|
Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
new youtubes
new youtubes
Page:
1
Chris Michalek
Guest
Dec 19, 2008
5:57 AM
|
Hi Guys,
I came across an old clip of my trio. This gig was one of the last gigs where I still had my tube amp. Now that I listen to it, I've forgotten how good the harp sound though a tube amp.
This is some of my more "bluesy" but within the scope of a medley. I don't even know everything we played, but there was some Messin with the Kid, a doors tune, peter gun and prolly some more stuff. All of it's played in 2nd position which is something I don't do very much these days. I hope you enjoy it.
Part ONE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egpSg-r-VlU
Part TWO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gU7CwthadXI
|
Preston
Guest
Dec 19, 2008
8:05 PM
|
Chris,
I think that was awesome. Thanks for sharing, and thanks for pushing the boundaries around here. I don't think there are many using the harp the way you do.
P
|
SMOKEY
18 posts
Dec 19, 2008
9:14 PM
|
Chris, Nice to hear from you. I've seen your vids and just wanted to say you play great! Also wanted to thank you, your vids are very informative.
I'm a total beginner and picked up the harp mostly to learn Blues, however your playing is so soulful sounding I gotta ask you what scales or modes do you recommend I learn to play like you did in that video called "the essence of picking the right harp"? Thank you in advance!
|
superchucker77
112 posts
Dec 19, 2008
10:27 PM
|
I must say Mr. Michalek, that was incredible. My personal favorite was when you played Billie Jean. I had thought of playing it on harp, but I never heard anyone do it. May I ask what position you were playing it in. I tried it in second, but found that it was much easier in third.
----------
Brandon Bailey
Superchucker77's Youtube
|
Chris Michalek
Guest
Dec 20, 2008
6:52 AM
|
Thanks guys!!
Everything was played in the key of E on A harp. It was something we called eJam on the set list.
Smokey, I've been playing for over 20 years. I never took lessons but I listened to everything that I could. I never liked Blues style harmonica and didn't learn to play blues until I had been playing for 5 or 6 years. I was into country, bluegrass and gypsy jazz and then blues.
It wasn't until maybe 8-10 years ago I started getting into theory. I forced myself to get better due to a few lost opportunities with major music people. Lot's of people were attracted to my natural sound and talent but I was quickly exposed in the studio or basically when music was talked about or put in front of me. This is more or less why I alway "harp" on young player to get their shit together because never know when you might be on stage with a guy like Joe Satriani. Joe is a theory freak and closet harmonica player, I think I really could have changed the harmonica world if I had my theory together and been able to sight read better.
So to answer your question Smokey, what I play mostly comes from me. I hear scales and music and I try to play them. That's where soulful playing comes from, it's not theory driven it's soul driven. Does that makes sense? The best advice I can give a young player is to open you mind and listen. Play what you hear BUT also get a cheap keyboard and how to play piano book. Teach yourself piano - right hand technique is fine and then apply it to the harmonica.
As for scales, you're always a 1/2 step from being right or wrong in relation to the current chord. You can really get away with playing anything you want just so you phrase it in a cogent way and resolve it correctly.
You have to understand the language of the music too...
Blues and Rock is built on a series of short phrases... ba DA DA..... ba ba DA DA ba... ba ba DA!
Jazz is built on longer phrases babadabaDABEahdabeahdabadabeahDA!
if you're going to play a ballad you have to pretend to be a singer. Play the words and try to sound like them... Ohhhhhhhh I LOve YOUUUUUUUUUU. BeeeeeaUUUty is what iiii seeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
I don't even know if that makes sense but it's how I teach my students and it seems to work for them.
As for seriously learning scales... all of the major, minor, diminished, augmented and correlated arpeggios are necessary. Get the Jazz Theory Book by Mark Levine read it bit by bit. This book is considered the bible of jazz for most players.
|
SMOKEY
20 posts
Dec 20, 2008
7:23 AM
|
Thanks Chris!
I'm glad you said that about soul and theory.
You really opened my eyes to something I haven't really thought about in a while. I used to play the guitar and I remember when I first picked it up I learned some basic stuff like chords and pentatonic scale. From that point on I just jammed and sort of bonded or grew with the guitar as I started to find out where the sounds in my heart where on the fretboard and how to get them out. I made leaps and bounds in my learning and playing. And most of all, it was fun.
Then I remember wanting to be ""really"" good at playing, that to me meant learning theory and endless drilling on scales and modes...
In a matter of months I grew frustrated in my playing, lost in theory and endless finger exercises up and down the neck. There was no longer any soul to my playing, just math.
In contrast, I think of how I am approaching learning the harp. I have been frantically searching for "technical" things to learn, but I've almost completely stopped listening... listening to those ol school cats like Junior wells and Sonny boy who inspired me to play.
I can't play by ear, never have. So I'll learn theory just enough to maybe "put the pieces of the puzzle" together and fill in gaps to be a well rounded player.
Thanks again Chris, I'm really glad you said wha choo' said.
|
Post a Message
|
