Some of you have heard this and again my apologies for using my own music for an example. Listen how I completely take control of a rather long solo. It's actually very simple playing but I keep the listeners mesmerized because the playing is interesting and unpredictable. Also take note of how I use all of myself in this solo, the harp, the effects, my voice etc....
Feel free to be critical of my music as I am of yours but also listen to how I attack notes and phrases without fear. None of this was planned it just came out that way and that only happen when you're in the "zone". When you hit the zone then you're able to access all of your influence. Listen at 5:04 my indian singing inluences come out. Nobody says when you're an instrumentalist that you have to stick to playing just the instrument during a solo. I AM a musician and artist and I give my entire self to the music and the audience.
I see what you are saying, and I appreciate your suggestions.
This is video of me I posted earlier in another thread. As far as Soloing off the cuff and complete improvisation, this is probably the best I can do. When I disconnect from it and go back and look at it, I see that I am still not "leading" anything. I'm still a sideman just playing along.
Like you said in your post, none of THIS was planned and it all came out this way. Unfortunately, I hear all the same licks and riffs I play over and over again, like I can't get out of my little comfortable box.
well, I don't hear any real improv in that. Sorry. It comes off as a guy playing licks he's learned from other harmonica players. BUT it's miles better than what you posted for HPC.
Use more space between your phrases. That will give them definition.
"As far as Soloing off the cuff and complete improvisation, this is ***probably*** the best I can do."
it's in your nature to be that way, I know it's hard to change but look at other areas in your life where you are an expert. That is how you should be playing.
This is what I think you need to do to break out of that box...
STOP listening to harmonica players. I can hear all the Jason Ricci stuff in your playing. I love him but you have amazing technique already so its time for you to venture out and find your personal sound. Aside from harmonica players and the music they play, what do you like? Listen to that, figure out why you like it and try to copy it. Then figure out what they are actually doing. After about a year of doing this stuff you will have your own sound on the harmonica. But as long as you keep trying to play what other harp players play then you're always going to be a few steps behind them and ultimately only sound like a guy that is a hodge podge of this player and that player.
Last Edited by on May 08, 2009 11:34 AM
Actually, I don't know if I can stop listening to harmonica for a year, cause I love the sound. But how about a happy medium where I stop copying harp licks from here on out? (I fear the monkey fist.)
I wish I felt I was as musical as all you HPC video posters sound. I generally play way too many root notes, sound like a train crash, or repeat the same riffs 1000 times when I play along with a backing track.
Im probably the opposite & need to immitate harmonica players a lot more. When do you think players should venture out of imitating other players? I would think at least intermediate. Im still considering myself an advanced beginner. I just dont feel musical with a backing track but I can play tabbed out stuff well.
For what it's worth. I find improv very difficult too but as many of you may know I paint for my living and have found certain parallels which have helped me a little. When I paint with watercolour, it's very hard to control and you very often get things happen which can either ruin a painting or give the opportunity to develop it further along a new path.
I found when playing the harp that very often I could play a wrong note and rather than go back and pretend it never happened, I'd try and develop it and see where it may take me. I got fed up playing the same old riffs and find that if I do stray from my norm, sometimes it does work well and can be developed further. Sometimes it doesn't but it does give me a bit of skill of digging myself out of a hole to get back on track.
I must just say, that I do this while on my own and don't have the added pressure of playing with others. ----------
Just like anybody else, I had a period where I only listened to and tried to copy harmonica players. I had phases where I only tongue blocked and tried to play like Big Walter. I had phases where I played everything in 1st position or everything on 3rd position or everything on a Bb harp and I even quit the harp for two years and played Chromatic.
Eventually I matured musically and I just wanted to play what really made me feel good inside and that wasn't harmonica players. I spent many months listening to Gidion Kraemer and YoYo Ma. Then I got into Astor Piazolla and then Stefan Grapeilli and Django, then Miles and Trane and Parker and then guys like John Mclaughlin, Nustrat Fateh Ali Khan, Zakir Husain, Simon Shaheen etc...
My sound developed from listening and trying to play like all of those guys.
Preston, for what it's worth. This jam may be based on a riff - but a f'in awesome riff it is... The beginning rocks. ---------- germanharpist, harpfriends on Youtube
Last Edited by on May 08, 2009 2:57 PM
