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beginner forum: for novice and developing blues harp players >
Why did you start, where do you want to get to?
Why did you start, where do you want to get to?
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Ian
286 posts
Feb 06, 2016
1:52 PM
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Sparked by recent threads I thought it could be interesting if everyone could answer the following questions....
1: why did you start learning the harp?
2: where do you want to get to? (ie skill level etc)
3: do you think you have achieved any of the goals you had when you first started?
I know the idea of getting somewhere in an artistic context is vague and non sensical, that our goals are malleable and ever changing... But if you had to answer, given how you feel right now, where would you be happy?
To answer myself......
1:Personally I started because I was doing a lot of travelling to remote parts of the world, and the idea of truly portable, non electronic music took my fancy... And I've always loved the sound.
2: I would like to get to a point where I can put together clean and smooth improvisations (nothing overly fancy) , to the style that I enjoy and to be able to jam with friends without being repetitive or boring. I'd also like to have a fairly sizable mental songbook of recognisable tunes that I can pull out and play (this is my main focus at the moment).
3: yes. I can now happily entertain myself and to some extent others by playing the harp. I take it with me everywhere, have played in the jungle and on remote beaches, and I feel like I can call myself a harmonica player now. Which is a good feeling. I've a way to go but I'm not going to be impatient about this one....
Last Edited by Ian on Feb 06, 2016 1:53 PM
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Killa_Hertz
465 posts
Feb 06, 2016
2:34 PM
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1. I don't really know why. I just always felt like i wanted to. It sounds so deep and soulful. And alot of people don't do it. How to do it is a mystery to most. Everyone plays guitar. Plus the portability factor is a HUGE plus. And its a very personal instrument. Not to be wierd, but it's kind of a .... relationship i guess ... with your harps. Atleast my favorite ones. The ones I've put time into And played a ton.
2. Where i would like to get to is to have a decent bar band. Nothing to serious. Just for fun. Or atleast sit in with a band regularly. I know alot of guys in bands. Unfortunately they re all metal bands. Lol. I saw a band last weekend at a birthday party. They had a harp player sit in with them for a few songs throughout the night. He had good tone, although he didn't play Anything fancy. But maybe it just want his style.
He was a flavor up the music type i think. But i wouldn't mind doing something like that.
3.The only goal i really had when i started ( and it wasnt really a goal. It was more just an idea. ) was to jam with a guitar by campfire. Not kumbiya or anything, but yall know what i mean. Jammin. And i have not done this yet, but i could. And prolly will this summer. I still haven't really ever played infront of anyone.
I want to expand my lick library. And learn new positions. Maybe learn a few songs that non blues heads will know. Idk.
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"Trust Those Who Seek The Truth. Doubt Those Who Say They Have Found It."
Last Edited by Killa_Hertz on Feb 06, 2016 2:35 PM
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MindTheGap
1114 posts
Feb 06, 2016
3:30 PM
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1. I was in a music shop with my boys and we saw a blues harp kit, with a book and C-harp. I was telling them about note bending (I must have known that much from somewhere) so we bought it and all learnt how to bend. I remember taking it to a park bench, all of us reading in the instructions (lean to the left, pretend you're eating an orange, imagine you've just seen an elk, all that), and going, 'Look I've got it!' when the note bent by 1/100th of a semitone.
2. Originally I wanted to sound like those R&B bands. Lee Brilleaux from Dr. Feelgood. I don't know any more (see other thread). Basic competence, whatever that is?. Rontana said it best, I want to like my own playing.
3. Yes, I can bend notes! What a joy that was when I got it, and still is. It's a bit of magic isn't it. I did form a band, I do play music with others regularly.
Yes good to review what you have got. Nice one Ian.
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Feb 06, 2016 3:37 PM
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Crawforde
61 posts
Feb 06, 2016
3:57 PM
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1. I like the sound. I remember hearing people play when I was a kid. I've started a few times, and was a field scientist for years, always on the road, sleeping in a tent or the truck... Portability was key. I gave it up for years, got sick,.... My son found one of my old harps while I was recuperating. I figured it would be good for breathing and getting my mouth back in shape while bedridden. Bought a Chrome. Got hooked. Now I want to play both kinds.
2. I would like to learn enough blues riffs, jazz standards and simple melodies to keep myself amused. Maybe someday I could play some rhythm or even play along with my kids who are better than I will ever be. They play "real" instruments though. My Wife likes harmonica better than my attempt at bagpipes. But not by much.
3. No. Few memorized. Still unable to improvise. Tone nowhere near as good as I would like. But sometimes I hear it, so there is hope, and trying to get there is a blast.
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Ian
289 posts
Feb 06, 2016
4:28 PM
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I think it's really important to sometimes just take stock of what you wanted, and where you are. Often we can get easily bogged down in our ever changing and ever more demanding aspirations.
MTG, that's a great way to start. In a park with your boys. Very cool.
Killa, I'm sure that campfire isn't far away. I'm lucky, my brother in law plays guitar very well, so I have a partner in crime when he's about.
Crawforde, those little moments, when it does come together... Thats what we practice for. If it happened all the time... Well it wouldn't be practice. Keep it up.
Great responses, really interesting, keep em coming!
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Glass Harp Full
98 posts
Feb 06, 2016
5:27 PM
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1. I started because I got hooked on the sound of blues harp. Nothing else sounds quite like it.
