here is your challenge (should you accept it...and you should accept it no matter what level player you are):
I made an accapella video of sweet home chicago in F (it's not great but it is good enough). I dare(no double-dare) you guys to do your best comping job on it. Put it on video, and then post it here. All you need is a Bflat harp (if you're in second position)
And if you want to see the really advanced players on the forum give it a try, bug them with it until they say yes.
the more advanced challenged: show us your first and only take (no editing). And leave in the mistakes or things you're less happy with (so guys like me can learn from guys or gals like you) ---------- Heart2Harp
So,... this is my second take. The first one was too close to the speakers and the harp even less audible.
Also, I played without restraint (i.e. the fear of 'over-playing') so I excuse in advance of stepping all over your lyrics. However, I still tried to add to the song and not crush it... :)
Then there are som SBWII moments where it just doesn't seem to fit... but who knows... :)
EDIT: listning to it again... arghhh,.. it's crap :(
Last Edited by on Jun 17, 2010 1:25 PM
Don't feel bad about your performance, I thought it was pretty cool. I didn't feel like you stepped too much on my lyrics which is a big point about comping (from what I understand). I only wish your harp was louder. Like Ridge says, way to be the first to set the bar.
I'll give it a try myself later too ---------- Heart2Harp
Now, this is a thread worth my attention. It's fun, constructiv, and you can learn something from it. And we harp nerds can actually get to know eachother regardless of nationality. And maby...it wont't decay into some nonsens BS discussion irrelevant to this forum IMHO. Awsome! Cudos for Mathieu for taking this initiative, and to Germanharpist for stepping up to the plate :-)
Ok, here's mine. I can't say I'm satisfied with my performance but the rules are ''no editing and no second take'' so it is what it is. Wish I could do a second take but I'm gonna follow the rules. I should work on the high end of the harp during solos...yeachhh.
yeah I'll keep bumping it up, thanks. I really think this is a fun little project and I don't understand why it isn't a more popular thread...oh well.
I'll soon try it with an 8 bar blues. Maybe ''key to the highway'' or something. And I'm gonna try having constant vocal base throughout the song this time.
It is a bit long, so I edited it. I halved it, actually. There's a first time for everything so, gimme a chance!
I can post my edited version if someone wants (and if it doesn't totally offend Mathieu)
I'm new to jam tracks, or rather, I haven't put in the work that I need to. Since this thread started, I have been more focused on working on this sort of thing. I want to thank you, Mathieu for that.
That was an awesome accapella track! You've got a great voice! Unfortunately, no mike, no camera means no comp attempt from me at the moment, not to mention just putting a thumbnail picture of myself up was a technical challenge
I will say that I'm saving this to my Youtube page (not honkin on bobo, rather theescondidoroad - nothing of me playing just a place I save favorites to) and i'm gonna have a blast trying to comp it, and i'm sure messing around with it will make me a better player. My hope is that this thread stays around for a while, maybe you'll see something from me down the road.
Regarding the length I understand what people are saying (when you said "OK the second solo" I was like ANOTHER SOLO?), but please don't delete the original it's a TREMENDOUS practice tool.
Seriously cool stuff and what this forum is all about.
according to wikipedia: ''Comping (an abbreviation of accompanying) is a term used in jazz music to describe the chords, rhythms, and countermelodies that keyboard players (piano or organ) or guitar players use to support a jazz musician's improvised solo or melody lines.''
@ridge and arzajac:
very cool of you guys to have posted your stuff and not edited out the little mistakes. I enjoyed both your vids a lot.
Arzajac, I'm glad you chose to post it after all...I especially like when you followed my vocals for the first part of the solo. I also notice you snuck in some overblows in there.
Ridge, you are now my point of reference of how I'd like to sound in a year or two (with hard work of course). I really enjoyed the energy and swing you bring to your licks and their musicality. And then there's your massive use of overblows... Damn, seems like I'm the only one who hasn't learned how to do those yet...
Some key things I've been working on recently is hitting my 3 and 2 draw half step bends. They work well in this song. Adam really uses them alot and it just fits the song better. I will often limit myself to holes 1,2,3 and just work them and try and groove/vamp.
I've been working on my overblows since 2003. Only in the past 3 or 4 years have I begun to work them in musically. Although you can clearly see it's more flashy than musicy still and not always perfect.
