I moved around the harp more than usual on this one, which I struggle to do in more bluesy stuff. Anyone have any simple tips for using a wider range of the harp in blues? I feel like I shy away from the upper end because I don’t know what to do there - the bends are unreliable (or reeds are often stuck).
Ok, even if you are uncomfortable with blow bends, there are a lot of musical alternatives available in the high register. In second position, you haves complete dominant seventh arpeggio and a complete myxolydian scale/mode, both of which are useful for playing blues. You just have to be careful to avoid draw 7 (which is the major third) on the IV chord.
You also have a complete major pentatonic scale.
So, there’s quite a bit you can do on the high end. You just have to think differently.
Thanks
Last Edited by hvyj on Oct 21, 2018 9:03 AM
Yeah, you just need to hang out in the upper register and you will soon begin to become more comfortable there. Maybe start with an A harp, where the high end is not so shrill. Getting stuck reeds on blow bends is likely due to using too much air pressure to try and force the bend. Be more gentle, and experiment with embouchure. But the more you ‘live’ in the high end, the more quickly it will become familiar.
I don't know if the way I went through opening up a wider range of notes is going to be much help to you. Your piece is presented very professionally and I liked the composition. To my ear sounded to be a pretty competent piece of playing and you put it up a couple of years ago so I'm guessing you'll have become even more fluent in the intervening 2 years.
For what it's worth, I worked at becoming more fluent in the upper octaves practicing a few songs I really liked that moved across all 3 octaves.
I found the following 3 songs helped me. These are blues pieces so I hope they may give you some more ideas. It does sound to me you are well on the way especially bearing in mind it was 2 years ago.
These tracks helped me. Big Walter Horton's Trouble In Mind A harp 1st position; We're Going To Move To Kansas City Bb harp 2nd position; Also John Popper's "Blues Travelers" Make My Way Bb in 2nd really helped me break down that plateau of being able to play across all 3 octaves. It helps if you really like the tracks and I'd replay Make My Way over and over. Hope these are of some help and your taste of playing styles. frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen>
Both of those guys- especially Carey Bell- informed my attitude some years ago about harp in general. These two videos are very eye opening about Bb in 2nd and A in 1st. I tried some of both and found my 2nd playing in Bb is missing all the high end stuff he did there. And it's not hard really. Finding s spot for some of that in our repertoire will be next.
I do a lot in 2nd with an A harp and also sometimes do key of A with a G chromatic or diatonic in 3rd, which is another approach to getting a lot of notes over 2 1/2 or 3 octaves.
I sure love those two. Popper is good, just not much my cup of tea.
Another useful approach to the high register is to keep in mind that certain of the available notes are extension tones of the lower register blues chords. Draw 6 is a 9th and blow 8 is a 13th which are the 2d and 6th degrees of the scale. These notes are not in the blues scale, but are usable chord extension tones. This gives you a way to use non blues scale notes in a musical way. But, again, you need to think differently than when you play in the lower registers.
It’s all well and fine to fool around on the high end to figure out where the notes live and to get comfortable moving around. But, if you practice the available scales, modes and arpeggios, you have a guide that will help you find them and develop the technique to play them. In this regard, if the notes are sticking, either the harp is not set up properly or you need to even out your breath technique. Practicing long tones is very helpful to smooth out high end playing.
Last Edited by hvyj on Oct 21, 2018 7:28 PM
the reason for my endless diatribe is; NO MATTER HOW GOOD A PLAYER IS-- I LOOSE INTEREST IN LISTENING, WHEN THE ENTIRE HARP IS NOT BEING PLAYED--many of these players are way better than me --but none the less it starts sounding boring U NEVER SEE A GUITAR PLAYER PLAY ONLY FRETS 1-5 ETC-U NEVER SEE A PIANO PLAYER ONLY PLAY THE LOWER HALF--THERE IS EAR CATCHING SOUND IN ASCENDING DESCENDING RUNS ON PIANO -GUITAR---AND HOPEFULLY HARP
I agree [there are a lot of musical alternatives available in the high register]--- [explore it until it becomes known territory, muscle memory if u will]--- [practicing a few songs I really liked that moved across all 3 octaves.]
