|
Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Practice routine advice requested
Practice routine advice requested
Page:
1
New_B
9 posts
Jun 23, 2008
8:30 PM
|
Hello All,
As you probably realize by my handle, I am relatively new at this thing. I have made the conscious decision to pursue the harmonica, with the goal of MASTERING it. I WANT TO PLAY THE BLUES and I will do what ever it takes to get there.
Even though I practice every day, I am not entirely sure as how to proceed, in terms of a structured lesson program?
Currently, I have been doing the following (in no particular order):
• Working on developing good tone. Particularly on the 2-hole draw, on the A, C & D harps. I've found that the lower-pitched harps are harder to bend notes. I still have difficulty getting good, consistent tone out of the 7-10 holes. I've ordered a B-flat harp, so I can attempt to play along with Adam's YT (01-30) video's.
• Vibrato - I usually start each session working on throat vibrato, using both blow and draw. I have had more success with the blow, but the draw on the lower holes is progressing. I haven't yet figured out how to produce gut (diaphragm) vibrato. I also do a little hand vibrato, attempting to get the sound of Sonny Boy II.
• Scales - I play various scales in repetition (forward and backwards), focussing on getting good, clean, single note tone. As I get clean, single notes, I make attempts to speed up the pace.
• Chords - I spend some time on double-stop, three hole and four hole chords, with emphasis on different tonguing techniques and maintaining a good rhythm. I've attempted some tongue-blocking techniques, but have not really had too much success.
• I listen to the masters such as George Smith, Little Walter, Adam Gussow, etc., for hours on end, to absorb every aspect of their playing. I would also like to incorporate the playing of many jazz greats, such as Ben Webster, Lester Young, Johnny Hodges (the list goes on and on) into my playing as it develops, ultimately into its own distinctive voice. I have listened exclusively to Jazz, Blues and R&B for many, many years and have a very good idea of the 12-bar blues structure.
In short, I feel completely overwhelmed. I'm not entirely sure if I am taking the proper approach? Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
My apologies for being so long-winded.
|
oldwailer
94 posts
Jun 23, 2008
8:37 PM
|
I'm kind of winded from reading all that--I've never practiced that hard in my life! I guess that'd be good to do--all I might humbly recommend in addition is that you spend a few minutes a day just jamming your head off and having a ball. All that work could give you a hernia!
|
New_B
10 posts
Jun 23, 2008
8:44 PM
|
Coincidentally, I have been diagnosed with a hernia. I see the surgeon in a few days.
Indeed, I usually spend some time doing free-play, attempting to piece together simple licks into a flowing improvisation.
|
Warbleman
22 posts
Jun 23, 2008
9:19 PM
|
You should add Jason Ricci to your list of people to listen to. He is amazing and very innovative.
|
Jeff
112 posts
Jun 23, 2008
9:19 PM
|
You seem to be doing the right stuff to build your technique. My advice is that before you even attempt learning riffs and songs, you need to first study the root notes of the three blues chords.
Watch Adam's three videos called "Riffing the Changes" (86-88) and Jason Ricci's videos called Root Notes and Advanced Bending. And I would also HIGHLY recommend Glenn Wesier's book: Blues and Rock Harmonica (comes with a 60 min CD and there's one on Amazon for 11 cents!).
That book shows you how to identify the blues chord-tones of each scale and the eight ways in which non-chords can be used in a riff (passing tone, neighboring tone, appoggiatura, etc). This is probably one of the more confusing and not-so-fun elements of learning harp if you're coming from a non-musical background.
But without this knowledge, it's kind of pointless memorizing licks. You'll just be going through the motions of the lick and will not truly understand why the riff works, where you can use it and what else you can do with it.
So once you're familiar with all of the different root notes, you can simply start buying a few songs from Adam's store. I highly recommend the "Top Five All-Time Blues Harp Sampler". Practicing those songs will help build your chops and give you ideas to grow.
Last Edited by on Jun 24, 2008 11:05 AM
|
harpmonkey
54 posts
Jun 23, 2008
9:53 PM
|
mostly encouragment, rather than specific answers.