Glad to hear I'm on your radar. I'll be watching you too for vocals and your self accompaniment.
I'm trying to give it a go, but my humble netbook is struggling. Need to source some better kit! Watch this space...
A request: can you post the next (hint hint please please) one as a video? Dunno if it's just me, but, if I can't be near the people I'm playing with, I need to see 'em to connect.
@GermanHarpist, @ridge, @arzajac: respect, kudos and thanks to you for posting!
In all fairness, I did do two sound check recordings where I played about a minute and a half and repositioned my speakers so the "first take" would sound good.
Thanks for the compliment. Honestly, I'm not sure where or how I learned to sing. I think I always had a knack for it and always liked doing it.
I did sing for many summers for tourists on an old time steam train ride (not far from where I live in Québec). This allowed me to learn a huge amount of french canadian, american and irish folk songs. I guess I grew more and more confortable with my voice because of this.
Funny though, I've had people ask me for singing lessons but I feel like such a fraud when they do because I have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA how to teach someone to sing ;-)
Hey Ridge, i just wanted to say how much i liked your playing it was really fluid and inventive, i will favouritize your clip and study it cos i thought that was great
Hi, here is my attempt. 2nd and 12th position. I'm working on 12th position right now so I thought I would try to plug that in for practice. Bunch of errors but it is first take as asked. I rushed the beats in some spot but oh well. Tell me what you think! Lots of great posts from everyone who took the challenge by the way :)
By the way just to tell... I personally don't like my version. I feel it miss musicality and I didn't follow the changes. Maybe on a second attempt I would have done better but this was part of the challenge so even though I find it sucks I will still leave it here and I would like some critics from you guys. My goal here is too learn something
Tony, I just felt like you weren't connected in many parts of the song. I see you turn up the volume early on, so maybe that was a factor. You have great tone on the upper register of your Bb during your first solo and are right on time. Then you go back to the lower register and fall off time.
You should have interacted more with the song and mimic some of the vocal lines and hit the stops.
I just know you can play better than this which is why I'm so surprised/shocked. You should definitely work on your timing and rhythm. You play some great stuff, but it feels out of place.
Your pal, Dan Ridgeway
Last Edited by on Jun 25, 2010 1:49 PM
Some very nice playing. My thoughts are that H2H is playing closest to what I consider a good comping style. That is, filling in between the singing and keeping it simple during the singing. Some of the other players are get caught up in the moment and overplay a bit over the top of the vocals. I think the walking bass lines and more complex stuff going on while the singer is singing could work if it were a lower volume than the fills. It sounds great if it were the solo with no singing. I enjoyed it all just the same.
Thought I'd try it amped. Errors everywhere and couldn't last the full 6 mins without totally losing it.This is as long as I lasted before falling apart!
Last Edited by on Jun 27, 2010 3:16 AM
I love how this thread is slowly growing and getting more and more interesting. Unfortunately I'm a little out of it because my computer is dead and I can only check the forum occasionally and a few minutes at a time. Hopefully I'll be back and running soon.
@ridge - fair comments; I agree with everything you said. I definitely suffer from thinking too much about what to play, hence I tend to underplay. I intend to keep working at this song and will get round to attempting an acoustic version - without repeating that damn riff every chorus!
I think this is a great exercise by the way - and a tough one. I found it especially hard to keep a consistent beat. Thanks to Heart2Harp for this idea - please keep it coming!
This is my attempt guy's. I found this challenge a great exercise. I found it a real challenge working with just vocals, and i also found it hard not to speed up. Hope you like it, its not the full 6 mins because i was losing a bit towards the end :o)
Good Lord! You really brought that one out of the archives! Had almost forgotten about posting that. Maybe I'll do another one of those, soon. Your comping sounded really sweet! Damn, I got to learn me some overblows! Hope you don't mind if I rip some of your licks. You're the one who had that project where you practice consistantly for a year, right? ---------- Heart2Harp
I think I completely missed this thread! Ill have to watch it later. If I can find some non expensive software to record my webcam Ill upload something soon too.
----------
~Ryan
"I play the harmonica. The only way I can play is if I get my car going really fast, and stick it out the window." - Stephen Wright
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
Last Edited by on Jun 20, 2010 5:48 AM
