What if there was no such thing as the blues? Would you still like playing the harmonica?
Just curious to hear what inspired you to start playing the harmonica. Were you already a blues fan, and picked up the harmonica to play the blues? Or, did you start playing the harmonica and then discover how well the harmonica fits the blues, and how much fun blues is to play?
I started playing harmonica as a kid, and I never paid much attention to the blues. I didn't even know anything much about blues music until I started playing. My first memories of the harmonica are hearing my grandpa play on his G harp in first position or the train in 2nd, Sesame Street, and Sanford and Son. I always liked the warble in the Sanford and Son theme, and when this harmonica player came to our church when I was a kid, he did the same thing on his F harp, and that inspired me to give it a try myself. Then I quickly discovered the blues!
So, what's your story? Are you more of a blues fan, or a harmonica fan?
Todd, I was listening to the Blues intenly and learning as much about it as I could but never had played any instrument. I used to joke that I could play a radio. Returning from the "King Biscuit Blues Festival", two years ago, I told myself-enough is enough, I have to learn to do more than play a CD. Within two weeks or getting home, I bought a Lee Oskar C. So to answer your question- If it weren't for the blues, I would not be playing.
My Mom gave me a harmonica when I was 17 after joining the Navy and was sent overseas for a 1 year tour on the USS LaSalle in Dec of 1977. I started just playing what was on the little piece of paper "Oh When The Saints". Then after hours and days just playing on the Fantail of the ship, a guitar player started to jam with me. Before the year was over, I was playing with the Ship's Band which was a hobby for all of us and we would only practice about once a month. It wasn't until I was almost done with the tour, when the ships band started playing some blues and another guitar player had to tell me about "2nd Position". Then the light bulb came on and I really started loving to play harmonica. I was getting bored with 1st Position and almost gave it up. I've been playing as a hobby ever since.
Blues lover first, for 35 plus years. Started playin bass with some blues guys around 1990. In fact, Little Walter and Sonny Boy inspired me to sing My Babe, Key to the highway and Help Me long before I ever picked up the harp.
I am a music fan. I play music on the harmonica which includes blues. Started out playing rock, R&B and blues. Got into blues specifically a little later, and very heavily for a while. Consider myself competent at playing funk and reggae, too. Have started to play some jazz on a limited basis in the last few years.
Consider myself to be a strong blues player--probably stronger than i am at playing anything else. But I've always prided myself on being able to play different styles of electric music, except country. Don't like playing country although i can do it on a limited basis if required.
I don't play the harmonica like it's a harmonica and never have. That has had a significant impact on my approach to playing the instrument. And I don't play any other instruments.
My dad played harmonica when I was a kid. Usually just cowboy songs and tv theme tunes. I tried to copy him, like most kids do, but couldn't do it myself so stopped trying. Fast forward 30 years and I'm in a hotel bar after a conference, and one of my pals starts playing a guitar. It went down well, and after he'd finished I said to him that I wished I could do that. "Well just do it then", was his reply. Guitar didn't really interest me, but I kept thinking about my dad and his harmonica, so I went out next day and bought a C Lee Oskar, and a book and cd combo called Blues For Beginners.
Harmonica for me. It seems like every time I'd hear a harmonica in a song,I liked it. I'd hear it in TV themes, commercials, rock songs and blues. (Outside of that stuff, I don't like it much.)
One of my kids gave me a Huang Cadet Soloist. I almost immediately found out I need a 10 hole diatonic for what I like. It didn't take me long before I had a full set.
Someday, I might check out that Huang Soloist to see what I can do with it. :)
There is a black and white picture of me at the age of 2 or so, holding on to a table to steady myself with one hand, harmonica in the other. I don't think I was quite hip to the blues at that point.
Many years later, an older kid put on some Sonny BoyII for me and that's really what got me going. Now however, I wouldn't really call myself a 'blues' player - though of course I still play a lot of blues. I have played as much country, folk,gospel, rock, and reggae over the years as I have blues. With recent experiments in 12th posititon and minor scales, my playing has gotten even wierder - Jewish liturgical melodies etc.
