Of all of Sonny Boy's stuff, I think this is one of the easiest. Get a big Marine Band. Listen to it and play with it. He never did it the same way twice.
SB's stuff is about subtle. No in your face amped stuff that dominates today. One has to spend a lifetime on playing acoustic harp to reach his level of small detail. Remember too that this video was done at the end of his life. Play at the energy level of your life. What we did at 20 should be more fired up than what we do at 60, but the depth at 60 should shine as bright as the fire did at 20. Each has its own beauty that is only possible at that given time. Kind of like the stones today (IMO very embarrassing to watch) because they are "frozen" in a time that has long passed them. Listen to SB's trumpet 78's. He was blasting then. His subtle stuff increased over time. Today most of the stuff I see that tries to copy him is overblown/exaggarted and the subtle is drowned out by the flash/over exaggarated tone that is so popular. This is my opinion and it is based on that I have found the basic stuff of music still has endless unexplored roads. 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
@ Joe L - No way could I work this out, Im what you would call a very enthusiastic beginer.
@ Miles Dewar - That would be fantastic, it would give me something to work on for the next twelve months ;)
@ Waltertore - Yeah, I can see there is so much subtlety in his playing, something I doubt I would ever match. This is perhaps the best Ive heard so far in so far as subtlety, brilliant performance. Could never get tired of his playing.
Spot: This is why so much of what I hear today bores me. It is so in your face that it leaves no subtlies to my ears. I would never want to match sonny boy, but let his playing inspire me to continue to find my own subtlies. 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
ReedSqueal: I can't view the videos here at work. Schools block all videos. But I know his stuff on video was at the end of his life. He was in bad health and IMO shared the years of life he had lived through his playing. His earlier stuff on chess rocked. He did all that stuff pretty much unamplified. I love all of his eras. They all had class IMO. One of the reasons I stopped playing amped harp was because I found it to be a very powerful thing, like a loud distorted guitar can be, but it also lost its depth quick for me. I am not wanting to start an arguement with the amped players, just expressing 1 mans journey with the harp that is no more valid than any others. 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
@ Spot - there was a discussion (one of many) on Bye Bye Bird, but this one may help a little. I've been working quite a bit on the rhythm chugging pattern, and I am getting it bit by bit.
Spot: I find there is an endless road of songs to be spontaneously sung. All one has to do is walk blindly into it. Many musicians/music businesses people have publicly dismissed my stuff as amatuer/ lacking professional tightness/lacking arrangement/mistake ridden/doesn't rhme/ and other stuff like that. Conversely, many well known musicians and music businesses people have complimented my stuff with all kinds of artsy praises. It is all opinon. Follow your dreams and life is good! Walter
I share this stuff on the net so that others who are doing the same and I can connect and those wanting to truely improvise words and music can see that it isn't very hard to do. Just let the inner self out without stipulations attacthed and life is wonderful. I may never get famous or make any money, but I am satified. Walter
here is a solo vocal/harp SB bye bye bird inspired song using a stock 14 hole MB in C Stranded in my fears
---------- 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
@ ReedSqueal - Thanks for the link, be sure to keep us informed if you get any further with the tabs.
@ Waltertore - I,ve listened to quite a few of your music uploads now, I like what you are doing. It must give a lot of satisfaction to be able to make music like that on the fly.
I try to do it with the very few bits and pieces of songs and riffs I know so far, mixing and matching them up but I have a long way to go, thats for sure.
One of the vids I watched, you were doing some simple "runs/stabs" up and down but they sounded really effective.
So simple, I can't do them ;) You get what Im saying though. Subtle but overall rounded in the context of the tune.
Last Edited by on Feb 04, 2011 12:30 PM
@ Miles - what, a 364 or 365 Hohner? If so, one word. OK 2: Rockin' Ron's!
Edit for clarification... as I understand it, in the video in the top of this thread, SBW is playing a Echo Vamper in Low C. 12 hole. Which is the SAME as the 364 in C, 12 hole.