Your woodshedding, and it will pay big dividends down the road.
At first you feel like you are getting nowhere and are not remembering, or adding to your craft.
Then you have those milstones where the effort pays you back, and you pull off a riff you have been struggling with, or you find you hit and get on and off the notes and overblow and it just rocks.
Then you find you reach and grab the right harp and hit the note square on at the start of a song.
Things like that.
You will get there, and if you stay with what you are doing, you will likey be good.
I do not know of many musicians that can do all the things you do and not have it show.
And if you can feel it, adn convey it, you will connect with other people, and that's a good feeling.
Last Edited by on Jun 23, 2008 9:54 PM
|
mic
18 posts
Jun 24, 2008
2:48 AM
|
You said you " are willing to do whatever takes."
My advise is...keep it fun. This is a marathon kind of thing. If you don't enjoy doing it. Your harps will end up with dust on em.
|
honeydawg
14 posts
Jun 24, 2008
8:54 AM
|
Along the lines of keeping it fun... when you do scales, vary the rhythm & dynamics. Change the beat around. Play them staccato (separated) and legato (moving from one to the next as smoothly as possible, with as little break in the pitch as you can manage). Run the scale up nine (up to D draw eight on a C harp in first position), back down eight, up nine, back down eight, etc. so that the end of the diatonic scale doesn't turn into a dead end. Try to work with scales in melodic terms, rather than seeing them as exercises. Anything to keep it fresh, you know? Hope that helps.
|
metalosaurio
17 posts
Jun 24, 2008
10:17 AM
|
Hi. I think it's great to have an agenda of what are the things to work on. I had one myself and still have.
I think if you're starting there're some things that you should work first and before starting with the rest; not because you can't do them yet, just because you should give full time to certain targets.
First: developing good tone in all the single notes it's crucial. And I'm talking about the 7-10 holes too. I think I had the same problem, probably with the 8 draw, and it was in all my harmonicas, so I tought by then 'maybe it's not the harp the one with problems'.... and indeed, higher draw notes require to draw diferently, softer you could think, but actually is related to the airflow direction, which in the lower notes it ain't a problem, since you can bend the note a bit without chocking the note.
Second: bending should be your obsession this days, it was mine as I remember. And you should use a tuner or whatever pitch reference to know if you're getting the right note (a piano or in my case a chromatic harmonica will do great).
After getting the notes, from 1-6 bendings (and don't be so demanding with all 3 hole bends, they will come easier with time) start using them right away. A great couple of books for me were the "Source book of Little Walter/Big Walter licks" with Tom Ball, aswell as the Sonny Terry source book.
From simple to difficult, short and long, start and ending licks.
3rd, or actually the rest:
scales are a great excersise and you should practice them. and of course after knowing how to bend you should practice the new scales that become available (including modes). With the use of scales you should start getting aware of the music theory behind blues harp and getting to know the notes and degrees of the blues scale.
Vibrato it's a huge subject, and probably the one that still takes time in my practicing hours. Throat vibrato comes in different shapes, from the harsh one that Butterfield had to a more mellow and smooth one that you can hear in Piazza or Gary Smith, and must say is the one you should aim (because it's the harder to get. harsh vibrato will came first probably). Gut vibrato is practice and just that. It's not the throat that you adjust, just the air that your diafragm moves as it gets up/down, you will get tired soon in the start, and then you will be able to move it faster and for longer. For me is the one I use in bending notes, were using the throat vibrato would change the note.
About music. you should hear it all day, and should become your background. hear different kind of music, and even in the blues genre, different kind of blues, from the sonny terry stuff to Butterfield jazzy blues or even disco Butterfield in his late recordings.
As a side comment, I must say, don't throw material or ideas , either because they seem too complex or note suited for what you're aiming to right now.