For me, it was harmonica first, then discovering the blues.*
*I grew up listening to the Stones, Yardbirds,and lots of other "blues influenced" music. So there was definitely an element of the blues the first time I remember hearing the harmonica on the radio. (It was Keith Relf blowing harp on the Y.B.s cover of "I'm a Man" Still one of my favorite songs.
Years later, when my son got his first Ipod, I bought an Itunes prepaid card and made a list of songs for him to download for me. I didn't realize until I started listening to the songs that most all of them had harp in them.....that's when I began becoming a player.
Harmonica came into my life before I really knew blues music or what that was. I mean, I heard the stones, and I had 2 generic 'best of the blues' CDs but non of that really compares to my understanding of blues music today.
I've always been interested in music. I tried playing instruments like violin as a kid but never stuck with it. I also screwed around with keyboards trying to teach myself Fur Elise and such from time to time. Interestingly enough I came back to piano after doing well with the harmonica.
But it must have been hearing it in different types of music (like black sabbath, rolling stones, blues traveler) and seeing flashes of it in movies (westerns, Eastwood flicks, shawshank redemption come to mind) that caused me to think it would be something I'd enjoy.
I learned tons about blues & fell in love with lots of artists after finding MBH. Not to mention as a 100% raw beginner, tons about playing harmonica from the guys that were part of this forum when I found it about a month after I started playing & Adam's videos. I'm not sure I would have stuck with harmonica or got into piano daily practice and playing and clubs if it weren't for googling something about harmonica and stumbling upon my first Adam YouTube video so in a way I owe quite a lot to his efforts online.
I didn't stop with blues either, I discovered lots of music and have very eclectic tastes now.
I should probably add the majority of the real harmonica community is just plain awesome. Most people are great to know & offer positive critique and influence. My harmonica club is full of great guys who are a positive influence and don't show me the door due to not having the years invested that they do.
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~Ryan
"I play the harmonica. The only way I can play is if I get my car going really fast, and stick it out the window." - Stephen Wright
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
I was in a garage band in the late 60's - as a drummer. I always had to borrow a set to gig with. I asked my parents to buy me a drum set so i could continue...but they could not afford it....so I went to the music store and bought a Hohner Blues Harp. I think it was about $4.50. Loved the early "British Blues" But Neil Young really got me interested...go figure. Blues became increasing important to me as I learned to play. ----------
Melodies and 1st pos until my late teens(early eighties) discovered Rice Miller and Muddy, and went on a 2nd pos rampage for twenty years or so, boiling down to once in a blue moon. Now I'm hungry for it ALL!!! :~)
I started playing harmonica because of Darrell Mansfield, Glenn Kaiser (both of them when they were playing Rock), Rev Dan Smith and Buddy Greene. My first weekly gig was with a praise and worship band.
I love blues but harmonica means more than just blues to me. ---------- Ozark Rich __________ ##########
My wife really likes blues and seemed to like the harmonica, so I decided to try to learn without her fnding out so that I could jump up on stage one day with Curley Bridges and surprise the hell out of her. (we were married for about 30 years at this point in time) I missed it by 4 days!!!! I surprised everyone at my Mothers Birthday Party but got to get up and play with Curley (on my wifes 51st birthday)4 days later!!! If I had known that Curley was playing up the road and that he would have let me play - I would have waited - but it was still special. First song - Little Red Rooster - still my favourite. All I've ever wanted to play was blues. ---------- If it ain't got harp - it ain't really blues!!!!
I always loved the sound of the harmonica. I had often asked for one and never got it. When I moved out to live on my own, work, and go to university at that time I bought myself a harmonica, a hohner BLUES harp. I wanted to be sure it was the one that could play blues...
