Laurence B
1 post
Sep 16, 2009
1:15 AM
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Hi all,
Following several comments on one of Adam’s last posts about silent majority, I thought I’d finally post something. I am a beginner, perhaps not quite a raw beginner but I’m beginning nonetheless. I’ve been concentrating so far mainly on techniques i.e. single notes, bending notes, learning riffs stuff like that, mainly from Adam’s vids and Gindick’s rock’n’blues book. However, my problem is, I don’t know what to do with these skills (which still require refining!) now. How do I put them into practice and improvise? I understand the I-IV-V progression and just got as far as playing root notes to chords but I just don’t know how to use the riffs I learn. Perhaps it’s just a matter of time and practice, it’ll just eventually come together.
Any advice gratefully received...
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harmonicanick
374 posts
Sep 16, 2009
2:08 AM
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Just use Adam's youtube lessons Laurence and enjoy yourself
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scstrickland
242 posts
Sep 16, 2009
3:02 AM
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welcome Laurence
First off, feel free to let us know about yourself here.
http://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/board/board_topic/5560960/427713.htm
As for what to do with your new knowledge.
1. Devise a goal. Why are you learning to play harmonica. Do you intend to Jam at an open mic night, play in a band, just play for yourself?
2, Work with that Gindick CD. Play it in your car, start with his good morning riff. get good at keeping time with it. add other riffs to it. Practice practice practice practice. When you feel like your not getting anywhere practice more.
3. Get some jamtracks. Try here
http://www.lawrencefritts.com/backingtracks.html
or search the forum for other threads that have jamtrack suggestions
4. Listen to players on this forum when thy make contest entries. Make their Youtube posts you favorites. listen to them all the time and try to copy them. I can play Summertime quite well thanks to the last contest.
5. Buy Adams lessons. Practice them and play them with your jamtracks.
6. Go to a local open mic night and watch the other guys play, talk to them, they will share with you.
7. Look for a local harmonica club, convention or workshop or attend one of Gindicks Jam camps or SPAH.
hope these help, they helped me
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tookatooka
491 posts
Sep 16, 2009
3:21 AM
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Hi Laurence B you said.
"However, my problem is, I don’t know what to do with these skills now. How do I put them into practice and improvise?"
We need to know what your aim is really. Did you just pick up the harp for your own entertainment (like me) or were you considering taking it more seriously and play in a band?
If like me, you are just a leisure player then you can't restrict yourself purely to the blues. As you've found out all the riffs and things are great but what you gonna do with them. I play alone and I like the blues and have found the harp to be difficult to play as a solo instrument without any other backing etc.
The thing that inspired me most was Adams YouTube video Front Porch Blues. This is the sort of thing that I'd like to do. I've got nowhere near it yet but use it as a basis for what I want to do.
I've found that making up my own bluesey type tunes to be the most fulfilling and the riffs and techniques I've learnt up until now can be gradually introduced into my tunes, so it wasn't time and effort wasted learning all that stuff.
Apart from the blues there's a whole lot of other music out there that you can play and a lot of that can be used in your blues too once you get more proficient. For example I like to learn the irish fiddle music on the harp, apart from it being fun it has also helped me a lot in building up faster playing techniques which will eventually help me with my blues playing.
I'll stop here Laurence B just in case this isn't what you meant at all. Maybe you could give us some ideas on what it is you want to do or achieve?
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When I'm not blowing, I'm drawing.
Last Edited by on Sep 16, 2009 3:22 AM
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Laurence B
2 posts
Sep 16, 2009
3:51 AM
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Wow, I didn’t expect such a response. Thanks you for the advice. I’ve been watching Adam and Jon’s YouTube vids as well as Jason Ricci’s stuff which is all really helpful. What strikes me is that although I’m currently learning Jon Gindick’s riffs from the CD, I’m learning them EXACTLY as per the CD, i.e. same timing etc so when it come to using them on a backing track, I’m lost. From the videos, I gather it’s all about the rhythm that you apply to these riffs (I think…) but how do I know which to use and when? Guess I’ll figure that out in time.
As far as my goals go, I’d eventually like to be able to jam along with a band. At the moment though, I have an offer from a guitarist but I don’t have the confidence to do more than toot along on the 2draw, 4 blow and 4 draw with perhaps the odd 2 draw bent and 3 draw half bent.
Last Edited by on Sep 16, 2009 3:52 AM
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tookatooka
492 posts
Sep 16, 2009
4:22 AM
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"Guess I’ll figure that out in time." Think you are right there Laurence. I think you'll need to play the backing tracks over and over and when you are ready you'll know where to drop the odd riff in and then build up from there. Rome wasn't built in a day. Patience and tenacity my friend.
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When I'm not blowing, I'm drawing.
