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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > Ain't no Sunshine
Ain't no Sunshine
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Greyowlphotoart
51 posts
Sep 24, 2010
5:41 AM
As Summer draws to a close in cloudy, wet, Eastbourne, UK., thought this would suit my mood.

Fun to play, but had the paramedics on standby with oxygen on the 'and I know, I know, bit. A few to many draw notes in a row for my liking:)and breathe out pffhhhhhhhh!!







"Inside every old person there is a young person wondering....What the fu*k happened"
hvyj
634 posts
Sep 24, 2010
5:44 AM
What position are you playing in on this tune?
Greyowlphotoart
52 posts
Sep 24, 2010
5:52 AM
@ hvyi. Sitting down:) O gawd you've got me there, don't know much about this stuff. I start main tune on draw 1 on the Bb harp. Help anyone>!






"Inside every old person there is a young person wondering....What the fu*k happened"
Diggsblues
536 posts
Sep 24, 2010
6:10 AM
Another nice one Grey. Here's my old bands version.



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How you doin'
Emile "Diggs" D'Amico a Legend In His Own Mind
How you doin'
Greyowlphotoart
53 posts
Sep 24, 2010
6:16 AM
Nice vibe Diggs. Neat Chrom. solo. Band sounded good.
hvyj
635 posts
Sep 24, 2010
6:37 AM
@Greyowlphotoart: I think the original was recorded in A minor. But it sounds like your backing track is in F minor, If so, you are playing in second position. I hesitate to say say anything because you sound great and have such a great ear for melody that is so much better than mine. But, if the backing track is in F minor, just for the hell of it, try playing on a Db harp (5th position). I'd be interested in what you think of playing it that way.
Greyowlphotoart
56 posts
Sep 24, 2010
6:47 AM
Thanks hvyi, Just tried it on the Db but it's not as easy and a bit high for my taste starting -3, -4, +5, +6, +5ob -4, +5, if I've got it right.
hvyj
636 posts
Sep 24, 2010
7:38 AM
A Db harp is, of course, much higher than Bb anyway. I may not be playing the tune correctly, but I play it mostly in the lower register where (in 5th position) blow 2 is root (first degree of the scale). But, I am probably not playing the melody with complete accuracy like you do.

I don't OB, so maybe this is ignorance on my part, but I don't understand the reason for the OB on +5. What notes does this give you? In 5th position, +5 is root. -5 is flat second. So is +5 OB a major second? If so, that note can be played in the lower register by bending draw 2 a half step. I'm not disagreeing with what you are doing--I'm just trying to understand.
Greyowlphotoart
57 posts
Sep 24, 2010
8:04 AM
@ hvyi My musical knowledge is crap, so I can only play it by ear unfortunately. Time to go back to school. FWIW and I don't know what note I'm playing but the 3 draw start for the 'Ain't' on the Db harp seemed to give me the only starting point that would work for playing along to the tune.

Last Edited by on Sep 24, 2010 8:05 AM
hvyj
637 posts
Sep 24, 2010
8:09 AM
Further ignorant ramblings: I think I leave the pick up notes out when i play this tune and come in when the melody hits the one which allows me to play it in the lower register in 5th position where blow 2 is root. But i am always playing with other musicians so i can get away with laying out during selected passages and/or doing approximations off the chord changes instead of playing the very accurate melody lines that you play.

P.S. If i had an ear like you have, i would never have been motivated to learn theory.

Last Edited by on Sep 24, 2010 8:22 AM
Greyowlphotoart
58 posts
Sep 24, 2010
8:24 AM
@hvyi :) I've just been checking out the scales on your User profile, interesting. I really must sit down and learn this stuff. But I have to say I have always been lazy on the music theory side!!
scojo
117 posts
Sep 24, 2010
8:31 AM
Nice work on both versions. Greyowl, that's pretty good work making 2nd position effective on this song, as that would not be my top choice (but your intonation makes it work here for the most part). I'd suggest trying 4th position (A flat harp), 3rd position (E flat harp), or (as suggested by hvyj) 5th position (D flat harp). The melody lays out very well in 4th in the upper register, but the root note requires a tricky bend in the lower register. Give these a shot.
hvyj
638 posts
Sep 24, 2010
8:49 AM
@scojo: I suspect that Greyowlphotoart wouldn't have a problem with the 3 draw whole step bend playing the low register root note in fourth position. I mean, the consistent accuracy of his 3 draw half step bend is phenomenal which is what allows him to play this minor key tune so well in second position.

I think there is a minor 6th in the tune, though, which is a problem in either second or third positions. But, then again I may not be playing it accurately.
hvyj
639 posts
Sep 24, 2010
8:56 AM
@Greyowlphotoart: Be careful using my scale charts. You need to keep in mind that those diagrams are of PENTATONIC scales. You can fill in the blanks for a complete diatonic scale, but that may require some bends that may vary depending on what position you are in. But the pentatonic scale patterns stay the same.
scojo
119 posts
Sep 27, 2010
1:01 PM
@hvyj: 6 OB would give you the minor 6th in third position. 4 OB gives it to you in 2nd, but again, to me that is not the ideal position for this song (even though Greyowl made it work). YMMV, of course.
hvyj
644 posts
Sep 27, 2010
1:17 PM
@scojo: I don't OB. I learned multiple positions before I became fully aware of the OB technique. So, for better or for worse, I get around well enough in the 5 positions (first thru fifth) I can play with reasonable proficiency that I've managed to function without learning to OB. But I'll get around to it one of these days--probably after I learn to play better in 12th position.
scojo
120 posts
Sep 27, 2010
3:04 PM
That's where I was a few years ago RE: OBs... nothing wrong with that, and when you do start learning OBs, you'll have a strong foundation for actually using them.
bigd
223 posts
Sep 28, 2010
12:08 PM
Good one Grey! Question: Is there an effect that you use when playing. I hear an almost inaudible echo(y) octave(y) resonance to your draw notes which I like? Thanks. d
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HarpNinja
655 posts
Sep 28, 2010
12:30 PM
I am really enjoying this thread...I was asked to play harp on this tune during a studio session this fall and had been using 3rd and sticking to using just the pentatonic live (fills and a brief outro solo). I have lots of options now.

Great playing and discussion!

*I think this is a fantastic song to comp on. There is a ton of space and it is a great melody to work on.
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Mike
VHT Special 6 Amp for Harp Blog
Greyowlphotoart
93 posts
Sep 28, 2010
12:53 PM
@ Bigd I have revised my first answer as something just occured to me.

Cheers d, It could be something to do with my throat vibrato as I sometimes use a tighter embouchure drawing the air to the throat vibrato through a narrower lip shape which gives a different resonance. If that's not it I'm at a loss to explain it because I don't think there were any effects here. I do use a small practice amp, The VOX DA5 and often use a little delay and either clear or blues setting on the amp. But that would be evident on blow and straight draw notes as well.

@HarpNinja. Cheers, it is such an enjoyable piece to play cos as you say there is heaps of space for improv. fills. You could do it differently each time you play it as I invariably do with my stuff because I generally forget what I did last time!!

Last Edited by on Sep 28, 2010 11:54 PM


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