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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Brief intro & million dollar question
Brief intro & million dollar question
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ReedSqueal
17 posts
Dec 03, 2010
2:13 PM
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I've been following the forum for awhile (bye bye TNFrank and NOD) recently decided to jump into the fray and join the fun.
I've been playing for apx. 8 months. Getting the basics down, but most of it not pretty i.e. not refined. (totally what I expect at this point anyways) I indicated in another post (long since buried) that I am a "almost" strong intermediate on the Gussow scale.
I'm been working as diligently as I can on blues scale, C scale, getting -controllable- bends, the blue 3rd etc. I mainly purse, but getting some TB in there with split octaves and some slaps. Head shakes and throat vibrato coming along. Timing/beat awareness and attempting to absorb the I V IV concept and *applying* it to actual songs/jam tracks. Etc. etc.
I guess the latter part of that ties into my question:
How do you make that transition from drills, techniques and such into true musicality?
Brimming with pragmatism I understand this does not happen overnight. But how DOES it happen? The process? It seems to me, if you don't have the musical knowledge, how do you advance past the point of drills and exercises to *playing* music or full blown songs?
Suggestions?
Edit - Wanted to add: I am simply in sensory/informational overload with youtube videos, instructions, how-to's, tabs etc. so lack of information is definitely not the issue.
Thanks...
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Go ahead and play the blues if it'll make you happy.
-Dan Castellaneta
Last Edited by on Dec 03, 2010 2:16 PM
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MrVerylongusername
1395 posts
Dec 03, 2010
2:23 PM
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Join a band. Jump feet first into it.
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Greg Heumann
921 posts
Dec 03, 2010
2:25 PM
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It is great that you're making much progress. There are many recipes for moving forward, but here's mine!
Play. Listen. Listen and play, play and listen. Play as much as you can. Play with CD's, jam tracks, and live at jams. Play at home, at the office, in the car. Try straight improvisation, but you're likely to limit yourself to what comes easily. So learn other's solos and licks, as closely as possible. This will force new patterns on you. You don't have to replay them note for note in performance - but as you learn more and more licks and rhythms, you have more "muscle memory" reflex to call on.
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/Greg
Last Edited by on Dec 03, 2010 2:26 PM
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tookatooka
1900 posts
Dec 03, 2010
2:37 PM
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Hi Reedsqueal, think I know what you mean. I'm a leisure player and I picked up the harp to make music and it wasn't until I was quite a way in that I realised that with the blues it needs the support of other musicians to get the best out of it.
I'm having to look at other genres for my solo playing but I try to plug away at the blues too, hoping to make a breakthrough some day.
As Greg Suggested backing tracks are good to play along with to get the confidence and lick count up. If you need backing tracks click my signature and you'll find some info in there somewhere. They are free. Look for the Links for Harp Players link.
Just read your question again and I think my response falls short of what you ask. Sorry.
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Last Edited by on Dec 03, 2010 2:40 PM
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saregapadanisa
294 posts
Dec 03, 2010
2:42 PM
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My answer :
Musicality comes when you play something, no matter how easy or how difficult the piece may be, and have no concern with your playing (i.e. technique). You're no thinking anymore about playing but you listen to yourself playing, and are then able to find a way to make it sound like you want it to sound (cf Greg's post about listening, listening and listening).
I prefer Paypal or Western Union. :o)
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captainbliss
304 posts
Dec 03, 2010
2:44 PM
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@ReedSqueal:
Good question!
'Fraid I've got no idea what "true musicality" is, but I reckon being a musician is about giving to others.
Technique, form, repertoire are, IMHO, of little or no value if they don't serve this end.
So...
What do you want to give to other people?
If you want to make 'em dance, work on your timing. If you want to make 'em cry, work on your tone. If you want to make 'em smile, learn some funny songs.
If you want to make music with others, who? What songs do they play? Learn 'em and think about how you can add value to the collect endeavour - not just as a harmonica player but as a servant of the song...
Happy harpin!
xxx
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harmonicanick
1017 posts
Dec 03, 2010
2:48 PM
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Here in the city I live we have a very active hamonica community and all are are given full support from everyone when they play for the first time at the the jams/open mics
So, Reedsqueal get yourself down to whatever is on offer in your locality and give yourself a 'shock' by playing with others.
It will be the best thing you ever do!!
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Kyzer Sosa
893 posts
Dec 03, 2010
9:25 PM
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play with others.. far and away the biggest leap i ever took into musicality...
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Kyzer's Travels
Kyzer's Artwork
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jbone
448 posts
Dec 03, 2010
10:01 PM
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i sure like what greg and captain bliss said. to me it's like this: you can train on simulators forever and a day, but it doesn't really happen until you get in the cockpit and off the ground. then for a time things will be shaky and wobbly, but as you work in the real world, you begin to find the fabled musicality. learning the building blocks is indeed crucial, but in my case i was always a seat-of-the-pants flier. still am to a certain extent, having had very little of "formal" lessons, even including working through online lessons. the result of my method is, i spent about 20 years bumbling around and staying stuck in a few particular grooves. using what's available for free online will shorten the learning curve dramatically. but trial by fire, over and over, is what will bring that raw instinct of musicality.
i was on stages long before i knew anything except how to bend a few notes and how to more or less follow a I-IV-V. the rest came piecemeal as i listened to other players, live and via lp, cassette, cd, whatever.
hindsight is 20/20 as they say. perhaps if i'd sought out lessons 30 years ago i would have had a lot more to offer a lot sooner. still, i do have a unique style that's largely well accepted.
to sum up- learn the basics, then go apply them. out live.
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