---------- I could be bound by a nutshell and still count myself a king of infinite space
An old guy next door gave me a Marine Band and taught me to play some hymns when I was about 10 years old. A few years later, I embarrassed my girlfriend when I stood-in with a rock band at a high school talent contest. I also played trumpet and double bass in a jazz band. At the time, I thought I was the only white kid on the planet listening to BB King. I also loved Led Zep, Allman Bros., Hedrix, Skynard etc. but didn't realize it was all blues. I forgot about the harp for 30 years until job loss required me to start spending long hours behind the windshield (a harp fights boredom). Steve and Steve Blues Band started playing at a place I hang out, and I was dragged on stage to play with them, totally unprepared, but I lived. My girlfriend is now my wife of almost 35 years, and I can still embarrass her.
my first harp was a hohner blues harp because I became a blues lover in the late 60s listening to John R WLAC late nite blues-the 1st thing I played was on top of old smoky tony glovers book introduced me to playing blues harp
When I was in the 8th grade I checked out a Muddy Waters album. This was 1981 and my Dad wanted to know why I was listening to that old stuff. I didn't really have an answer but here I am today. Chicken or the Egg?
---------- get off the computer and play some harp
I got a pocket pal when I was little and I would noodle around 1st position trying to pick out simple tunes, I first heard country harp, blues harp when I was a little kid.
In retrospect, I am pretty sure I heard Mickey Raphael, Charly McCoy, and Paul Butterfield on the radio when I was growing up, also Big and Little Walter.
Around '93, I lived with a guy that played country harp in second position in my girlfriend's cowpunk band.
While I lived with him I bought a Marine Band and a Special 20 and Tony Glover's book and started to learn 2nd position. This is really when I started to pay attention to and distinguish the Blues for the first time.
Country came more naturally to me even though I hated it as a kid and heard it all the time, I started to appreciate it through my experiences with my girlfriend and her band.
I played briefly in an alt-roots rock kind of band and played really simple but clear melodic stuff...didn't grok the Blues yet but was listening.
I dropped the harp around 98 when the band broke up and didn't pick it up again until 2 or so years ago, but I had been listening to all kinds of music since then.
Now I really enjoy playing the Blues, especially in a group context. ---------- Shane
I was a rock/blues loving guitar player in my youth. I remember getting a Paul Butterfield album in the used record bin and thought I would check it out knowing it was blues. He plays "Everything is going to be alright" on the double album and that sound really stuck with me. I didn't start playing harp until well after that still though.
I broke a bone in my shoulder and was in a sling for 6 weeks, so was at a bit of loose end. A good friend of mine bought me a “You can play Harmonica” book and harmonica. I got hooked playing simple folk songs. It was just being able to make music that got me.
Was a few years later I heard a Muddy Waters number with Little Walter and became addicted to that big amp'd Chicago sound.
If there was no blues,I'd probably be playing big band style swing or jazz.
But then would there be jazz or rock and roll without the blues?? Thats the start of a whole new topic there! ---------- The Pentatonics Myspace Youtube
Why don't you leave some holes when you play, and maybe some music will fall out.
I came late to the blues, but have listened a lot the last 20 years, and learned some traditional licks to round out what I play.
I started playing chromatic harmonica at age 11 or 12 with folk and old time songs, then learning to play melodies from a variety of genres. In college I jammed a lot and was playing rock and folk with guitars. I switched to diatonic (Tony Glover) due to ruining chromatics I couldn't afford. I mainly played rock and folk in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th positions on diatonic. I was briefly in a blues band in my mid 20s, and was taught the circle of fifths by a guitar player and given tapes of blues harmonica so I could learn more traditional styles.
After a long break from playing music (except in my yard) I resumed jamming in the 90s, playing rock and blues. Since then I have played in an electric 60s 70s rock cover band, an acoustic duo covering rock songs, an acoustic folk/bluegrass/country band, a jazz quartet with guitar, bass, drums, and harp, and in an acoustic trio with guitar, fiddle, and harmonica playing blues and rock songs. I was recently in a 5 piece guitar, bass, drums, harp, and mando or lap steel band, playing jug band style backyard bbq songs and blues, and a Memphis style blues/early rock/soul band.
I like playing it all. I keep learning from lists like this, books, and playing different types of music. Most of what I like has an element of blues, but my blues are not traditional in style. I like playing guitar lines, horn lines, and B3 sounds.
If there were no blues, I would definitely play harmonica in other styles.