I again plug "jerry portnoy 3 cd instructional" it has a "crossover drill" that helps transition from low end to hi end SMOOTHLY.
when you take singing lessons, one of the big emphasis's is "crossing from regular voice to your head voice w/out a noticeable break--- IMO the same applies to-- going from low end to high end of harp
Things that helped me; A] TRY A Gussow upper octave boogie http://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/learn-harmonica.html
scroll down u’ll find it --- it has great turnaround on high end it’s a prime example of adapting the notes and swapping---I noticed on high end harps ie E F etc the turn didn’t work so well-- works better unbent on high harps -- but works fine unbent
Also “Sandy Weltman” a great unknown instructor tons of drills etc
1] realizing the harp reverses after hole 6 –starting at 7- the higher notes are now on top of harp-so of course I need to work on my muscle memory up there- - its totally different than lower end
Key: don’t give up –it took years for muscle memory on lower part, to take hold—it will take possibly years for muscle memory on the high end
2] as suggested-- learn at least the major scale up n down in higher register
3] J ricci suggests ---trying to learn the same low end licks on the top end I held off for awhile thinking it won’t sound the same or sound right--- what I really was saying was; -Im to lazy to learn what notes I was playing ---IE; b3 5 b5 etc and then re-apply to high end
WHEN I STARTED FINALLY DOING IT--THIS ACCOMPLISHED A FEW THINGS; I REALIZED SOME LICKS WOULDN’T WORK OR SOUND AS GOOD SO; [ TAKE JUST PART OF THE LOWER END LICK AND ADAPT IT AND OR CHANGE IT FOR HIGHER END] this again helps yr muscle memory for high end—and helps u to:
4] Theory psycho babble : learning the intervals on harp ie; the top of harp in 2nd pos intervals-- [461 461 461 4] the bottom in 2nd [ 51 3 5 b7 (2/9) and the repeats 3 5 b7 (2/9) ] the harp starts making sense [not memorized overnight but months n years] I carried the charts I made and studied during lunch etc 5] ok omit 4 if need be—but continue to transfer licks
6] when I became more familiar with high end I realized : Regardless of 1st 2nd 3rd pos etc----what key harp is it
[ IF THE HARP IS D OR HIGHER –MOSTLY FOCUS ON UNBENT NOTES—HIGHER KEY HARPS DON’T SOUND AS MUSICAL BENT –IT ALSO ATTRACTS DOGS N CATS N REPELS HUMANS]
[IF IT’S An C HARP -----DOWN TO G ETC BENDS OK AND IS ENCOURAGED]
[SOMETIMES WITH AN -- A OR G HARPS =--- TO HEAR MYSELF OVER THE BAND--- I FOCUS ON THE HIGH END—ETC
My point is ive played the high end enough on my harps that I know which keys I’ll focus on bends—which ones I’ll avoid bends on hi end
7] I have an A C D E F and a couple G’s especially for neil young folky stuff and melodies tuned richter nothing fancy
BUT I HAVE [“ALL KEYS A Ab B Bb” etc ] WITH FLATTED 7 DRAW FOR BLUES AND HELP THE TRANSITION FROM LOW END TO HIGH END won’t bore with theory this time but essentially it gives an extra b3 for minor song and pentatonic 0r b7 if in first pos
Todd Parrot does on some of his harps I TRIED 1 FIRST----ALLOWED TIME FOR MIND TOADJUST TO DIFFERENT SOUND---WHEN IT DID –I LOVED IT AND CONVERTED A SLURRY OF HARPS THAT WAY
Here's a tip for smooth transitioning to or from the high register: Avoid Draw 5. Play blow 5 to Draw 6 or Blow 6 on the way up and Blow 6 or Draw 6 to Blow 5 on the way down. It will sound smooth.
These are great tips - thanks guys! Right, back to the woodshed. hvyj - I really like that transition suggestion - will try that out. ---------- jodanchudan
For those (non tongue blockers) having problems with high register notes sticking or the reeds freezing up when you play, try this: Do not articulate with your tongue such as by putting the tip of your tongue against your front teeth. Leave your tongue on the bottom of your mouth, play with an open throat and articulate separation between notes by starting and stopping the air flow with your diaphragm. This is certainly not the epitome of high register playing technique, but it should help you overcome a tendency to blank out reeds as you get started.
Last Edited by hvyj on Nov 17, 2018 4:16 AM
First off -Your 'Slur' track is really really good. (Did anyone else listen to it before replying?) You are a really good player - and you produced a really good super tasty track. You will 'get wherever you want to go' on the harp - just by doing what you're doing and continuing to work on it. Scales and exercise of course will help - (you must already be doing them to be as good as you are). I'm also a big advocate of working out melodic lines and figuring them out in all octaves. I play country and folk as well as blues and there is a lot more to 'mine' in those genres as far as melodies go.
FWIW My first inspiration for the high blow bends was Jimmy Reed's 1st position stuff. The 8 blow bend on a lower key harp should be the easiest to get consistently.
Getting the 6 OB opens different possibilities up - but isn't essential.
How did you put together that song? My guess is - not with a live band.
I agree with Gnarly that alternate tunings are worth considering. Will Wilde's blues/rock tuning is pure Richter in the left half, then altered in the right half: http://brendan-power.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=91&start=10#p1478 Here is a tuning that is Will Wilde in the right half and not-even-Richter in the left half: http://brendan-power.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=212&start=70#p1682
Last Edited by IaNerd on Nov 18, 2018 6:43 AM
