Rarko
34 posts
Sep 08, 2013
5:32 AM
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In july this year my friend saw Sugar Blue at one summer blues festival in europe...
Two hours before gig, all other harp players were in backstage, talking, drinking, playing cards... Only Sugar Blue stayed in his room and played scales, triplets, riffs...for two hours! so he practice two hours before playing on stage.
Next morning, sam thing, after breakfast - 2 hours of practicing.
Do you guys know from your experience, how often pro players practice (Jason,Ronnie, Tod Parrot...and what about old players?)?
How often you practice guys(monthly, weekly, daily...)?
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Leatherlips
220 posts
Sep 08, 2013
7:02 PM
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I certainly don't practice just before a gig. Wouldn't have thought it was necessary for a pro like Sugar.
But, hey. We're all different and if it works for you, then go for it.
As for practice, it depends if I have a gig coming up and I'm unsure about a particular number then I'll practice it at home including working with the band regularly once per week.
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fred_gomez
201 posts
Sep 08, 2013
7:54 PM
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i may warm my throat up before a gig. i only practice with a band. if im not in a band i do some chrome practice before an open mic (use the button) so i dont look like a fool. in band its pretty straight forward biker harp (stones/yardbirds/them/animals)in 2nd 3rd and 5th. open mic straight up blues using whatever i bring in 1st 2nd 3rd whatever works using 2-4 harps each tune (usually 3) at home practice guitar sing bass drums rarely harp. i hate raggin em out.
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timeistight
1356 posts
Sep 08, 2013
9:24 PM
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I've seen Carlos Del Junco practice before a gig.
Howard Levy has said he spent all the downtime on tour with the Flecktones practicing.
I think they're good because they practice a lot.
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Jehosaphat
537 posts
Sep 08, 2013
10:21 PM
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Well i know where i would of been....cards and drinkin'
That probably has some relevance as to where i am now as a Harp player...
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Jehosaphat
538 posts
Sep 08, 2013
10:28 PM
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Butseriously i have have had periods where i have practised 'til my lips bled sort of thing but then i have literally gone for months not picking up a Harp until a Gig or sit in.
After 30 years at it i still am way under the 10000 hour ideal.
And i am not even a Biker ;-)
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Todd Parrott
1146 posts
Sep 09, 2013
10:40 AM
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How often do I practice? Well, I've never really thought of it as practicing, but most days I play all the time, as much as time allows, at home, in the car, etc.
I like playing in 3rd position major for practicing intonation on the bends on 2 & 3 draw, as well as the 5 overblow.
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florida-trader
358 posts
Sep 09, 2013
10:54 AM
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I spent a little time with Todd at SPAH and he pretty much always had a harp in his mouth. He was always working on a little something. Funny thing, I didn't mind it at all. Not like when my wife and kids tell me, "Enough!" when I play around the house. :)
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
Last Edited by florida-trader on Sep 09, 2013 10:54 AM
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walterharp
1161 posts
Sep 09, 2013
11:20 AM
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When Gussow played here, he practiced the morning before his gig, said it keeps his chops sharper.
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arnenym
198 posts
Sep 09, 2013
11:27 AM
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I want to practice for myself earlier the same day we have a gig.
It make me more focused and relaxed when i play.
Last Edited by arnenym on Sep 09, 2013 11:29 AM
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Frank
2715 posts
Sep 09, 2013
11:34 AM
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fred_gomez
202 posts
Sep 09, 2013
11:59 AM
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if you play strings you should be able to do whatever you do on another instrument on harp. i mean whats there to practice? breathing? one you play harp well its like riding a bike you dont forget how. you only need one signature trick to be sucessful (bo diddley/chuck berry/john lee hooker) im very good at picking things up quick or faking it very well. im also good at copying others styles in a few listens. people who practice 8 hours a day just like buying new harps and blowing them out. i dont need a full set of drums to practice i just need a newspaper and sticks.
Last Edited by fred_gomez on Sep 09, 2013 12:00 PM
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S-harp
171 posts
Sep 09, 2013
2:57 PM
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Aahh ... yes ... practicing ...
Practicing what? Why practice! And how?
In my world practice doesn't always make perfect, but perfect practice does!
Playing is fuuun ... takes you places ... practicing often sucks and definitely sounds terrible, but ... for me it's absolutely neccessery. If i don't practice I don't perform at my best. And when I say practice I mean exclusivly targeting the weak spots and really working them, over and over and over ... How can there be another way to get the muscles in line? For me practicing just every now and then doesn't really give any results. Nope, often and efficiant is the way to go.
I don't think that giving the harps a go before gigs is practicing. I do that sometimes but It's more like greasing up the joints, to wake up all those sleeping grooves, riffs and licks, to get it all in playing mode, to fire up the locomotive ... That's not practicing in my book.
Practicing is knowing your weakneses and knowing where you want to take them ... and then work it over and over.
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The tone, the tone ... and the Tone
Last Edited by S-harp on Sep 09, 2013 3:08 PM
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Michael Rubin
789 posts
Sep 09, 2013
4:15 PM
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At my height I was doing 5 to 8 hours a day, then I would go out and gig. If I didn't have a gig, I would search out bands I knew would let me sit in.
Even during these periods I would practice hard for 2 months, then 1 or 2 hours a day for four months. Seasonal. I would never worry about how much I was practicing, I would just let my drive guide me.
Having a family really changed everything. Not only am I interested in being with them whenever we are home together, I choose not to play when my child is asleep. This, plus I had to really up my working hours in order to pay for my family's needs.
Nowadays I practice about 2 hours per weekday, then I am always working on my rudiments with my students.
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garry
431 posts
Sep 09, 2013
4:39 PM
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now that summer's over, my wife goes back to work (elementary schoool). so i can actually practice before work again without waking anybody up.
yay!
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STME58
538 posts
Sep 09, 2013
8:23 PM
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When I was studying music in high school and college back in the late 70's, we were told that professional musicians practiced about 6 to 8 hours a day and if you wanted to get good enough to get a seat in a major orchestra, this is what it would take. This seems consistent with Mr. Rubins's post above.
I switched my major to engineering so I never got to see first hand what practicing 6 -8 hours a day was like. Now I practice harp about an hour a day and trombone a few hours a week with one hour of rehearsal a week with a quintet but seldom play out. I have been surprised at how much my learning the harmonica has helped my trombone playing. I could never improvise before I learned to do in on the harp. The more I practice the easier it gets.
Last Edited by STME58 on Sep 09, 2013 8:24 PM
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