I really like your laid back ad-lib slow blues style! The harmonica backing tracks for movies is part of the reason I started playing, like in that movie crossroads. The use of space is great and it really is a conversation with your emotions.
HarpNinja, you aren't related to pocketninja are you? Anyway, I like all of these, guys, although HarpNinja might want to rain in his guitar players interpretive dance number a little (even if the guitar sounded hot).
Lol on the guitar!!!!! He's a total thrasher and that is about as jiggy as I ever get with anything. Total opposites!
I am not related to pocketninja. ---------- Mike Fugazzi http://www.myspace.com/niterailband http://www.youtube.com/user/NiteRail http://www.twitter.com/NiteRail http://www.facebook.com/mike.fugazzi
I saw this thread and quickly recorded something for it, because I love playing slow blues. I completely messed the ending up and the timings also a bit iffy in places. But hey that's life
I'm using a Marine Band (self customised) in the key of A, an Astatic JT30 with a Shure 99A86 CM element and a Pignose 7-100 amp.
I would have love to have used the '65 Princeton Reverb but the neighbours would be banging on the walls complaining!
Nice, lots of good videos now. Thanks Isaaculla, this threads inspiring lots of people!
@ oda, that isn't a fair estimate. I've been playing diatonic since middle May 2009 (so about 7 months) and originally started on chromatic in April to play jazz. However, I started my "project" about 2-3 months ago, which is when I really started structured practicing. Before my project I am not sure how much I practiced cause it was sporadic and not everyday. So far since august 27 its been roughly 360 hours.
Wow! Look what I started! This is really really cool. I loved all of them. It's great to see everyone's individual ideas about what a "slow blues" is. Some really divergent ideas, but all good ones... Also, it's good to see people using their little pignose's... I've been kinda fed up with mine for some reason lately, but both Steve's and Kingley's sounded really good! I'll have to break it out again...
tooka and jon: I found it very interesting that both of you played St. James Infirmary-inspire songs. That's one of the very first "bluesy" sounding songs you come across in the intro instructional books (that and house of the rising sun)... You guy's had nicely different versions though! Good stuff!
Enjoying your playing guys. I don't know I really feel an urge to post something but there's that voice in the back of my head saying my playing isn't where I want it to be yet. Ironic because my bar is ever raising, lol.
One thing I thought earlier, and this is pointed to no one in particular and just thinking aloud, is even though it's a slow blues that doesn't mean less fancy. Adam's version has got some tough fancy stuff. Another song I go to for slow blues is Easy - Big Walter, which is filled with a number of tricky things not to mention is a kick @$$ vibrato workout.
---------- ~Ryan Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
Yes, that is a "Pignose" 7-100 amp I am playing thru with a "Shaker" dynamic mic. I play in a duo (Daniel Sean acoustic electric guitar/vocals) and I will use 2 of the 7-100 amps using a A/B/Y pedal. Use one for backing and smaller venues but for bars I will kick the second one in for leads.
Jonsparrow- I must have been posting while you were and missed that. I'm working on St. James Infirmary too, playing along with a version by Baba Blues. Nice job.
Walters "Easy" is one of my all time favourite tunes. It is indeed a great workout, both for vibrato, tone changes and mic technique. To play "Easy" properly is anything but easy! There are so many little nuances in that tune.
Most people tend to play the alternative version of it called "It ain't easy". If I remember correctly it's on Walters "Little Boy Blue" live album with Ronnie Earl.
Last Edited by on Nov 20, 2009 10:45 PM
:) definitely one of my most favorites as well! Almost seems to tell a different story depending on my mood. I could upload a video playing it but gah, it's so not there. I guess I have to get over everything being performance ready or I'll never upload, lol.
---------- ~Ryan Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
Ant, that was pretty damn hot! I also loved that you were in your garage amongst the laundry! Now that's a woodshed!
Here's some thoughts after seeing everyone's slow blues:
Vibrato: Hard and soft, where appropriate. Rhythmically correct.
Double stops: Hitting the -34 is very effective. -45 too, but this was used to a lesser extent in general.
Octaves: Big octaves with vibrato. Going up and coming down octave riffs. Sneaking in an octave in a single note riff, especially a + or -14 octave.
Chords: The most effective chordal techinique I heard was the tongue-slapped "grace note" chords used by Michael to fill in the spaces between his single notes. They added a fullness to the note progression that was missing on, for example, the piece I did.
Hand Whah whah: Big percussive ones, and short fanning ones. Used very effectively on the acoustic numbers, especially by Ant.
Foot stompin': A MUST. It's super important to keep the beat with your foot, and play harp in the space created by that foot tapping beat.
Amplification: Adds a great dirtyness to a slow blues. IMO, it changes the sadness of a slow blues from despair-filled to anger-filled. Which can be a good or bad thing depending upon the emotion you actually want to convey.
Hi Mickil, enjoyed that. It's great how we've all responded to this thread so eagerly. Let's hope it's a precursor to a good turnout for HPC 3. I've not forgotten my signature, I'll see to it when I get time. Maybe we can have another Harp Day MBH thread before Christmas? Maybe a bluesey Christmas Carol? Only joking. ----------
