RyanMortos
77 posts
Feb 13, 2009
1:40 PM
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Curious, what are some of your favorite CDs that you practice(d) 12 bar blues counting with? Adam recommends Harp Attack! as one on youtube videos 18-20. Id like to know what you may have used that you found helpful.
The second part of my question would be what to practice/study along with 12 bar blues you can count through (once you can)? I get the idea that one would practice different riffs along a 12 bar blues to develop an ability to do jamming.
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~Ryan
PA
Ryan's Tube - Containing [0] uploads and counting...
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Preston
134 posts
Feb 13, 2009
1:55 PM
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Billy Gibson: Live at Rum Boogie
Martin Scorsese presents the best of the blues
Blues masters Vol. #4
Buddy Guy and Junior Wells Alone and Acoustic
Last Edited by on Feb 13, 2009 1:56 PM
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gorignak
14 posts
Feb 13, 2009
2:17 PM
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I like to try and identify a 12 bar in Jazz CD's, it seems a lot more fun sense 90% of jazz isn't 12 bars (unlike the blues).
Mugzy's Move (Royal Crown Revue)
Hank Crawford
Cannonball Adderley
But what I found helpful was practicing playing a 12 bar blues not only with I, IV, and V cords, but with III, IVm, VI, and VIIdim chords in it as well. It helped me understand what exactly makes up a 12 bar blues and how much leeway you actually have (as far as creativity goes). This knowledge ties in well with the music theory side of harp playing as well.
Last Edited by on Feb 13, 2009 2:18 PM
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mickil
29 posts
Feb 13, 2009
2:50 PM
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For what it's worth, I think you should listen to any and all blues. By virtue of being human, you already understand the language, even if you can't dissect the grammar.
I think that when Adam was referring to that album, Harp Attack, he was talking about examples of great harp playing, not 12-bar blues per se, though, I could be wrong.
I think it's easier to understand a 12-bar blues if you just think of it as 3 lines of 4 bars, where the first line is sung and repeated and then rhymed with.
As for jamming to CDs, just put anything on and jam with it. If you're in the mood, you'll amaze yourself with what you come out with.
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'If it sounds GOOD to you, it's bitchen; if it sounds BAD to YOU, it's shitty' - Frank Zappa
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Andrew
118 posts
Feb 14, 2009
1:28 AM
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The harp playing on Harp Attack is great, but I think Adam's emphasis was on the 12-bar blues jamming potential.
I'm not that keen on Harp Attack, as a lot of the songs seem a bit twee to me - there's maybe too much Chicago, too much patent leather, and not enough Blues? I don't know. I'm playing it now. If I can work out how to express myself better, I'll edit this. One of the problems is the joins at the end of bar 12 - they are a bit pat, identical, repetitive. Formulaic is the word I'm after. 12-bar blues somehow manages to avoid being a mere formula, so making these joins so formulaic is disastrous!
Track 2 is in the key of B. Why? I don't have an E harp, and I have no intention of buying one, but that's OK - you can jam along in third position on an A harp (I can't work out if that's what they are doing).
What to listen to instead? Like Mickil says - any and all.
Last Edited by on Feb 14, 2009 1:42 AM
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oldwailer
505 posts
Feb 14, 2009
8:47 AM
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One CD that sticks out for me, for something to jam to, is Eric Clapton's "Me & Mr. Johnson."
There is some back-up harp, but it is very subtle on most cuts--that makes it easy to play over--most of the album is in the key of A--so I can just dust off the D harp and have at it.
It's just fun to walk all over the album and get obnoxious--and there is a lot to be learned from the subtle back-up harp that is there. . .
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eharp
212 posts
Feb 14, 2009
9:11 AM
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stomping all over slowhand's licks and vocals!!
makes you feel powerful, dont it??
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RyanMortos
81 posts
Feb 18, 2009
6:09 PM
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Here's an example I think is a little easier to hear. Recently I picked up Junior Wells Hoodoo Man Blues and on it he does Good Morning Schoolgirl. For some reason I find it really easy to hear the changes on this track. Some things just seem easier to hear then others when starting out, in my opinion.
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~Ryan
PA
Ryan's Tube - Containing [0] uploads and counting...
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Chris Jones
26 posts
Feb 18, 2009
6:23 PM
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Robert Nighthawk "Live on Maxwell Street 1964". As a bonus you get some of the meanest harp Carey Bell has ever done,IMO. This is a classic must have for a lot more reasons than counting.
The jam tracks for sale in 'the store' by Charlie Hilbert are easy to count on too.
Stay away from hill country blues to count with, it will fry the brain.:)
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BluTed
9 posts
Feb 18, 2009
9:53 PM
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I'm a big slowhand guy myself. Inconsiderate bastard that I am I too occasionally play right over the lead vocals, guitar, everything and anything in the pursuit of just...havin' a good time. Youtube'd his version of "I'm Tore Down".
That "Crossroads" DVD set he did in '07 is a HELL of good time. Bunch of handpicked blues guitarists, mostly, from all eras taking turns onstage. Put it on a big screen and crank it up.. "From the Cradle" CD has some good stuff to play with too.
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jaymcc28
17 posts
Feb 20, 2009
11:43 AM
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"From the Cradle" is a great CD to play along with. It also has a lot of basic I-IV-V progressions. I also like Muddy Waters "Hard Again" for the same reasons. It's a great album to play along with (a bunch of songs in the key of "A" so a "D" harp will go a long way with that CD) and it had a lot of blues standards.
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