BWH uses tremolo extensively in the song. In the fifth bar of the first chorus he holds 5+ (on a B-flat harp) for three beats with tremolo.
To my ear it sounded like more than just 5+ modulated by the tremolo, so I ran a frequency analysis on a single envelope of the tremolo's modulation to get the low frequency component out of da way.
The dominant frequency is D5, which you would expect for 5+. However, I also see peaks at D6 and A6.
So, wondering if he is actually doing a subtle octave here?
When I was taught this song (by a Filisko apprentice), I was told that they couldn't figure out what key harp BW used. The master tape was either a little slow, or a little fast, so it was between Bb and C. If you play along with the recording, you're going to sound off with either harp, since the tune comes out somewhere in-between those keys.
I've been playing the song so long that I've probably started to make it up, but I did originally try to play note for note, texture-true. I assume you are listening to the 'sun 180' recording. There was a big discussion here a few years ago about the tremolo, whether it was all technique or whether some electronics were involved. An octave effect in the first verse? I don't really hear it but there is a particular quality to that note. I think you mean a 5-8 split with some 9 leaking through? With the left of tongue note dominant. which I can't rule out but I'd never have thought of it.
SuperBee, a 5-8 split is exactly what I'm wondering about. Though based on my plot it would be easier to argue that hole 7 is leaking through as perhaps what I am guess-timating as an A6 is really the b-flat on the 7 blow.
To summarize, a 5 blow with the 5 hole dominating and lesser amplitude coming from hole 7 and 8.
Interestingly (to me) is that looking at the frequency spectrum for the blow 6 tremolo, I see a big peak at F5 and another peak at F6. So, perhaps BW was playing all of these as a split (e.g. blow 6 + a little of blow 9)?
Unfortunately I suck at playing splits so I haven't been able to try it and say "yeah, that's the sound".
The harmonica sound is rich with overtones, throw in a ratty little tube amp and bullet mic and it's even better. I think that's what you're picking up, but then again I may not have a clue so don't quote me.
Well, from having seen as well as hung out with Big Walter many times during the 70's and often sitting directly in front of the stage watching everything he did like a hawk, paying extremely close attention to anything and everything he did, let me tell you right off the bat, there absolutely ZERO tremolo being used her and he NEVER used effects of any kind at all.
Now, what he's doing is actually playing a throat vibrato and on top of that, he is playing it at breath force 80% softer than most players tend to play, which sounds a lot easier than it really is. essentially, you have to play that so damned soft in terms of breath force that you almost (when you remove all the amplification) can't hear yourself at all, and the average player tends to play this tune way too hard to ever get it totally right.
Many of the effects being talked about weren't even invented when this recording was made back in 1951, so rule those things completely out.
When he did the warbles, he NEVER shook his head at all, just used both hands with the mic together. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
Ok I have NO opinion since I wasn't there but I must state this is the first time in my life I have ever contradicted Bob and I'm not enjoying it at all. That being said there were a handful amps with this effect around and available to players and studios at the time (early 50's)... What is now called a vibrato unit was one of the earliest electronic guitar effects. Danelectro, Gibson, and Premier all produced guitar amplifiers with built-in amplitude modulation units in the late 1940s. Also here is this link: http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/19777-a-brief-history-of-tremolo?page=2 . AGAIN I am NOT saying this is what was used only that it was possible and I tend to always side with Bob even over wikipedia as a rule of safety! ---------- www.mooncat.org
Last Edited by Moon Cat on Sep 04, 2016 8:46 PM
@ BBQ, Big Walter's amp must have been cranked to near feedback. Did he use a volume control? What type of amp and mic did you see him use on those occasions?
Hah, thanks Michelle. My OP was actually about whether BWH could be playing tongue splits to achieve some of the cool sounds on his tremolo. I ask because when I look at the frequency spectrum of his tremolo I see, for instance, a D that is above the D on blow 5. Obviously harmonica has overtones galore, but there is a big-ol hump there.
The basic harp sound normally has a strong 3rd harmonic, I've observed. I'm not saying anything about whether he uses splits or anything else. Just that you can find all the frequencies you mention in the one note.
tmf714 - the transcription says that David Barrett made it. I know that Filisko has some lessons based on this on his store (e.g. http://www.filiskostore.com/product/EZB%20D) There may have had a link to an Easy transcription by Filisko on on "You Missed Monday" at some point, but they leave those up for a very short amount of time.
michelle - are you talking about cryptanalysis not being easy, or is that related to mechanical engineering? ;-)
Last Edited by KeithE on Sep 05, 2016 9:23 PM
Dave's transcription is pretty good. It fits with his method which is to treat the instrument as if it is in C and then just play whatever key it's supposed to be. I dunno, it makes sense to me, but that probably because I was totally new to reading when he got to me. Dave teaches 'learn the C harmonica' and he transcribes as if it's a C harp and in any case he writes hole number and blow/draw tab under the staff so big deal. It's consistent with the way he teaches and that's his bag.
@blueswannabee -- Whenever I saw him, he never played loud at all, so as far as the amp cranked, I seriously doubt it. He used whatever amps were available to him at the moment since he never traveled with one and they were always borrowed amps and many times, he just played straight thru the PA and din't request a damned thing from the sound guys ever.
When he used an amp, I always saw him with a JT30 that had a Swtichcraft #329 volume control adapter (which were discontinued in 1978).
Not once did he ever tell me about mic or amp preferences at all because, truthfully, he sure as hell wasn't a gear freak at all. If any of the amps he used ever had effects, be it more common stuff like reverb, vibrato, or tremolo, he always had that stuff turned off.
If any of you check with SuperBee's link, I posted a video of the tune, Almost Lost My mind by Ivory Joe Hunter, which is what Easy is based upon. The tune stays on the IV change for 3 bard and then back to the I chord for 1 bar before going into the V-IV change. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