2. When I first started learning around 15 years ago I wanted to be a blues muscian. Needless to say it didn't work out that way. When I took it up again about a year ago I had much more modest goals: to encourage my son's interest in music, have fun and do better than the first time I tried learning.
3. Yes, I'm happy with what I've achieved so far. I've certainly enjoyed it, can do things I wasn't able to do first time around and got my son involved. For a three year old he can do a pretty awesome train whistle :)
Having said that, I'd still like to get better, maybe good enough to play songs with others, but nothing serious, and no hurry to get there.
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FlightMedic
7 posts
Feb 07, 2016
6:48 AM
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1. I picked up the harmonica because I was drawn to the idea of an instrument that would fit in my pocket and literally go anywhere. There truly is not another instrument that can do that.
2. I have always had the campfire songs goal. Just to know a handful of recognizable tunes people wouldn't be annoyed by to break the ice and then to play some improv or lesser known blues. No gigs no crowds just friends, family and beer.
3. I am no where near reaching my goal but I haven't been playing seriously for very long.
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Gary 62
109 posts
Feb 07, 2016
8:36 AM
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1)I have played guitar since i was 16. I'm now 53 so was a bit jaded with it and looking for something else. Plus i have a dystonia in my picking hand that was holding back my technique for fast guitar picking. I still play guitar though.
2)I want to get to a pretty high standard if i can. Or at least have a pretty god technique.
3) I've achieved the goal of playing and enjoying the process which i feel is the main thing. Nowhere near where i ultimately want to be technique wise though and still feel very much like a beginner even though i can play some scales and stuff.
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ME.HarpDoc
117 posts
Feb 07, 2016
2:45 PM
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1. I retired in 2013 and spotted a course on learning the harmonica. I've always enjoyed listening to music, especially music with a good rhythm/beat. Always wished i had played some instrument, I envisioned drums. Took the course, fell in love with harp and discovered blues.
2. My goal would be to become accomplished enough that i could play with a small group and be enjoyed by myself and others.
3. I achieved my first goal of learning and playing a musical instrument with some skill. I've played in a couple of blues jams and will be teaching a beginner's blues harmonica course this spring.
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harpsquealer
9 posts
Feb 07, 2016
10:58 PM
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Fancy this thread starting around the time I posted on my blog the same idea. To sum up what I said:
1)I started learning because I wanted to play my grandfather's chromatic. I never knew him and somehow I felt like it was a way for me to remember my heritage.
2)My goal is to become good enough to play the melodies for songs I like well. I want to be able to jam to the blues.
3)I haven't achieved my goal yet. I have come along way but there is still a long way ahead. I'm excited and I enjoy the instrument a lot.
If you want to read my blog post about this, here is the link:
http://www.theharmonicablog.com/why-i-play-harmonica/
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Tiggertoo1962
10 posts
Feb 08, 2016
7:19 AM
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Hmmm, where to start...
1. While in school I was "sent" to piano lessons (classical), cos I made the mistake of picking out a few tunes by ear on my granny's old, out-of-tune piano. Unfortunately, being a typical, Scottish 6-year-old, This had the effect of putting me off piano for life. At 13 I started learning clarinet in school, which I found cool until I realised that I would be spending Saturday mornings in music school while the other guys were playing rugby or football. Since my parents, who weren't particularly well-heeled, had already bought me a clarinet, giving up was not an option. Once school was finished, I realised that guitar was a much better choice for getting invited to parties and impressing the girls, so that has now been my instrument for the last 30-odd years, although my skill level never got beyond banging out songs I could sing along to, and a bit of not too complicated picking. Now that I'm married to a woman who can get a tune out of just about anything that makes a noise, and my daughters are also slowly turning into multi-instrumentalists, I decided I needed to add another instrument to my repertoire so I don't get left too far behind. I've always loved the sound of the harp, and have considered getting into it several times, so I finally took the plunge. Now the wife jokingly tells me she's getting jealous of my "Monicas" cos I never put them down.
2. I want to get to the level where I can put down my guitar and pull out a harmonica when I'm on stage or at a party with the family, or with my many other musician friends, as my girls don't play much in the way of blues. Eventually I'd like to be able to put the harp on a rack and accompany myself, but I'm a long way from that still.
3. The goals I have achieved so far are being able to play melodies in 1st position, bend most of the bendable holes (bottom 6) to some extent (the control still needs a lot of work), and play a few blues licks in 2nd position. Considering I only started seriously looking at the harp at the end of October last year, I think I can be fairly pleased with my progress to date. Obviously, having years of musical experience helps me to pull tunes out of my cuffs, but none of that prepared me for just how difficult it is to learn the technique(s) for playing this addictive little monster well. I'm not quite ready to inflict what I've learned so far on people outside the family, but I'm damned sure I'll get there eventually.
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jason campbell
78 posts
Feb 08, 2016
9:04 AM
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Its funny, I was just thinking about this.
Many years ago I took a lesson with Annie Raines, and she asked me what my goal was. At the time I said that I wasn't looking for a lot, just to be able to get up at an Open Mic once in a while. Well, now I've played lots of Open Mics and Blues Jams, without seriously embarrassing myself.
I suppose I've accomplished my initial goal, but now that I'm there, I want more. I can see my limitations, and want to get past them. Maybe my next goal should be to play with a band on a "real gig".
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