Edit: I left out that I have done some local studio work in Central Illinois, the most notable probably being 3 cuts recorded at POGO studios on the "All Things Connect" CD by 56 Hope Road. I also did two full hour radio shows with the fiddle band and the jazz band that I played in, too, but the CDs of the shows are not released due to copyright issues with the songs. ----------
Being bored and Mindlessly typing things into YouTube. Ronnie Shellist's video that says something like funky blues harmonica or something like that. Then I found Gussow's first video and as soon as he said "I'm going to give it all away", I was on it.
Went to the store and got an "F" Blues Harp and an Instructional book for a "C" Harp. Started using that book. ---------- ---Go Chicago Bears!!!---
To me, the harmonica is a tool to play the blues, I listen to blues without harp, but rarely listen to harp without blues. Given the choice, I'd rather talk blues with guitarists, drummers...players of any instruments who play blues, than harp players who play other genres.
That's not to say that I don't appreciate music of other genres that is well played.
I was already aware of blues & RnB when I got a harp, but, admittedly, it was only when I got a harp that my eyes were opened to current exponents like Paul Lamb, Kim, Rod, etc (largely via the players that influenced & taught me directly, principly Pete G Welland). I think that because harp is typically more prominent in blues, that novices are often steered towards blues players as a reference point.
This is really interesting! There's definitely a mix of responses, but it seems to be a majority (maybe 60/40) of harmonica first, blues later. I certainly fit into this category as well. I started playing harp because a good friend of mine and fellow archaeologist used to bring a harp out with us on digs. Some of the other folks would bring guitars and stuff and we'd jam a bit after work. At the time, all I knew was a bit of rudimentary rock drumming (I was never any good at it), and I could play the didgeridoo and the jaw harp. So we made some weird music, and it was fun, but not very good. During this period (about 8 years ago), my dad was pestering me about what I wanted for my birthday, and more to get him to shut up than anything else, I half-jokingly asked him for a harmonica. He got it for me, along with David Harp's "3 minutes to Blues harmonica". Well, I messed with it for a little while, and bought a couple of harps. At the time, all I wanted to do was to play like Ryan Adams (who was and still is one of my favorite artist), and I achieved that pretty quickly (it's pretty simple stuff). I also figured out how to play the parts from The The and Smith's songs, which is some of my other favorite music. Then, after moving to AZ and going back to school, I didn't do much for a few years.
Then, about 3.5 years ago, faced with the increasing stress of grad school and a few personal troubles, I decided I needed a creative outlet, so I dug out my harps and started searching the internet for lessons. I found Adam, and his blues-oriented lessons drew me to the blues. Since then, I've been really serious about the harp. I do consider myself a blues player, because I do a lot of that, but I also love to play ska/reggae stuff, weird indie/pseudo electronica, rockabilly, and other genres. When I write songs, they are mostly in these other genres. When I sit down to just play something, it usually comes out Blues.
Adam and the harmonica got me into Blues, and I consider Blues music to be foundational to all the music I play and listen to. I love the Blues, but it's not an exclusive relationship. I don't think I'll ever leave the Blues, but me and the Blues ain't really married, if you know what I mean!
I always liked hearing the blues and harmonica at a "when I happen upon it I listen level"...but when my then 19 year old son started playing blues guitar 4 years ago I dug in. I didn't even know who Little Walter was. Him and his family have since moved out of the area, but we jam when we can and I am a blues harmonica geek!
I had a couple of harmonicas when I was a kid and liked the sound of them on the few blues songs I had, but I had no idea how you were supposed to play them and I was convinced the ones on the records were tuned differently - that I had had some kind of crappy major-only harmonicas that were no good for blues. I was always intrigued by them but didn't pick one up again till I saw one of Adam's videos. I was into blues and jazz before I started playing harp, but I was nowhere near as obsessed with it as I am now.
Without the blues there would be no harmonica for me.
While I can listen and appreciate the level of skill, talent and dedication needed to play harmonica in other genres (particularly I think jazz) it just simply doesn’t float my boat and move me the way blues done well does.
I was into Punk/Rock/Goth/Avant Garde/Noise when i picked up Harmonica.
I wanted to learn something that would annoy the crap out of people so was tossing up between Harp or Accordian - Harps were cheaper so yay!
I discovered my love for American folk music through learning more about the instrument and how to play it. And now its become a full blown love/passion/affair.
