A young lady at an open mic I play at sings this song and plays acoustic guitar. She wants me to try and learn the violin part on harmonica.
I'm doing pretty good at backing with whole notes but have not got the violin solo right yet.
Here is what I think is happening but PLEASE give input if I'm correct or not.
I am playing a C harp all the way.
It sounds like at 1:30 I can start on 10 draw and play that run in 4th position without any type of bending at all. I drop an octave at 1:40 and do the same run starting on 6 draw (6 and 10 draw are "A", the major 6th). I do have to use 3 draw bent a whole step at the end of the run.
Then it sounds like it turns major 1st position with a run up to the 9 blow at 1:51. Again..no bending needed.
If you know the mode or position of this song, have suggestions on backing or the solo I am all ears. I know I can't play the viola part too, but kind of capture the runs of both instruments.
Google the title of the tune and the word "chords" and you will get a ton of guitar tab that shows the names of the chords for this tune. Am Dm7 C G etc. I think the tune is in Am with some C and G chords, so C harp in 4th position should work perfectly because it gives you Am C Dm and G with no sweat. Btw, whole step bend on D3 is essential for playing in 4th since that's root in the lower octave.
I just tried playing along with the recording on C harp 4th position and it seems to work great.
Now, violin solos are usually phrased differently from harmonica solos. Because of the way each instrument is laid out it's often hard to play violin parts on harp and hard to play harp parts on violin.
I tend not to play anything just like the record (after all, someone else has already done that, right?--so, what's the point?) But anyway, even if you are a "play it just like the record" guy a more effective approach for this tune may be to come up with a harp solo that has the same feel as the violin solo and is modeled after the violin solo but is playable on harp. Loosen up. You'll probably be able to play a solo with more emotional expression that way. It's hard to cop violin licks on harp anyway.
4th position seems to work so well for this tune that it should be relatively easy to come up with an original solo playing in that position.
Last Edited by on Jan 03, 2011 10:43 AM
DAmn! I was so looking forward to listening to that after your pre-amble into the technical difficulties you were facing but unfortunately it is blocked in the UK. ----------
