I'm new to the forum and figured on introducing myself. I'm gonna be on a lot and I figured you all should know who I am and where I'm at. First of all my names Matt Walsh, but I sometimes go by wally...whatever you prefer. I'm from the south-side of Chicago (check my garbage cans...I'm no damn suburbanite!) and I'm 19. Been playing for, well its gonna be a year this november or so, I can't really remember exactly when I started playing last year. I tongue block 100% of the time (I'm trying to work on lip pursing but I've only been at it a year, I keep telling myself this is a marathon and not a sprint haha) and I guess I do it wierd. Everything I've heard about tongue blocking is regarding playing out the side of your mouth. I play straight up and cup my tongue around the hole(s) I'm playing. Can bend the 1 through 6 pretty well, been working on overblows for a week or two, can consistantly blow bend on the 7, and can't even fathom overdraws at this point (its a marathon not a sprint haha). Never had a 'teacher', everything I can do is learned from my ears or from youtube. I really haven't used the youtube lessons as much as I should have. Most of the time I'd just play with my ipod. Before I had any blues on my ipod I would just sit and play. A lot of times (this past summer particularly) I would sneak out to my my parents garage at like 2:00 A.M. (if I wasn't socializing haha) and sit in my moms car and play for sometimes upwards of 6 hours. I never focused really on riffs from specific people so much as I did tone and just feel (like atmosphere building...I don't know how to explain it really other than just like grooving). I love the blues but I've only been listening/ playing for a year or so. I also really dig funk, R&B, Gospel, (old school and classic) Rock and Roll, jazz, jam, classical (as a modern genre, not only pertaining to the period), folk, bluegrass...could go on for ever. I am a music major and a sophmore in college. I don't know, I feel like I'm talking way to much about my self...segway....
At this time I would like to thank ADAM GUSSOW from the bottom of my heart. It was your encouraging words in your first few videos that got me hooked. It was your 'harlem riff' lesson (.111 for those who aren't familliar) that taught my ear the blues scale. To this day I can not pick out the pentatonic scale in second position (I'm working on it...honest! Its a marathon not a sprint(I told you its my montra)), but I know where the blues are at because of THAT video. Before that all I could figure out was love me do and a few other what have you's. You taught me to bend, you taught me to move, you instilled in me the intense hunger I have for learning this instrument (jason ricci took that to another level, but thats another story). Adam Gussow, THANK YOU! I've probably only sat down and learned 10 or so odd videos of yours (I've probably watched 50 to 60), but I'm realizing now I need a more formal teaching regement, not really instead of, but more like to suppliment my informal 'smoke a few j's and play the whole day' method. I will be going back and actually learning alot more from your videos over the next couple of years. And I'm rambling again!
So anyways Thanks again Adam, heres a video of me and a couple of buddies jamming at the Chicago bluesfest this past summer. I'm trying to get a band put together with the kid in the tie die shirt (bass/guitar). Unfortunately/fortunately (depending how you look at it) the other kid (guitar/bass) is already in a band. EVERYONE needs to check them out: DELAYED KARMA. Their website is:
http://students.depaul.edu/~ccermak/band/site.htm
They are legitimately good and they have their whole first album for free on their website (listen only I think), mostly instrumental but some good ass funky jamming. Anyways, I submit this video to the viewing gallery to show that your teaching works, to show everybody where I'm at in my playing, and to hopefully get some feedback (negative but constructive would probably be most appreciated). Please keep in mind we had only jammed once before for about 10 minutes, I had only been playing for 7-8 months, this was the second time I ever played in front of people, none of this (save my D harp) was our gear, and we had never even met the drum player or keyboard player before. Oh and we were kind of bummed cus the cops decided to confiscate the rest of our herbal encouragement right before we jammed. Not to make excuses or anything.......Hope you like it and sorry for typing so much haha. Peace!
Walsh
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MQd0BY9Mk4
---------- "Listen...you know, sometimes I feel like that too. I be around a thousand people, and yet I be lonely. Its the truth. But you know when I feel like that, what I do, I call up Mr. Billy Preston and I say 'LETS GO GET STONED.' Thats what I tell 'm." -Ray Charles
Last Edited by on Oct 04, 2009 8:28 AM
At 4:58 I play a six overblow, I just figured out 2 weeks ago that overblows exist and how to play them haha. This was 3 months ago. I guess I was just grooving, I remember hearin that note and thinking 'what the hell?!' and then never being able to duplicate it haha. I was playin on a D and the higher keys seem easier to overblow so idk, just thought I'd throw that in there...along with the fact that I totally overplayed and had no idea how to end it after brutally murdering the groove (I hate myself sometimes!) ---------- "Listen...you know, sometimes I feel like that too. I be around a thousand people, and yet I be lonely. Its the truth. But you know when I feel like that, what I do, I call up Mr. Billy Preston and I say 'LETS GO GET STONED.' Thats what I tell 'm." -Ray Charles
Last Edited by on Oct 04, 2009 8:33 AM
Hi Matt, welcome to the forum, You have posted a very enthusiastic and energetic jam video; and you have expressed yourself verbally very well. Allow me this, without wishing to dampen your energy:
'and we had never even met the drum player or keyboard player before'
Those 2 guys are awful,just stick with guitars. Never trust a guy with an electric pad kit and his cymbal work (ouch) But my god Walsh you can blow man!
Haha, thanks man. Yea it was just a demo tent put up by gibson and best buy so ANYONE could sit in. In the drummers defense (about the electric kit) it was gibson's, but yea I know. I still have no idea who they are (for good reason?). It was just like their turn to play you know.
Will (tie die) and I have been looking for a good drummer for a few months now, and quite possibly a bass player. Brendan (the other guitar player) is probably the best player I know personally but hes got his own thing going already.
Anyways, thanks for the reply and the huge compliments! Hopefully I can get some more feedback from different people and dare I say Adam himself (hushed anticpation...). ---------- "Listen...you know, sometimes I feel like that too. I be around a thousand people, and yet I be lonely. Its the truth. But you know when I feel like that, what I do, I call up Mr. Billy Preston and I say 'LETS GO GET STONED.' Thats what I tell 'm." -Ray Charles
I agree with nick, understand you couldn't help it about the drummer and keyboard. I really like the harp, bass and guitar! Very nice.
Last Edited by on Oct 05, 2009 4:21 AM
I'm happy to know that anything I put out there inspired you. You've definitely got the soul of a harp player, and you've already got as many chops after one year as I had after two or three years. I think you're doing great. Your practice time is paying off. Your playing has an urgency that makes all the difference. 99% of the videos I've seen posted by folks who've been playing for a year DON'T have that urgency, and yet it's the one thing--if we're talking about blues harmonica--that can't be taught and that really counts. Keep working it.
