mic
46 posts
Aug 04, 2008
2:55 PM
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Just downloaded the video lesson "Chicken Shack"
In it, Adam talks about it being a song that is very often played at pick up sessions. He says it's one of the standard or stock songs that a harp player needs to know.
What are some other ones?
Been woodsheding at home and in my truck long enough! When I head out in search of other blues musicians to play with, what other "standards" are common?
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Scoltx
12 posts
Aug 05, 2008
1:20 PM
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Tunes by Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf are popular with guitarists so a couple I can think of that would be good to know would be:
Got my Mojo Workin
Red Rooster
I once had a copy of the "Muddy and the Wolf" lp that got me hooked on the blues and blues harp. Great album kind of like a "best of" type of album of the two. Great to jam along to full of their "standards".
Others I can think of are:
Dust my Broom
Baby Please Don't Go
I'm Ready
Stevie Ray Vaughn is popular with blues guitarists (especially younger ones) Dr. Gussow and Mr. Hilbert do awesome covers of a couple SRV tunes on the album Adam has for download if you want a couple classics. Actually just learn everthing off that download! :)
Just my $0.02
Happy Harpin
Scoltx
Last Edited by on Aug 05, 2008 1:31 PM
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T. Hutch
15 posts
Aug 05, 2008
10:04 PM
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Mic...What`s shakin` besides da leaves in da trees...
Yea, Adam says there are 25 standards that inspiring bluesharp players need to know to fit in at any given spot. Maybe we can prod the Professor to break that down for us, like, 1>25?! Mr. Gussow....?
Ya know dem would`nt be shakin` ifin it was`nt fer da breeze.
Later..good lesson though..
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LittleJoeSamson
12 posts
Aug 06, 2008
1:42 AM
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Gotta have some Little Walter: "Blues with a Feeling", "Oh Baby", "Key to the Highway"; Big Walter, "Walkin' By Myself"; Jimmy Reed shuffles; "Scratch My Back" by Magic Slim; Sonny Boy II, "Eyesight to the Blind", "Your Funeral and my Trial"; "Born in Chicago", Butterfield.
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mic
48 posts
Aug 06, 2008
6:47 PM
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Just got the Gussow-N-Hilbert Classic's CD.
Great CD. Raw, street level Blues. Anyway, in the liner notes, Adam says that 4 of the cuts are blues players stock in trade:
"Checking up on my baby"
"Good morning little school girl"
"Messin with the kid"
"Sweet home Chicago"
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oldwailer
138 posts
Aug 06, 2008
8:09 PM
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Well, the list could go on for a while--I hope 25 is actually a good number--I might have a chance of learning that many!
This might sound dumb here--but I think getting a stone cold feel for the blues and the sounds is maybe more important than knowing a certain list of songs. If you can feel that progression in your gut and always know where you are--you can't go wrong--of course it helps to know the words and the melody--but you can jam just fine with a pair of ears tuned in and feel your way--even if you never heard of the song.
You won't sound like Mr. Cotton when they play "Blues for the Hook," but you can still sound damn good. And you can always sound like yourself.
I guess what I'm saying is that you can fake it a lot and totally get away with it--I do it all the time!
Just an opinion--but I still try to learn all the songs I can--if nothing else I can steal great licks from them.
Adam has a set of lessons on the blues progression somewhere--the one where he keeps asking "Where are you at?" while playing records--I don't remember the numbers.
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mic
49 posts
Aug 06, 2008
10:28 PM
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Oldwailer,
I think you are right about knowing where you are in the progression and hitting the chord changes, then improvising from there. With that you can play with any 12 bar piece,or eight if you know where the changes are. Even if I get lost on a song I know well, I can hit the chords or the root notes of the chords until I find my place.
Then there is the other side of that. And I guess I'm thinking along these lines because I have set a goal to be playing on the streets, with or without a guitar player, by July 1, 2009.
when I meet a guitar player or find a band to sit in with,
one of them will call out a blues standard...Let's do "_______" in key of E. Mike, why don't you kick it off?
Sorry, I don't know that one. OK...Lets do "_______" in G and I'll start!...Don't know that one...
I am looking at this as a two pronged approach.
1. Continue with the counting drill of the beat and the chord changes as a solid foundation for my improvisational stuff.
2.At the same time, develop a mental database of some of the standard blues tunes that are common to the blues scene. Even with the "standards" I can add my own flair or style. (such as it is) At some point the two methods will merge. If I'm way off base, Some of you guys straighten me out...I got less than 11 months! And I ain't changing the date!
Last Edited by on Aug 06, 2008 10:36 PM
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oldwailer
139 posts
Aug 07, 2008
9:25 PM
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That's an interesting goal, Mic--and it sounds like you have a good plan of attack to accomplish it--do you plan to make a living playing the streets? Or is it something you just want to do for the fun of it?
I ask because I have a similar goal, and I would love for busking to be at least a some part of my income--but I have never made much more than lunch money doing a little of it now and then. It is fun though.
Charlie McCoy once said that there are three instruments that really catch peoples ears: Harp, Banjo, and Saxophone. Well, I play a little banjo, I'm learning harp--and I back myself and wife up with guitar--so I hope to cover at least two of the things to catch the ears--in the hopes that getting them by the ears ends up getting their wallets open!
