|
Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
different type of harps tips
different type of harps tips
Page:
1
Hobostubs Ashlock
347 posts
Jan 17, 2010
9:02 AM
|
i seem to get the most info on things that are more general than specific,on lessons or tips,For example Adams lesson on the 10 things to work on for playing the blues,I think it was called,just besic guidlines but not specific learn this riff stuff,another good example on a post here a few days ago on improv was the repeat a simple riif 3 times on the 4 change it,basically something like that,anyway anyone got some general type tips that can be applied to playing the harp,blues,solos,getting good fast ect.
|
waltertore
119 posts
Jan 17, 2010
9:20 AM
|
you said you like general advice. Here is some that sonny terry shared with me.
I was backstage with him and he was blowing some harp for me. I was amazed at how he made that harp sound and it was so effortless. I shared how I had been playing pretty much all my waking hours, had a fender amp, bullet mic, and still could'nt get near the feel and sound he was putting off unamplified. I asked what was I doing wrong? He took my arm and smiled and said- walter you just keep doing what you are doing and in about 30 years, you will know what I am talking about. That was not what I wanted to hear. I wanted a quick fix. Something that would move me through time and get to that sound right now. He said it very kindly and although I was hurt by it, it did inspire me a lot to keep going.
So, now it is about 35 years later and I am getting it! Time is the biggest teacher. The more time you play, the better you will get. Our culture strives to create quick methods to get somewhere. I study martial arts. My instructor, traditionally trained in japan, taught me. He didn't teach for money. He often had lots of very highly ranked black belts come by to want to study with him. He would ask them to do certain things and each time after they were done, he brought out a white belt. He appologized for their teachers, saying they taught the root wrong, and everything that has been built on it was wrong. Not one stayed after that encounter. He told me that in america they teach everything so fast that it never is able to be done right. I spent years with him learning what would be taught in an american dojo in a few weeks.
Most harp players I see, listen to their songs, watch their videos, possess various amounts of technique, but most all usually lack the root because they moved through the process too fast. the root is the thing you can't measure, see, or document in a package to sell someone. So, enjoy where you are at. The early learning of something is often the real joyus part of the journey. Each step of the journey is great but the better one gets at something, the longer it is between windows of new stuff emerging and this is where most people drop out. You can never go back, or go forward. All we can do is be right here. I am talking to myself as well! Walter
----------
walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year.
my music
my videos
Last Edited by on Jan 17, 2010 9:40 AM
|
mankycodpiece
99 posts
Jan 17, 2010
9:28 AM
|
great post walter.
of all the blues harp players i've heard,sonny terry does it for me.
i can live without the hollering,but his harp playing is something else.
btw,great advice too.we are where we are.you have to be here to get someplace else.
|
Hobostubs Ashlock
351 posts
Jan 17, 2010
9:30 AM
|
thanks for the advise,i studied martial arts,for about 2 years,then started my professional kickboxing carear,this was in the days befor UFC,thank God but after my second pro fight i got a subderahemtobin and had to have brainsurgery for my brand new steele plate complimates of OKC VA, I hope learning the harp aint as hard of a road to learn lol
Last Edited by on Jan 17, 2010 9:30 AM
|
pharpo
79 posts
Jan 17, 2010
9:37 AM
|
Hobo....I really think this goes along with Walters post. And it is something that can't be taught. In order to be a great Blues player...people need to hear that EMOTION in your playing.....A lot of guys can blow great riffs....but (to me at least) it's not great unless I can hear some sort of FEELING in their playing....Adam brought this out a couple of weeks ago when he talked about "where your playing comes from".
That is only my opinion.
----------
Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art. - Charlie Parker
|
waltertore
121 posts
Jan 17, 2010
9:40 AM
|
thanks mankycodiece!
HobostubsAshlock: That is what I am talking about. 2 years of training and you are kickboxer. That is america. In Japan, you would still be learning the basic stances... The harp will be just as hard to learn (on your emotions :-) ) if you hope to get the 35 years of playing sound in a couple years. I have been going through this same thing with learning to record music. I thought I would start out making great recordings. Now that I am about 5 years into it, and I spend about 30-50 hours a week at it, I am just begining to make recordings that sound ok to me. I have watched a couple of your videos. You are on the road. Keep it up and in time you will get there! Walter
----------
walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year.
my music
my videos
|
Hobostubs Ashlock
353 posts
Jan 17, 2010
9:41 AM
|
yea thats true one note played right with soul and the right energy can melt butter and have girls flashing you, smiles that is
To Waltertore
yes sencsay
Grasshopper trying lol note il will be dead in 30 years im 41 now. in heaven the angles play nice songs on string harps in hell the hellangels play the blues on blues harps
Last Edited by on Jan 17, 2010 9:57 AM
|
Chickenthief
5 posts
Jan 17, 2010
10:33 AM
|
Well said Walter. A lot of us need to hear exactly that.
Thanks for kicking in.
|
NiteCrawler .
8 posts
Jan 17, 2010
11:41 AM
|
I figured I,d put my two cents in and say as a harp player since 1974 I would consider any of the newbie harp players as very,very lucky.In that I mean you have so many resources to help you along the way ala open mikes, videos,dvds,cds,and even on-line lessons.Way back when,when Blues Harps/Marine Band were $3.50 to $4.00 a piece which was a great thing compared to todays cost,s we had records and the good old Tony Glover How To Play Harp Book.When I first started I was fortunate enough to have a halfway decent voice probrably from those human penguins making me sing all of those church hymms daily,to become a singer in a high school rock band,which opened up the music /harp world to me.Although I didn,t play on alot of #,s,because we were more of a R&R band yet it opened up a big door for me,because with the vocals I was able to get into various groups to hone my skills(live) as time went by.I guess my point about this is that if you have a decent or halfway decent voice and you plan on performing to think about that as for it might open up some more doors for you especially if the group does,nt play alot harp styled tunes,but when they do "Bang" your on it.I,ve had some good harp player friends in the past who didn,t sing and it was harder for them to find work just as the harp player.They played and practised but didn,t quite have the feel for a live situation because they didn,t get the opportunity.Also I bought whatever blues and harp records that I could find,and when my older brother turned me onto L.W.,Sonny and Brownie,Siegal Schwall,the game was on.I,d say my greatest teacher at that time was when I bought J.Cotton,Live And On The Move I played to those records until my lips were dripping blood.Unfortunatly though the music scene in the 70,s in central Jersey didn,t have that many Blues clubs/bars and it wasn,t until I,d say when the Blues Brothers came out with they,re album and then followed the likes of SRV,Cray,T-Birds etc. when blues became more mainstream and people wanted to hear blues live.
|
NiteCrawler .
9 posts
Jan 17, 2010
11:49 AM
|
Whoops,I hit the wrong button,I planned on shortening this a little bit sorry about that.My last point was going to be practise,listen,practise.Try to jam with people,friends playing guitars,keyboards whatever;just make sure you have the right keys,(I recommend getting keys A thru E)know when to play and when to lay back,and last but not least,Never Give Up!
|
Post a Message
|
