For myself amongst lots of things, I would like to improve my tone.
My aim is to try and acheive a more full tone and percussive slap by approximating a TB style by lip pursing.
You might ask, why don't I just try Tongue blocking? Well I have and I find it pretty uncomfortable (although I'm sure a lot of people have the same experience especially when changing from LP). Anyway I've made a decision rightly or wrongly to stick with what I've got and adapt and improve upon it.
I mentioned in another thread that I'm working on developing a LP style that grabs a chord and then narrows quickly to hit a single note (both draw and blow). I am getting a slap style sound this way already, but without the wholesome full tone of the TB at present. I'm sure this is attainable and I want to work on creating a larger mouth cavity in order to produce a deeper resonance.
My hope is to remain with LP, using TB solely on octaves, splits, which I'm getting to grips with and then develop this new technique (new for me at least as I'm sure it's been done already ) to plug the gaps as far as percusssive slaps are concerned.
Anyway enough about me! What are your hopes and aspirations on harp as we rush headlong into a glorious New Year?
To somehow force myself to practice and woodshed regularly....so I can actually improve my playing.
And as an adjunct to the above....to come on here and waste time (however entertaining that might be) a lot less.
Last Edited by on Dec 24, 2010 12:32 PM
Thing is Grey..YOUR posts (particularly of you playing) are awesome!! You contribute something. I'm the worst when it comes to forum participation...I've appeared in WAY TOO MANY of the useless "debate" threads that degenerate into pissing contests.
It's got to stop. THAT's part of my new year's resolution. Less debating more practicing!!!!!
Where can I find a local FA here in the states? ;-)
I think I've got enough songs for now. Now I want a bunch of good recordings! And shows! And I want to write some songs for some of my friends. My music always seems to sound better when someone else is singing them! :)
On my side, I'll try to work more harmonically on the complex Jazz chords (9th, 13th 11th and their relatives), and understanding how to play arpeggios on them.
---------- Never try to be as good as someone else, succeed to best the best player that you can be!
I made this list the other day its not just my harp goals but music goals for 2011
Harmonica 1 celtic tunes/ embelishments of tunes 2 blues learn some heads to standards 3blues with jamtrack or other instruments/chorus forms/riffs more strutured improv.and dynamics 4blues solo chugging type rythems working the whole 12 bars into the chugg with out noodling
Guitar 1 finger picking 2 rack playing of harp 3 stomp box
Cigarbox guitar just writing songs and learn tunings ,scales and simple chords work on the Keni lee lessons some
Bass trying to stay simple with root notes less lead guitar scale runs,but work on fills and turnarounds
Dulcimer learn tuning and chord acomplimate playing,to use in back ground
Work on 1man band setup to get it tighter work on some covers and write originals
recording stay with the simple less tracks setup,remeber use of levels effects everything
but work on tighter recording sessions and dont be afraid to erase and do over.
percussions
just work on simple tight patterns and keep it in TIME.work on some cool drum machine beats when needed
thinking about getting a key of C 21 hole tremlo harp,cause they look interesting and new lessons ;-) and a Golden melody A or maybe Aflat to learn a OB a note or 2
@Greyowlphotoart I am totally with what you are talking about. I too started and learned as a lip purser, but I have been practicing tongue blocking as of late. I have become pretty okay at octaves and splits. Tongue slapping these works pretty well too. I'm having no problem switching between the two. For now, anyway, this is as far as I'm going. No side blocking....and all single notes, double stops, and chords will be played pursed. I think a lot of good players do mostly what I described. One of Adam's early lessons shows how to play the two hole draw pursed..then slightly opening the lips to catch the surrounding holes. This is how I learned. I have a couple of older videos on my youtube (harpdude61) called Wildwood Flower and Lip Purse chugging. I hope I've improved since but you will get what I mean. I play both songs without the tongue touching the harp. No mistaken, I love good tongue blocking like Cotton and Wilson, but I think at this stage in my life and what practice time I have available, I would benefit more from working on positions, scales, etc.. Do not think for a minute that a purser cannot have as good a tone as anyone else. I can name several great players that play single notes pursed and have as good a tone as anyone.
I've been playing for 2.5 years, mostly for myself and on my own. I hope that in 2011 I'll make it out to a jam and play alongside others! Exciting times, teehee.
---------- I could be bound by a nutshell and still count myself a king of infinite space
@Greyowl - I started out doing lip pursed 'slaps' too. It works fine on the 2draw in some cases. In some licks, it just doesn't work. TB slaps are incomparably percussive. TB is weird at first but you get used to it. Adam has great tips on youtube.
For me, I would like to: - Become more familiar with the 12-bar structure - Improvise more - Learn more complex licks to improve speed and capability - Maybe work on singing
Last Edited by on Dec 24, 2010 6:08 PM
I'm going to practice a lot more--work on more positions in PB tuning and in Richter--also going to do some work in half-valved harps. I especially want to get a lot better at playing on a rack--with guitar. . . ----------
I know Jason and Adam TB some, but if you hear a big fat whole note, played with power and feeling or a strong overbend or fast movement up and down the harp...you can bet they are pursed. Jerry "Boogie" McCain sounds pursed to me..as does the late great Pat Ramsey (really been gettin into his stuff lately). Christelle sounds like a purser to me. I'm sure there are plenty more. Merry Christmas to you as well. Did you see the new poster that was on here last week looking for someone in the Oak Ridge area to take lessons?