I think for the different stages of an harp player there's lot of things to inspire you to progress. For me it all started with "Larry teach how to play harmonica on VCR" been my target to get those single notes by then. Now is Howard Levy "Out of the box" video my inspirational material, and playing diatonic harp as a chromatic instrument is not the goal anymore but to take advantage of the notes I get with bends and overbends, and I'm even bending overbends (sounds crazy, but after you're getting the overblows, its not hard and is usefull sometimes), wich by the time I started sounded like: so what?, and how does that make my blues better... and believe or not it's great, specially for blues.
well, I hope this post can put your ideas and harp agenda in order. All is based on my road as an harp player, an of course could be very different from somebody else's road.
regards,
Nicolas
Last Edited by on Jun 24, 2008 2:13 PM
|
Jeff
113 posts
Jun 24, 2008
10:41 AM
|
Quite a wall you built there! ; )
It would help a lot if you put a line break after every three or four sentences when you type on the internet. Or else it's virtually impossible to read without ridiculous strain on the eyes. Thanks for the great post, though!
Last Edited by on Jun 24, 2008 11:24 AM
|
Leanground
18 posts
Jun 24, 2008
11:26 AM
|
I would suggest listening to John Lee Williamson "Sonny Boy 1" and Big Walter Horton.
Roots of the blues harp
|
New_B
11 posts
Jun 24, 2008
1:40 PM
|
Thank-you all, for your wonderful advice! Feel free to keep it coming.
I have no illusions as to the hard work and dedication, towards becoming a master harp player. I think I can draw a parallel to the experience, of learning alpine skiing. It took me years of hard work (and several spills), to become an expert skier. The transition from beginner to expert was replete with long periods of stagnation and frustration, until each new plateau was conquered. It was always exhilarating, when the "lights turned on", or another "breakthrough" milestone was achieved. I suspect that harping will present many of the same challenges.
Bottom line, it's all about enjoying the music that I so love and I look forward to the life-long journey ahead. My only regret is that I didn't take up the harmonica earlier in my life. I have played the electric bass, clarinet, alto and bari sax, but I feel that the blues harmonica will allow me to truly express the feelings I have in my heart and soul.
~Gerard
Last Edited by on Jun 24, 2008 5:07 PM
|
mic
Guest
Jun 24, 2008
5:46 PM
|
Don't forget that part about having fun.
If I had to work this thing (harp) like I was a kid that HAD to take piano lessons, I would have chunked my harps a long time ago.
One could argue that if I pushed myself harder, I would be a better player. Fact is, if I push myself beyond the point of enjoyment, I would stop.
As far as wishing you had started earlier.
If I listed all the things I wish I could change. When I started playing the harp wouldn't show up till page three.
You have it now, that's all that matters.
|
Jaybird
9 posts
Jun 24, 2008
7:05 PM
|
To: New_B
I am playing, (I should say learning), the harmonica only 2 1/2 years, with the same level of dedication that you have, possibly more. My life is spent in the "woodshed".
I am following most of the practice routines mentioned in this thread, and they are very worthwhile in achieving our goal of MASTERING the 10 hole diatonic blues harmonica, with one notable exception. In my opinion, Glen Weiser's book "Blues and Rock Harmonica" is useless. Much to deep in incomprehensible theory. That's why they're so cheap on Amazon. Don't waste your time with it.
Instead, I HIGHLY recommend you do what I did....
Pick out one or two classic or modern harmonica songs for which there is an accurate TRANSCRIPTION and a playing example. Choose a song that is way above your playing level and learn to play it note-for-note, breath-for-breath, just like the original artist. There exists about a dozen books of excellent harmonica blues TRANSCRIPTIONS of some really great tunes (I have them all!). Some of these books are out of print, but are well worth locating on e-Bay or Amazon.
Actually, Glen Weiser published some really fine transcriptions. One of Weiser's that I am working on is Sugar Blue's version of "Little Red Rooster". It's an awesome tune which you have probably heard. Now you can play it, just like Sugar Blue! But more importantly, by the time you master this song, you'll start to THINK like Sugar Blue!
David Barrett has published a number of excellent learning materials and transcription books with accompanying CD. A separate book/CD was devoted to William Clarke, Walter Horton, Carey Bell, Sugar Blue, and others. For example, if you learn to play 5 William Clarke tunes exactly like he did, you'll start to THINK like William Clarke. With Barrett's excellent transcriptions, and following the playing example, you can!
