apskarp
6 posts
May 28, 2009
2:20 AM
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Hi,
We've been talking about setups for one of my bands and one possibility would be to just have one guitar + harmonica, like Adam & Satan has. Thus it would be good to know and listen to some bands with this kind of setup - in order to understand how these two instruments work together the best. Both of us would also sing.
Another possibilities would to have two guitars + harmonica, or perhaps even two guitarist, a bassist & harp.
How the rhythm is maintained etc. are the question marks.?
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jbone
82 posts
May 28, 2009
4:20 AM
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in my duo with Jolene, she keeps the bottom almost all the time. this means she works harder on her instrument than i do on harp. she learned the "big form" of making the chords unlike a lot of guitarists who began by finding all the shortcuts. this is an advantage in a duo since there is a lot of space to be filled musically.
in the duo, i am the harp guy. i play more in the duo format than in a full band setting. accents and fills are a crucial part of playing in a duo. we both sing. particularly when she is singing, i find a lot of opportunity to fill in at the end of lines etc etc.
sonny terry and brownie mcghee is a good duo to listen to. there are lots more.
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MrVerylongusername
335 posts
May 28, 2009
4:29 AM
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One of the things you'll notice about duos is that in working terms, they tend to last a long time. I think the biggest reason is that in a good duo, the players are so in tune with each other (in the interaction sense) that they become a single entity. Changes, groove - everything becomes instinctive; timekeeping in terms of speeding up and slowing down becomes less important. Staying together and responding naturally to each others dynamics is what really counts.
I can't really imagine that kind of connection in anything bigger than a trio.
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The Gloth
60 posts
May 28, 2009
4:59 AM
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I agree with that ; I played several years in a trio with two guitarists, and after some time we knew very well each other's playing and we interacted instinctively onstage.
Now this trio doesn't play anymore, but I just formed a duo with a drummer : we rehearsed only once until now, we'll probably do it once or twice more before we play live (we have a show at the end of summer). We find that the formula goes pretty well, doing some old-school dirty blues, largely improvised.
We found a cool name, too : Raccoon Penis Bone !
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KingoBad
41 posts
May 28, 2009
5:36 AM
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That band name ought to get you a lot of birthdays and bar mitzvahs. Maybe a few mammalian anatomist parties too.
Last Edited by on May 28, 2009 5:36 AM
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The Gloth
61 posts
May 28, 2009
7:11 AM
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Lol ! Actually, I found it on a website about Hoodoo religion and allusions about hoodoo in blues lyrics. The raccoon penis bone seemed to be some magic item, probably used to increase virility...
To add about this association of drums with Harp/vocals, the good thing is I don't have to care the key I'm gonna play in : I can just pick any harp and play some blues, with alternance of harp playing and singing. And I don't have to "not overplaying", because I have to fill all the melody and solos. Couldn't have more freedom, unless I play alone.
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mickil
213 posts
May 28, 2009
7:23 AM
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Gloth,
Have you got any vids up of yourself playing solo? I think it's a very challenging thing to do, and I always like to steal - whoops, I mean study - new examples of people doing it.
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'If it sounds GOOD to you, it's bitchen; if it sounds BAD to YOU, it's shitty' - Frank Zappa
SlimHarpMick
Last Edited by on May 28, 2009 7:24 AM
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The Gloth
62 posts
May 28, 2009
8:39 AM
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Unfortunately, I don't have any vids of myself. I only have one live audio track of me playing (almost) alone, but I don't know how to post it here (I'm incompetent with computers and all technology).
Maybe I'll record something with my MP3 and send it to you by e-mail (if that something is good !).
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ChrisA
12 posts
May 28, 2009
9:31 AM
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Check out the album Alone and Acoustic with Buddy Guy and Junior Wells also Double Take with Billy Branch and Kenny Neale.
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Tuckster
191 posts
May 28, 2009
9:55 AM
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Some I can think of to listen: Cephas & Wiggins,Filisko & Noden,Moreland & Arbuckle,Steve Guyger & I can't remember the guitarist. SBWII does some on "Keep It to Ourselves" on Alligator.
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dfwdlg
24 posts
May 28, 2009
10:07 AM
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There some good Tom Ball duo stuff on You Tube. Can't get through the firewall where I am now to search for it, so I'll leave that to you.
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The Gloth
64 posts
May 28, 2009
10:36 AM
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Duos : Sleepy John Estes played a lot with Hammie Nixon on harp. Check also SBW I and the album from Mississippi Fred McDowell with Johnny Woods (Adam mentioned it in another thread, so I hired it from the mediatheque. And it's a great CD, thanks a lot !).
Johnny Woods plays and sings solo (about 3 songs, I think)on the album "Going Down South" (R.L.Burnside/Ranie Burnette/Johnny Woods).
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mickil
215 posts
May 28, 2009
1:50 PM
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Yeah, thanks Gloth, that would be appreciated:
mickil@live.co.uk
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'If it sounds GOOD to you, it's bitchen; if it sounds BAD to YOU, it's shitty' - Frank Zappa
http://www.youtube.com/user/SlimHarpMick
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Randy G. Blues
29 posts
May 28, 2009
1:53 PM
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For a contemporary blues duo, try "Ball and Sultan." Seen them four or five times live, and they never disappoint. They opened for Charlie Musslewhite once at laxson Auditorium on the Chico State campus, and I walked out on Charlie (not Charlie's fault- the person mixing that show should have his ears revoked... he certainly wasn't making use of them that night).
"Turn it up JUST until it distorts... then one more notch. YA! That's it!"
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