon
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tookatooka
3470 posts
Sep 05, 2013
11:30 AM
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Hi Guys, first off let me say thankyou, you don’t know how valuable your feedback is to me. I play in a bit of a vacuum so feedback is very rare.
@KingoBad. Yeah I suppose the High F did stick out a bit but my Low F sounded so low, it wouldn’t have been heard plus I find I don’t have as much control of the Low F as I do the High.
“Sing-Songy”, Yup that’s something I need to deal with. I get frightened to stray too far from the melody but I need to address that and make it more gritty and less “sweet“.
Blue Thirds. I’m glad you picked up on that, I didn’t realise I was getting so complacent. I just thought the various slurring from note to note was enough but it obviously isn’t. I need to be more aware of this.
Building tension on the 11th and 12th bars. I’d like to but not too sure how yet. I’ll track the video you suggested and see what Phil Wiggins does.
Thanks a lot Danny. Very much appreciated.
@GMaj7. I looked for that staccato note at 48 seconds and truthfully I didn’t know what I was looking for. My bad need to learn about staccato too and do more of it.
V chord phrasing. Yeah! I need to do lots more work in that area.
Thanks a lot Greg. It was good of you to take time out to comment like that.
@Jinx. Me? sing? I wouldn’t know where to start. I understand about the attention drift. That’s the trouble with backing tracks, we feel we need to fill out and play through the entire track which is not what would happen in a jam. Other’s would have a go too so it makes our bit rather boring. I usually shorten my backing tracks to about 2 minutes so that the harp stays relatively fresh for the duration of the tune.
Once again, Thanks Jinx, your comment is valued and noted.
Thanks guys. You don’t know how much this will help me to get to grips with playing my harps.
Last Edited by tookatooka on Sep 05, 2013 11:31 AM
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nacoran
7104 posts
Sep 05, 2013
11:33 AM
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Tooka, another easy option for changing between playthroughs is to throw an effect on. Guitar players, for instance, will play a pretty run through and then hit the distortion pedal the next time through. :)
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Nate
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tookatooka
3471 posts
Sep 05, 2013
11:50 AM
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Thanks @nacoran. That's cheating :) Besides I don't have any effects pedals. Good idea though.
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nacoran
7105 posts
Sep 05, 2013
1:38 PM
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You can always do it in post production! Short of that, the simplest solution may be to change how you cup the mic for different parts of the song. If you go from 'acoustic' to amplified you can get a pretty sharp contrast. That's something I've been working on in my playing. (I'm also adding some foot percussion... coming to a recording soon!)
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Nate
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Frank
2708 posts
Sep 07, 2013
3:53 AM
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From what I hear you have accomplished what you set out to do...And it sounds like you're getting musical dividends from your practice sessions - there is much improvement in your... ideals, tone and chops. Great Bt to add harp to also - You are getting good my friend :)
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tookatooka
3476 posts
Sep 07, 2013
1:34 PM
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Thanks @nacoran, I'm making a new mic which will help me to do that to good effect. I want to combine amped with accoustic and the mic I have in mind will help me do that. I like wahs etc and find I can't currently get them well when mic'd.
Thanks @Frank. A compliment indeed my friend. Thanks for taking the time to review my music.
Last Edited by tookatooka on Sep 07, 2013 1:35 PM
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jodanchudan
859 posts
Sep 07, 2013
2:00 PM
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A wistful tune that perfectly suited my mood - thanks! I like the slow bends and high end playing. The only suggestion I'd make is maybe throw in a bluesy or staccato chorus to change things up. But great stuff.
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tookatooka
3478 posts
Sep 07, 2013
2:28 PM
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Thanks @jodanchudan. I'll try and remember that but I find all the good suggestions you guys help me with go straight out of my mind when I'm playing. Discipline required.
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jpmcbride
6 posts
Sep 07, 2013
4:04 PM
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Well, sticking to your original comment about not playing an overt turnaround, I think you were very successful. Sometimes people blow through the turnaround as if they were completely unaware of the chord progression. You didn't do that. Instead, you acknowledged the turnaround in the chord structure without playing a typical blues harp turnaround. I say good job.
And by the way, I liked the harp tone. Sometimes the high-F with a "sweet" sound is just what a song wants. You can't get down and dirty every time. Of course it got a little old after a while, but in the real world you wouldn't play 5 or 6 times around. 24 bars of that would make a great solo in the right song.
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Jim McBride
www.bottleoblues.com
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