My love affair with the harmonica started back in the mid Sixties. I was a young lad smitten and revelling in my new found relationship. We were a fixture, she was ever-present, a constant companion.
As the years went by though,the passion waned, I became less devoted and felt she wasn’t as responsive as she had once been. We became less intimate and I’m afraid to confess, I started looking at other instruments. First it was the guitar and then I had a brief fling with the flute. Although these were entertaining, they just didn’t feel right and it was only after I received video counselling by Adam that I began to see the light, the flame was rekindled and my former passion has now returned.
The desire has definitely returned I have to say and I can’t get enough now. Since the barren years, things have moved on and now it’s not just enough to play the thing but you’ve got to tweak them within an inch of their lives to obtain the optimum performance.
Anywho, the thing is it’s great to be back. I even look forward to traffic jams now, so as to get more practice in. I am waiting for the day when the police pull me over and give me a caution such as ‘You took those bends without due care and attention’ or ‘you took those last series of bends far too fast (Yea, I wish) and by the way taking both hands off the wheel to play a particularly difficult riff, doesn’t count as extenuating circumstances.
What's your story? Where are you on your harp journey? What harp challenges lie ahead in the New Year? and are you ‘Addicted to Harp’?
About 20 years ago a girlfriend bought me my first harp. I didn't know anything about harp but could all ready play piano and was teaching myself the guitar. I wanted a harp so I could have something that I could carry around all the time. I set about teaching myself how to play. I bought a book but that was no help. I bought every blues harp music I could get my hands on. Thought I would be able to play what I heard... After two solid years I was finally getting it and felt I was were I wanted to be as a player. Took a lot of drunk nights playing in the woods to get me there. Getting 3 sheets to the wind and letting go helped me more than anything else. Then I put the harp down for 8 years. Meet a woman that couldn't stand me playing... So she's gone and been back at the harp for about 2 years now. I love play'n harp and will never let anything get in my way again.
I like this thread and strangely enough thought about doing what you just did but slightly different. I had the idea it would be cool if everyone regardless of how good or bad they played to just do a few videos indulging and talking about themselves in regards to their journey with the harp.
What you think? Though I won't be doing anything of this sorts for now. Still mourning.
Would have been nice if youtube and the like would have been around when I frist started playing. When I did run into a harp player they would never show or tell me anything. I never thought anyone would be willing to help anyone learn how to play. But somethings you just to figure out on your own anyways. There are a few old tricks/licks I can't remeber how to play...
Greyowl - another very svery weet piece. I am enjoying your energy and presence here thank you. Clams - I like the video and the way you leave space in your playing. The piece reminds me of one I posted before you joined (?) - Anyway, in a similar mellow , on the road again tone. If you've watched it before, appologies.
One of my old friends (50+ Aussie based in Japan) confessed on Saturday that he'd always had a hankering to learn blues harp. Well my XMAS buying dilemma was solved. I got him one and decided to teach him a couple of basics before he jetted off again. I said there were two ways to get a single note: TB and LP. He was able to play a scale and I found out the bastard was doing the U thing with his tongue. Seems he may be a natural. He was even starting to get bends on his first outing. I fear (hope) I have created a monster. I think this is more interesting than my story, which is teenage puppy love for the harp, followed by decades of neglect, followed by recent renewed passion thanks to You Tube.
My journey with the harp started nearly 60 years ago. But I was inlove with something that did not like me. All the harps I had ie Hohner's Echo, Comet & Super Chromonica all rejected me. I had a terrible allergic reaction which only in recent years discovered was to nickel. New harps do not give me any problems at all and so I renewed my love affair with the harp after I retired. Those early years though did teach me how to play by ear. I had no instruction, no help no tabs no nothing! I was never beyond being a beginner. I always had my old harps in my bedside table but each time I touched them I would get blisters on my mouth that would come only after a few minutes of playing and last a week. Been back now since 2007 & loving it but am a real slow learner but no allergy problems.
Cheers Aussiesucker. Nice effort on Amazing Grace btw. I also enjoyed the variation of the position change.