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Bluzdude46
157 posts
Sep 16, 2009
6:59 AM
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Laurence, Don't forget to have fun, play with the riffs play with the music inside your head (and the voices if they listen to you) go to a quiet room tap your feet in a beat and play a few chords and develop a basic, fun start and let your imagination help. You've been listening to music since you were a child, your inner self understands how music works even if you can't define it out of the abstract. Don't make it all work sometimes you gotta .... Just Play!!
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congaron
135 posts
Sep 16, 2009
9:37 AM
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Do you play any other instruments or sing? If so, you can learn licks from any music you hear within an actual musical context. Driving down the road, sing along with the guitar part and get it in your head, for example...go home and find the notes on the harp...etc. Play single note melodies to songs you you like..work them out until they are exact. Learn where every note is and practice every note.
Make up a melody by singing it then playing it back. Figure out where it is in at least two octaves on the harp. If it's simple enough, it will often even be in three places. Then try it with a different starting hole..learn the bends to you need..or overblows..or both eventually as needed.
Learn to go to the note you want, when you want..versus copying licks and riffs. Do that too, but learn it as an instrument in its own right. Start incorporating music into daily routine...harp or not. It helps.
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Max-T
23 posts
Sep 16, 2009
12:56 PM
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I found that the first cd I "ripped" the harp part from was SBWII's Ninety Nine, I'd recommend it if your getting used to learning by ear.
1. Listen to alot of blues. I mean like alot! Adam has lists of great blues artists on this site so get yourself CD's of all of them. Listen to them, figure out their styles and count your way through the 12 bar progression. Listen to the notes they play at each cord. you'll find John lee williamson does a similar intro for tonnes of his songs, and in alot of them he repeats a certain riff in bars 11 and 12
(sounds like 2draw, 3draw bend, 4 blow, 3 draw bend, 4 draw bend, 4blow, 3draw bend, 2 draw 2draw, 1draw 1draw)
2. Use adams beginners lessons and gindicks boook/Cd's to get fimilar with the sound of the instrument. Oh and learn the blues scale using adams youtube video!
3. from there if you start to try and ripp riffs from CD's you;ll find that eventuall yyou;ll know the 12 pattern so well and be able to sync in with the groove that you can start dropping in some of your riffs.
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"imagination is more important then knowledge" - Albert Einstien
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GermanHarpist
615 posts
Sep 16, 2009
1:10 PM
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No helpful tips here... Just wanted to say WELCOME to the community.
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germanharpist on YT.
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
206 posts
Sep 16, 2009
2:16 PM
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When the chord changes, change with it. Like when you go to C chord, play a C note (E or G also OK). If you do that, the middles will start taking care of themselves.
But do learn where the notes are and some theory. It will help a lot.
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www.elkriverharmonicas.com
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Sirsucksalot
59 posts
Sep 16, 2009
10:27 PM
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Just play. The more you play it the better you get. got it. good. Now go get into a groove. Pick a song you like and figure it out. Practice a lot. Then when u think u know it. Forget it. It will come naturally to you after that. And a little tweaking. but every time you learn a new lick it will be just as hard as it was when you started. You'll figure it out.
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Scrapboss
20 posts
Sep 16, 2009
10:42 PM
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Everyone was in your shoes once. Don't get to rigid in your playing. You need to improvise while jamming.
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"I have a high tolerance for boredom
as long as it has a groove" - Scrapboss
Last Edited by on Sep 16, 2009 10:44 PM
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Aussiesucker
345 posts
Sep 17, 2009
5:55 PM
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Lawrence, enjoy the journey. The destination will constantly be changing. Discovering new things that you can do is exciting but it also makes you want to learn more. Where you want to go now might change over time. Develop your own style.
I echo some of the comments made by tooka ie I have no ambition to play in a band also I don't limit myself to Blues ie it's just 1 genre that the harp excells in. I also like, but am not there yet, with Adams 'Front Porch Blues' and Adams version of 'St Louis Blues'. Interestingly, I downloaded a Charlie McCoy Country version of St Louis Blues and am taking bits(the easy bits) of both Adams & Charlies version to forge one of my own. I much prefer melodies of which many can be bluesified eg St James Infirmiary, Georgia on My Mind and Summertime.
The harp is very versatile and for me it would be a mistake to not explore its versatilities within my capabilities. I am learning/ playing Irish Fiddle , Bluegrass , Country, and Classics. As I have progressed I have collected some alternative tunings ie Natural Minors, Harmonic Minors and Melody Makers. Also I have some Tremolos and Chromatics. These different harps really open up more musical opportunities as well as keeping the interest and enthusiasm intense for me.
Your's, mine, and everyone else's path on the journey will be very different. Just enjoy it and go where you want to go.
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