In my opinion, the BEST of these transcription/CD books is Steve Baker's Harmonica Playalong series. There are three complete books/CD in the series. For each tune, you get Steve's playing example of a really cool tune, the transcription, and the same backup track Steve used, to play with when you master the song. Baker has chosen some excellent material, and the backup tracks are absolutely first rate!
I have videos of me doing three of these Baker tunes on YouTube. Have a look...
www.YouTube.com/Jaybird33066
This is a great way to learn, and lots of FUN too! The practice drills mentioned in this thread are VERY important, BUT can get boring.
Good Luck!
P.S.
If you still want to waste your time With Weiser's "Blues and Rock Harmonica", I'll send you my copy for FREE. (REALLY! Just contact me offline)
Last Edited by on Jun 24, 2008 7:23 PM
|
New_B
12 posts
Jun 24, 2008
7:27 PM
|
Jaybird,
Thanks for the advice. Great advice!!! I agree - I don't to waste my time on incomprehensible material. I already have plenty of text on music theory.
Your playing sounds great!!! I especially liked that Latin Jam. If that's your thing, you might want to check out some of Stan Getz's Bossa Nova stuff. Some his playing might translate nicely to the harmonica.
BTW: I guess you don't have to worry about bothering the neighbors, playing in the desert.
Best regards,
~Gerard
|
Jeff
114 posts
Jun 24, 2008
7:39 PM
|
Jay I definitely agree with you. I learn the most from simply studying the Little Walter and Sonny Boy tabs in the book Blues Harmonica Collection. And Glenn's book does include a lot of music theory as he comes from an institutional music educational background. I don't think it's all that heady.
Even Adam states in video #87, that if you can't play the major triad of all three blues chords, you're NOT even an intermediate player. But a beginning player can easily skate by without getting into some of that stuff.
I just feel most harmonica teaching is completely overly-simplistic because you're primarily dealing with people who know nothing about music theory. And this is perfectly fine for a time because it allows the player to have much more fun in his/her learning experience.
But I believe every student - if they're serious about truly mastering the instrument - has to at some point decide to move from milk to meat and do the hard work of mastering the scales and principles of music theory that Glenn teaches in the book and Adam teaches in videos 86-88. Though, it's definitely not fun for the person with no musical background.
Last Edited by on Jun 25, 2008 8:11 AM
|
Jaybird
10 posts
Jun 24, 2008
8:16 PM
|
Jeff, nothing wrong with learning music theory, just Weiser's way of "teaching" it.
Jerry Portnoy, on the other hand, explains it nicely in his 3CD+Book, "Blues Harmonica Masterclass". I HIGHLY recommend all serious players get this set.
|
New_B
13 posts
Jun 24, 2008
8:42 PM
|
I just watched Adam's YT "Riffing the Changes" 086-088 Videos and completely agree, that knowing music theory is essential.
I do have a musical background, but I will have to do some serious refresher work.
|
Jeff
115 posts
Jun 25, 2008
7:38 AM
|
Jay, I've been putting off checking out Portnoy's stuff because it seemed like I already had most of the techniques down that he covers. But I just saw one set closing out on ebay this morning for $7 and had to grab it. I'm looking forward to it.
And even better, I found out that Barrett just put out a brand new 100 page book on improvising. It covers all of the same stuff (modes, scales, etc) in much deeper detail. It's on order. : )
Last Edited by on Jun 25, 2008 12:07 PM
|
Blind Melon
3 posts
Jun 26, 2008
6:34 AM
|
I struggled with bending notes until purchased Jerry Portnoy's "Blues Harmonica Masterclass" book/cd years ago. The way he explains and demonstrates bending paved the way for me. Tongue blocking was another area that was well presented that has really helped me. He covers a lot of techniques on the cd.