I think maybe there is another thing that needs work (in my case), and that is showmanship--I like to just play and do the best job I can on a song--I think the guys that make money at it interact with the audience much more--even dance around a bit--that's all a real weak area for me. . .James Cotton used to do somersaults onstage. . .
Last Edited by on Aug 07, 2008 9:27 PM
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Patrick Barker
110 posts
Aug 07, 2008
9:46 PM
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I wondered why I made so little money playing harp until I realized that my instrument case was too small to fit very much change.
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"Without music, life would be a mistake" -Nietzsche
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mic
51 posts
Aug 08, 2008
2:42 AM
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Thank God, I have a regular job.
You said "I just like to play and do the best I can on a song" It's in us,right? The music I mean. What are we going to do with it? What do we (I) have the balls to do with it?
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T. Hutch
16 posts
Aug 08, 2008
9:50 AM
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Mic..You make some very good points when you speak on the foundation of your music. I really related to what you were talking about...the counting of the 12 bar progression and more importantly, the training of ones EAR!
Knowing the "Standards" is a must for my playing as I want to be able to step up to the "Jam" and get my Groove on and be in that moment of expression that is "Soulfull"! That is tre part of the Blues that I truley Love.
But, thanks for the words..I got alot out of what you guys were talking about..What`s shakin`...
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oldwailer
140 posts
Aug 08, 2008
10:55 PM
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Yes, Mic, the music is in us. I think all we can do is just let it out in the best way we can--it's fun to learn a new riff and play it in the woodshed--and it's even more fun to play it for people with some back-up--either way--that music has to come out.
Sometimes I have gone for a short time--maybe even a year or so, when I didn't play much at all--but the music will grab me again and I dive back in and start working at it again.
It would just be really cool if it paid better in the old fashioned monetary way. . .
Last Edited by on Aug 08, 2008 10:56 PM
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mic
61 posts
Aug 23, 2008
6:34 PM
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oldwailer,
Been thinking about what you said about not being a "showman". I guess because that isn't a strong point of mine. It just isn't me. But on the up side, Superchucker did a fantastic job. Aside from being dressed rather well, he didn't do anything flamboyant.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFlXAXiYFHg
He played well and let the music speak for itself.
I dont know if it's true, but I heard that Big Walter was not a great self promoter/showman.
http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=0LF-DSSuY84&feature=related
Last Edited by on Aug 23, 2008 6:38 PM
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SUNDOG
32 posts
Aug 23, 2008
7:06 PM
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Yes the music is in our hearts, and its good for the HORMONES (Pronounced "Whoremoans") . spell it right and pronounce it wrong.
R, Neal aka: SUNDOG
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oldwailer
153 posts
Aug 23, 2008
11:15 PM
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Yes, Mic, I might have to re-think this point a bit--Superchucker was excellent--the hat was outstanding! Maybe all I need is a better hat! (That and lose 40 years and 90 pounds--but we needn't go there. . .)
The Big Walter clip was great--thanks, I hadn't seen that before--but the music is right there where it belongs--in my Ipod. (And I thought Rice Miller had big hands!)
I think you are right--if you just play well, somebody will listen. A little dancing around is cool though--have you ever seen Eric Bibb play? He just moves around in a cool way--and he has an ease and manner with the audience that just makes it fun to be there listening.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu-otdZmC4E
I'm not planning to do any handsprings at my age--but I would like to develop more of that kind of ease. . . I think it just comes from doing it more. . .
Last Edited by on Aug 23, 2008 11:18 PM
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mic
65 posts
Aug 25, 2008
6:25 PM
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Eric Bibb vid is good. It's hard for me to tell where he leaves off and his music starts. Kind of runs together in my head or something. I guess his movement is part of that,
I never really thought about it.
I know that for me, if I TRIED to do that, it would look like it! You could be right about "doing it more"
Relaxing more and getting into the flow of the song.
There is an old song or poem that says something about,
"sing like no one is listening, dance like no one is watching..."
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Gray
17 posts
Aug 25, 2008
7:06 PM
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These aint standards but anyone into sax and harp blues check J B Lenoir
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oldwailer
164 posts
Aug 26, 2008
9:04 PM
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You're right, Mic--the real trick is just to be oneself on the stage--I guess I can stop worrying about that, because I'm the only person I know how to be.
But there might be ways to be myself better--like speaking into the mike clearly when talking to the audience--letting the music take me when that is appropriate--I guess maybe it's more a matter of not holding back than learning something new. . .
Jeez--I'm starting to sound like one of my old philosophy teachers. . .
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mic
69 posts
Aug 27, 2008
5:26 PM
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I don't mean to make light of the situation, it takes balls to put yourself out there. I tip my hat to anyone with the courage to do that. I hope you are right about the "do it more" part.
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superchucker77
78 posts
Oct 03, 2008
10:05 AM
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Thank you mic and oldwailer for your kind words.
You just have to let the music itself do the work.
Set back, relax, and let it take you away.
Make like Big Walter and have a good time.
Last Edited by on Oct 03, 2008 10:06 AM
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oldwailer
224 posts
Oct 03, 2008
6:50 PM
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"You just have to let the music itself do the work.
Set back, relax, and let it take you away".
Wow, Superchucker--I wanna steal that line from you and put it on a T-shirt!!
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superchucker77
79 posts
Oct 03, 2008
7:07 PM
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Please don't. Lol.
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