Nowadays i do love Blues, Jazz, Funk, Soul, Gospel but am really into a lot of Hip Hop sounds.
I gues sI try to reflect that with the music I make with my band - Drawing from the roots of American music but with a more modern interpretation. *wank wank wank* ---------- Big Blind Ray's YouTube Channel Mavis and her China Pigs
I came back to music in a participative sense in my middle age (50). I really picked up the harp to complement being a vocalist. I was hoping to be a blues vocalist and loved the Paul deLay and Curtis Salgado's of the world. I thought adding the harp would be an easy way to add some diversity. So much for detailed analysis of the harp on my part.
I guess that means blues first, but I like a lot of different music (am listening to Oliver Mtukudzi at this moment right after a CD of SB II). ---------- snakes in Seattle
---------- I had an uncle and a friend who played a few simple harmonica tunes and I was curious so wanted to play too ! It was cheap to try it so i did . It was also portable and i loved camping so I spent years learning " mary had a little lamb " and similar simple songs .Then I progressed to campfire music LOL .I soon got interested in the bluesy sound ,that the harmonica could offer, only after i saw my 1st live blues artist .I was hanging around downtown Ottawa in the mid 70's and one night stumbled across "Sonny Terry and Browny Magee "playing in this small dingy club (maybe 60 people max ).The gig was almost over already , but the last 30 minutes were inspiring to see 2 guys fill this small club with great folky blues . The rolling stones blues harmonica pieces and the J-Geils ,James Cotton bands were also big motivators .After a few years of learning some basic blues licks , it somewhat prepared me to attempt to participate in some of the local open jam nights.Personally ,i most likely would not have the same passion for playing this instrument, if the blues had not existed and not been a driving force to learn this instrument !I only acquired a taste for the blues once i started to really get the blues feeling that the music gave me when I played it and the appreciation that the listeners gave , when they heard the blues.Its infectious Music !
Guitar is my main instrument, but the first music I played on harmonica was blues based. Nowadays I am custom tuning them to be able to play non-blues based melodies. That make it much easier to play the reels and jigs and pop melodies I am presenting to audiences. Harmonica just seems to play the blues by itself--even chromatic harp!
Like Pharpo,I was a drummer in the late '60's at boarding school, doing covers of the time.
Running alongside that we listened to the British blues scene, YB's, Fleetwood Mac (when they were raw blues) and most of all John Mayall & Bluesbreakers.
His solo album Blues Alone made me hear the harmonica and need to play it. So for me it was blues first and that's the way it's stayed.
I'm with Blocker on this. Blues and soul from the 60's is what drew me to play music and much as I can admire the abilities of people playing other genres it rarely hits the spot for me. Give me Studebaker John or James Harman over Larry Adler any day.
I played folk-based harmonica for many years prior to playing 'blues harp'. I do remember 'stumbling' onto some blues licks while trying to play rock songs but the whole 'cross harp' thing never clicked with me until recently, when I started to study blues harp in earnest.
'if there was no such thing as the blues', I would still play harmonica, but man, it wouldn't be nearly as much fun! (nor addicting!)
I grew up playing oboe. Looking back I ALWAYS wanted to play blues but I didn't know it then. I was in my early forties when friend gave me the Gindick book and cassette several years ago along with a C harp as a birthday present - and that was my first. But immediately I started playing blues on it. It was blues that drew me to harp, not the other way around. ---------- /Greg
In this little (sometimes verbose) harmonica forum world it is unusual to read a unique question but for me this question is. Some of my relationship with the harp "seemed" precognitive. i.e., I saw it as a friend before I picked it up without really hearing it. With one in my mouth at around 17 y.o. and an uncle who played- he taught me "Blowing in the Wind" I began. But then came the transformation in intention via 2 songs: "Drifting and Drifting" live ala Butterfield. And "Christo Redemptor" ala Musselwhite. I hugged the speakers and swallowed the songs until they reached my soul. So for me: generic diatonic harp was the instrument but "blues" (not necessarily traditional blues) was the vehicle. The harp is a means of communication for me and (selectively) blues- especially 3rd position- is the most effusive way I have of communicating. Even though I back up myriad singers as Ashford & Simpson's resident harp player and do more funk then blues per se it all has become a gestalt of communication for me. I play bluesy in and out of the blues. I do a reggae version of "The thrill is Gone" with my band and a funk version of it with another band I am working on. So that these days I just play "dennis" which most call blues but who knows? Thoughtful question T. ---------- myspacefacebook
i started only wanting to play blues (thanks to Magic Dick & James Montgomery!) but i morphed into liking everything harmonica somewhere along the way...but without blues i never would have started. ---------- ~Banned in Boston!