I also have David Barrett's "Improvising Blues Harmonica" that Adam recommends. This book/cd really helped me with improving my music theory as the harp is the first instrument that I learned to play. I think that you can get by with limited music theory (I don't think Little Walter studied much at the Berkeley School of Music), but the more music theory you have, the better you understand what the band is doing and how the harp can compliment the band.
Last Edited by on Jun 26, 2008 6:42 AM
|
kudzurunner
58 posts
Jun 26, 2008
8:26 AM
|
I may have read all the posts too quickly--and ignore this if somebody has already pointed it out--but one of the most important things you can do is simply jam along with CDs and jam tracks: finding the groove, doing your best to copy a few licks here and there, and beginning to develop a deep intuitive sense of how the 12-bar form works.
I spend hundreds, perhaps thousands of hours, jamming along with records. I didn't have jam tracks. It's crucial to get the right key harp, of course. And it's also very important to make sure that the track is pitch-corrected, so that when you hit a 4 draw, you're in tune with the harp player on the track when HE hits a 4 draw. Use the Amazing Slow Downer app or another app to pitch correct, when needed.
Jam along with a 3 minute track 10 times in a row. That's half of a great practice session. Just make sure you've got an airtight woodshed, because nobody whose not a harp player wants to hear that.
Here's another tip or two:
1) Make a point of learning at least one new lick every practice session, even if it's only a three-note combination.
2) Make sure that you're keeping the beat when you practice--by tapping your foot, most likely. It's OK to feel your way slowly, out of time, through a new lick or passage. But as soon as you're able to, keep the beat--even if you need to slow it way down--and make sure that you don't speed up or slow down.
3) Try to sing, even if you're terrible at it. The point isn't necessarily to learn how to sing, but to learn what two-bar vocal phrase feel like in the 12-bar context, and to learn how to play harp fills BETWEEN the vocal phrases. If you can sing a 12-bar blues badly, and play fills, and somehow not lose your place in the 12-bars, so that you know exactly where you are when the first bar comes around--well then, you're doing a heck of a lot, EVEN IF your singing still sucks.
--Adam
|
gene
5 posts
Sep 13, 2008
1:14 PM
|
Ahh, nuthin'. I'm just bumping this back up to the top since someone asked about it.
|
tookatooka
1 post
Sep 13, 2008
1:56 PM
|
Blimey! When I first got Gindicks Rock n Blues Harmonica it said "Five minutes to learn, Five years to Master". Five years! Huh! Looks like I've got a lifetime of enjoyment ahead. Yeehah! Great posts by the way.
|
Oliver
4 posts
Sep 16, 2008
8:32 AM
|
Yea, thanks for bumping, else I'd have never seen this great thread!
|
MD1032
10 posts
Sep 19, 2008
9:16 AM
|
There's no easy way to just jump into harmonica... my first couple weeks trying to play it were just spent trying to get single notes cleanly and articulate. In particular, transitions like 3 draw to 4 blow are going to be absolutely critical later on. Really, you shouldn't even worry about bending because you can already do a heck of a lot of blues with the notes that are built into the harmonica.
One of the biggest struggles more me was learning to not use too much air, and not just that, the RIGHT amount... the region in which the harmonica sounds best is extremely small... this is a tiny, FREE REED instrument. Getting clean single-note articulation is the primary element of harmonica. Really, that's all you need to worry about for now. Bending will come later, and yes, it's hard to learn, but if you don't know the instrument front and back, bending isn't going to help you at all.
Having more harmonicas is more valuable than having a few awesome ones because you can play along with more of your favorite blues tunes, so use your dollars wisely. I found that I wasn't able to meet ends with a few subjects on the harmonica until I got the right harp and was able to play along.
Oh, and practice is 50% playing and 50% listening, IMO.
|
bluzlvr
61 posts
Sep 19, 2008
1:33 PM
|
I agree with MD1032. A guy that I took a lesson from recomended practicing "single notes on demand", going from 1 blow, one draw, 2 blow ect. up and down the harp with precise articulation, faster and faster. It's boring but effective and a good way to warm up your harp. Since I'm primarily a TBer I try to work this method lip pursing to improve those skills.
|
Post a Message
|