----------I was the one looking for lessons in the east TN area. Groyster I saw where you said you sent me an email I didn’t receive one. Please try again. As for my new years resolution it is simply to improve as a harmonica player, I have only been at it for a little over a year, so improving shouldn’t be tough to do …lol
Like HoboStubs my fellow Harmonica Academy buddy I posted the following as my aims and objectives for 2011:-
My goal for 2011 is to retain what I know. I have found that now if I put too much time into learning new stuff then some of the tunes I love and knew well seem to fall away.
Essentually I have 3 goals:-
1) to learn embellishments & apply them to a core repertoire of tunes I know & love. Limited tongue blocking; Octaves; Tune variations; Playing back -up on the harmonica.
2) to follow some blues lessons to give me a better grounding for Country. Whilst I would love to be able to play tunes like Charlie McCoys - 'Orange Blossom Special' I am of the realisation that being in my 70's going fast is less appealing (read impossible). But my goal would be to play tunes like Blue Yodel No 1 & St Louis Blues like or as close to Charlies or at least really good versions of my own.
I struggle with a lot of blues and much I don't understand. I also find I am unable to listen to blues ie having purchased numerous recommended CDs of the masters I am unable to relate or retain the feel. Wheras I'm always listening to Country Music. I purchased a lot of Adams material and tried to learn some of his stuff ie I did really like eg his 'Front Porch Blues' & St Louis Blues. And, I must admit that there have been the very few times when noodling away by myself that I hit the groove but was I following scales or the 12 bars changes....I havn't a clue! Was I playing blues or just improvising & liking what I heard....I don't know!
but the final goal 3) to have fun.
Then again I might have a 4th goal
4) to change my mind whenever I want & learn whatever grabs me.
Continue exploring new positions. Get OB's and OD's more consistenly and with better speed. Be able to use them while playing with others. Go deeper into MId-Eastern, Arab, Jewish, & Gypsy minor scale material. Latin material too. Practice country patterns Todd started me on last year at Spah. Digest some theory. Memorize which key harps play in which positions other than cross. Get better at setting up my own harps. Make it to SPAH 2011
I'm amping up so I can start playing open mics regularly. Played my first one the other day and had a blast! I'd also like to become more proficient with high octave stuff and learn a little more jazz (even though I'm not hot on jazz) to broaden the ol' horizons. ---------- Be safe, keep the faith, and don't let em tearrrrrr ya down.
Last Edited by on Dec 25, 2010 10:11 PM
My main goal to make my band sound fat and tight, hip-hop, funk, trip-hop, groove. For myself I'm also going to work on some trumpet solos, working on more new jazz standarts, working on complex chord progressions like "Stella by starlight", "One note samba" etc. I also want to start singing. ---------- Excuse my bad English. Click on my photo or my username for my music.
Oh and another resolution, I must stop eating peanuts directly before playing, mind you I think I got my first overblow courtesy of a bit of cashew choking off the blow reed. No, just kidding it was pistachio:)
@ Shoulders 'Oh yes and I'm going to buy greyowl a couple of beers and he's going to show me how to create videos and post them.'
My enthusiasm for your attractive offer has been slightly subdued after an extended drinking session which brings me to another resolution - Do not play harp with a hangover. Don't worry Shoulders I'll be OK by the New Year - well, from the 2nd January on :)
@Harpdude61 & Phillipe I'm going to check your vids out Harpdude & I like where your coming from.
I am getting a slap sound by drawing a chord 1,2,3, then closing my embouchure and homing in sharply on 2 or 1 and also 4 if I slide up off the 123 chord. They are getting stronger now (2 is easiest as you say) The same also works with the blow notes but not so strong at the moment. Now to work on using them comfortably in a riff.
@ Oldwailer I would like to us the rack more also but I find it pretty uncomfortable at the moment. I kind of don't feel in touch with the harp if you know what I mean. To feel I'm more in contact with the harp I'm setting it very close to my face and then I feel if I move quickly I'm going knock my front teeth out.
Is this me or is it just a rack thing you have to get used to? I found it a bit easier using a mike stand but still not really in control, particularly on strong deep bends.
This year (2011), I'm resolute to buy an amp and a bullet mike. I also need to buy new harps, I think I'm gonna go for some Seydel Blues pro half-valved, in D, Bb, G and Ab.
I also want to find a good blues band in Brussels to play with. And generally, I plan to play a lot more than in 2010, in various styles.
Here are the specific things I want to accomplish this coming year:
1. Like Kyzer, I'm definitely going to crack down on scales. 2. Like AV8R, I'd like to finally post something here for critique. 3. I'd like to get to where I can solo perform several complete Blues songs, without support from recordings or jam tracks. 4. I'd like to get to where I always know exactly which note I'm playing by name, and to be able to go immediately to any named note on any key harp. 5. I'm going to learn how to emboss.
