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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Comping for an Eight Bar Blues
Comping for an Eight Bar Blues
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Mirco
15 posts
Oct 31, 2013
11:58 PM
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Slowly, I am pushing myself to get out and play at blues jams. Next week, I'm going to be accompanying a vocalist as the band plays "Key to the Highway."
While I'm comping, I will mostly hit the root notes. But I'm wondering about the turnaround. Since the last two bars are the same chords as the standard 12 bar, should I be using the same types of turnarounds?
Any tips for making the accompaniment to an 8 bar blues sound good?
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JInx
610 posts
Nov 01, 2013
12:22 AM
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Listen to a Little Walter recording or any other of the many great renditions. Everything you need is all right there. Copy and paste.
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Sun, sun, sun
Burn, burn, burn
Soon, soon, soon
Moon, moon, moon
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MindTheGap
44 posts
Nov 01, 2013
4:16 AM
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Yes, you can use/adapt your stock turnarounds. During the verse if you plan to comp over the singing, I find that a gentle, quiet 3-4 hole triplet-1/8th-based (ie slow) shake over the I chord sounds in keeping. But they may only want you to play in the gaps. There's not masses of space in this song.
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KingoBad
1410 posts
Nov 01, 2013
9:18 AM
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If you are accompanying a guitarist, you need to listen to the Sonny Terry/Brownie McGhee version.
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Danny
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Kingley
3247 posts
Nov 01, 2013
9:30 AM
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I wouldn't worry about Sonny and Brownies version or Little Walters too much, as I suspect that the guitarist will most likely play it as a straight shuffle 8 bar blues. Most likely in the key of A, so you'd need your D harp to play in 2nd position. All I'd do is add fills in between the singers vocals, I wouldn't bother playing under his/her vocals until you feel comfortable doing that. Once your familiar with that player and their style then you can mess around with it a lot more. I also wouldn't bother playing the turnaround unless you get a 24 bar solo in which case I'd just play it on the last 12 bars as this will make your solo and fills "pop" more. The main things are play relaxed and don't blow too hard. That will always make you sound better. If you're playing off a vocal mic and the guitarist is at a reasonable volume, then play about a fingers length away from the mic, rather than "on" the mic. That will enable you to use your hand techniques to colour the sound a little more. The main advice I would give you is not to play too many notes. Space is your friend.
Last Edited by Kingley on Nov 01, 2013 9:35 AM
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