They don't call it 'Low C' but it's definitely LOW. The 365 is a 14 hole. (All by Hohner) Supposedly the 364 was marketed by Hohner in the U.K. as the Echo Vamper. This is just what I have gleaned from various websites. I can't vouch for the validity or accuracy. ---------- Go ahead and play the blues if it'll make you happy. -Dan Castellaneta
Last Edited by on Feb 04, 2011 1:03 PM
Spot: Thanks for listening to my stuff and the compliment! I haven't heard your playing so I can't comment on it. Do you have any examples to hear? I have been playing harp for almost 40 years -20 full time player(200+ gigs a year), and now about 15 as a part time player. Even though I don't gig much anymore I still play/record in my studio 25-50+ hours a week. What I have observed over the years, especially lately with the onset of the internet, is a ton of players that get good tones/riffs real quick, but lack that next level. This is where the subtle stuff lives. It is the same with recording. I am teaching myself to record and man what a world of difference, sonically, from one of my recordings and say a sinatra reprise album. It takes a lifetime of dedication to reach that level and this is true of any field. IMO this can only be reached by devoting oneself full time and learning firsthand from the masters. I lived, toured, with them for decades. These things can never be learned via a video, custom harp, custom mic, custom amp, seminars. One has to make it their life. I had no other life. I moved more times around the world than I can count, and basically did nothing but play gigs.
Unfortunately there is only so much time on this earth. I don't have kids, never owned a home(until my wife and I put each other through college), moved so much I am eternally rootless. I have hobbies I enjoy that I am ok at but lack the real inspiration to take them to that high plane. I am ok with this. I am glad I put so much time into the harp. Music has saved me from a life of crime/violence/addiction - no lie. I belive the secret to a meaningful life is following ones heart. There will be lifelong passions that ebb and flow that make us happy and one eternal one that stays front and center, in this case, music. Willing to forgo worldly comforts, security, and walk blindly. That will get one to the subtle level with the arts. Our culture has a great marketing angle built into it. It tells us we can reach these levels with kizmos that cut out the time factor/traveling/living with the greats, and we will be masters in no time. 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 am not sure if my message got through clear. What I support is people going at what interests them. If they get to the top is of no consequence. Having fun with it is- it is the journey that is the big ride. Have fun everyone and dig your sounds! 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 just went on the Hohner site and they say that the 364 and 365 have additional notes at the high end of the range. The SBS is extended downwards. can somebody enlightened me.
Martin ---------- Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. Isaac Asimov
@ Waltertore - Walter, I have had many passtimes and hobbys. The one that has stayed with me is music! My Dad loves his music and I guess it passes through generations, I was brought up with good music. He never played anything untill now (teaching himself the harp) but I know he'll do it and get somewhere he's good at in his own comfort zone, its his nature and in his soul, stubborn Old git ;)
Once its in you, you can't let go ...
Last Edited by on Feb 05, 2011 7:42 AM
@MrVerylongusername thanks. @Desertdog I'm interested in the tab, bouledeouate (at)hotmail.com ---------- Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. Isaac Asimov
Hello List, I just wanted to say thanks as about six months ago I got a 365 in C never under stood the lay out now I do. so back to the song and woodshed
The harp is an "Echo ...something" cos you can see it in the clip if you freeze the vid at the point where he opens up his hand and tilts the harp toward the camera @ (1:47). As to the key = Low D. Try your regular D and hear it. I have a low D and it's the same. Course you can use any key you want :-)
@desertdog or anyone for that matter that has come into possession of this tab- I'd love to have it, if you wouldn't mind sending it to me that would be great. I'm a subscriber to bluesharmonica.com so I'm not trying to cheat anyone out of their rightful due it's just.....I don't want to go through the process of acquiring this legitimately- don't get me wrong I am more then happy to lend my wallet to David Barrett, I've bought books, the website etc...but can someone please hook it up? I'd just love to check it against my own interpretation and so on so forth....davidlouisromano@gmail.com Hope this works..thanks.
Dave gives out a free tabbed out song in his newsletters - sign up, he always has a cool one...pretty sure he did this one for thatletter a while back?