Edit:- I also meant to add that your allergic reaction is crazy stuff. In my book that adds a new dimension to the expression 'suffering for your art'!!
Last Edited by on Dec 20, 2010 12:58 AM
I've been into music since I was a kid. I taking piano lessons when I was real little because my sister did and I wanted to be like her. I kept playing piano, started playing saxophone in my junior high band at 12. Got real serious about band and piano at 14. Decided to make a career of it, and went to music Conservatory in Cincinnati, studied piano and music education. When I graduated I began teaching band in public schools...I started to play less piano, for about 6 years as playing, conducting, and teaching took the majority of my musical energy.
Then, one day I was playing one of my pieces from college, and I couldn't play it anymore, despite a good bit of practice. So, I set out to make myself as good as I was when I was 21 by practicing many hours a day, like I used to. I also learned to play guitar at the same time. All of the sudden my body began to revolt. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, tendonitis, pain in my fingers. I needed to stop.
As a band director, I have to be able to play many instruments. But in my wrist braces, even holding a clarinet was painful. I thought "I need something to play that I will still be able to play if these problems don't go away," and I had an old chrometta 12 that my grandpa left me. I learned to play a couple tunes on it, and broke it trying to bend notes. So, I bought a bluesband because it was cheap, and also because the note layout was similar to the button accordion, which I had some interest in at the time. I thought, "even if something worse happens to my arms and hands, I can always play on a rack." I also liked that I could practice anywhere, any time.
So, I learned all the songs in this book: http://www.amazon.com/Mel-Bay-Deluxe-Harmonica-Method/dp/0871663821/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1292843704&sr=8-1-fkmr2
While I was on a month long road trip. I u-blocked because tongue and lip blocking seemed to hard. At one point I was camping in the hills of CA, and I heard a guy bending notes. THAT was what I wanted to do, not play folk tunes. I ran over to his site and he showed me how to bend.
When I returned from my trip, I began to look at videos on youtube, and practicing alot. I began to watch Adam's channel, learned to lip purse, and began to listen to the blues. I'd heard it before, and always thought it was cool, but never had been inclined to play blues piano, as my classical training was so deeply ingrained that everything I played sounded square no matter how I approached it. Besides, I never much liked the sound of keys in the blues, oddly enough.
After awhile I started getting better. I would record myself, and have to ask, 'why does it sound so awesome when I play but so lame when I listen to myself?' I started to play on the harmonica jam website, which was good for my development as a player.
After a year I stater to be able to approach some of the material from Jason's videos. I also learned how to play overblows by looking at tinnis koorm's website. This changed everything because now I could use the missing notes, which had always bothered me. This led to modding harmonicas, which led to watching Chris's stuff. (Last spring Kingobad sent me a bunch of dead harps, and I began to spend lots of time customizing, tuning, etc...Once I can perfect them, I'm gonna send him 4 tweaked harps.) I learned to overdraw, and after mastering a number of the classic solos from the lessons I bought from Adam, I went to jam sessions.
I love jam sessions except they are so loud. My ear never used to ring much, but after going to this jam each week for a year, they now ring all the time. I have yet to go again since this fall. I might go tomorrow, Hopefully my 30 db musician's ear plugs will be enough. If not, I'll wear my shooting muffs as well.
I jam a few times a week with a buddy of mine. He plays guitar, he also taught me to play guitar, I teach him music theory, and we jam alot.
It's been almost three years since I've started, I can't wait to see what the future of my harp playing will bring.
Good story, Phogi. Stick with it-you've obviously got an impressive backgorund to build upon.
Bonedog-My mom and stepdad live in San Rafael, and they own a sunglass store in Cupertino-Sunglass Galeria-if you find yourself squinting on your bike rides ;-) ----------
Todd - I will keep that in mind. We'll be visiting NOLA in February and I'd love to say hi - catch a meeting of your club - see you play, or whatever. It's mostly a family thing (my son's still working there) so I will be mostly occupied with them but they are into music too. - drop me an email with contact info if you get a chance- noams@comcast.net
Last Edited by on Dec 19, 2010 8:04 AM