I found the blues via my best friends older brother. He had a killer record collection and he would educate us as to what we should be listening to. He always had a joint of top of the line weed to go with each session. These sessions will permenantly be etched in my soul. He turned us onto all the blues greats and that led me to eventually track many of them down in the flesh.
The SBWII stuff really got me. I had been trying to learn the guitar via just plucking on one whenever I could get one to play. My father was adament about me not playing any kind of music. When I borrowed a guitar and brought it home, he busted it. So, I had to play them outside my home. That was huge hassle because none of my friends played and the ones I did manage to find at their houses were terrible pieces of junk- action higher than you could believe, missing strings, never in tune ( I had no idea a guitar had to be tuned). Of course I had no idea of this at the time. I thought them all gems of perfection! I would just play it as it sat with whatever and how many strings were on it. I was able to figure out tunes that made me happy but I wanted my own instrument.
My girlfriend at the time gave me a marine band for christmas. I eagerly opened it and blew. I expected it to sound like an amplified harp of little walter or at least the sound of SBII. Neither happened so I figured I should read the instruction pamphlet that came with it. That held my interest for about 1 second. I threw it away and just sucked and blew on it day and night. I could easily conceal the harp in my pocket and I blew it in my pillow at night till all hours. My brother is a saint because he tolerated this noise I made for a few years (we shared the same room) and never told on me.
I would put headphones on and play along in my pillow with my blues records. Then my friend brought by a guitar one day while my parent were out. I wedged the harp in a bookshelf and tried to play them both together. Somehow I figured the strings had to be tuned to the harp. I never got it really right but close enough.
This guitar was usually available to me at my friends house. I would get my friends high if they would hold the harp to my mouth as I played the guitar. This never worked very good. They got tired, distracted, and whatnot being high..... Then I saw a bob dylan album in my friends brothers collection. He had a harp rack on and I went nuts. I had to have one. Then he showed me a slim harpo and jimmy reed album and when I heard them I was sold for life.
Finally I had to find a music store and then a harp rack. I saw they sold harps there and bought one. I took the guitar in and the guy tuned it for me and from then on, I was on my own. I got good enough in isolation to catch the ear of local bands and some of the big name blues guys and the rest is history :-) Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
I liked some Russian blues and I started playing after hearing blues playing by Russian harmonica player Vovka Kozhekin, then I find other blues harmonica, but I fast went to jazz, then to experimental music and I'm not a big fan of any traditional style. I love when musicians play their own music not some kind of trad stuff. Musical style is the same mean of expression as dynamics, scales, articulation etc. ---------- Excuse my bad English. Click on my photo or my username for my music.
I played harp way before I listened to any blues, I was into listening heavy metal and alike at the time (around 18). My first harp was an old but beautiful Hohner Tremolo that I bought from a big second-hand market. I loved the sound of that harp and played it often, learning by ear and memory all sorts of melodies, from french pop singers, classical, trad. songs, etc.
That harp was no good for blues, not much possibilities of bending and I didn't know any blues anyway, apart of "hoochie Coochie Man". I played the tremolo a few years, always carry it with me until it accidently broke. Then I bought a Big River Harp in C and played it for hours over records from the Velvet Underground and others.
I really began to play blues while listening to Canned Heat, Georges Thorogood, Led Zeppelin (I played a lot of times over "Since I've Been Loving You") and "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" by the Butterfield Blues Band on "Woodstock Two".
To answer the OP question-NO, because blues WAS the inspiration. ---------- Ricky B www.bushdogblues.blogspot.com RIVER BOTTOM BLUES-A crime novel for blues fans due out late 2011
