I am 21 and have started playing harp a little while after my friends gave me one for my birthday (a small year ago). I began with learning songs like 'You are my sunshine' but I only really started improving from the moment I got into Adam's 'Advanced Beginner'-lessons. And seriously, how can you not want to learn to play if you get confronted with his enthusiasm? I really had no idea that this little thing can be such an expressive instrument. Thanks for giving me the vibe Adam!
Now that I've gotten trough most of his lessons, I need help! I've only recently started to record something (playing on a backing track) and gave them to my friends. They like what they hear but as none of them ever played harp, they can't really give the critique I need to become a better player. That's why I'm posting this message.
A while ago I uploaded my first recording here, but from seeing all the posted videos here, the tune probably didn't appeal enough to many. In hope of some better response this time I've chosen a more standard blues tune.
I would love it if some of you could gave me your personal critique on it. What you like and more important: what you don't like and what I should improve!! I feel I really need to have feedback from better players and having seen all the talent on this forum, I think this is the place for that.
Sorry for the long text, here it is:
(It is played on a Bb harp in 2nd position with a Shure Green Bullet 520D and a Digitech RP350.) (if you want to hear the first recording I made, this is the link:)
Don't quit your day job. No seriously, good playing, great for a newbie! You have a pretty good command of the instrument for one so new to it. I would suggest listening to a lot of music, play along with as many songs as you can, not just backing tracks but pop, rock, jazz, country, even classical. You'll develop an instict for what to play. It's called acquiring an ear. Keep harpin'.
Just one year, Huh? YOU LIE!!! :) That was darned good!! But I'll nit-pick a little for you. (Don't put too much weight behind my opinion...I'm not much of a player at all. I don't practice enpigh.)
I think in "Body Language" you should find a place in the middle of the song to work your way up to the high end of the harp, then work your way back down.
I think "Baked Potato" calls for more vibrato.
Nonetheless, I'm definitely envious of your progress.
Hi Micha, I'm impressed too. Only one year eh? That's going some to get up to that standard. What will you be like in five years time if you keep it up?
Couple of questions,
1. Did you have any previous experience on other instruments before you got the harp?
2. What type of harp are you using? If it's a Marine Band with wooden comb, you have my respect because they can be notorious to play due to lip soreness and swelling combs etc.
Anyway, it was a treat to hear what you have there. I can't offer any tips that haven't already been mentioned plus I'm relatively new to the harp myself (16 months)and I know I couldn't do what you have already achieved in your recordings unless it took me about thirty takes to get it right.
Keep on playing and posting your stuff here it gives others here the inspiration to soldier on. Oh! and, why don't you consider entering our HPC3 Challenge. It's just a bit of fun for all levels. You can get further details by clicking on my signature just below.
Thanks for making the effort by posting your files via YouTube. It makes it less hassle for us and should bring you more responses. ----------
rbeetsme: In 75% of the genres of music, I will probably find something that I really like. But when I pick up a harp to play along, I can only sound right in about 5-10% of them. Up until now I have only played in 2nd and 3rd position, mostly blues-oriented pieces. To being able to fit into other genres, should I focus on learning new scales in other positions?
gene: You're absolutely right. Except for 'How long can a fool go wrong', I have never practiced high note-songs. Any suggestions to get more into that stuff? My vibrato is definitely not good. But from reading this threads on vibrato, I assume that I only need to practice it as much as possible and that it will come eventually.
Tooka: I don't think that I'll improve as much over the next year as I have done in this first one. Going trough adam's lessons lets you improve each minute you practice and you never waste time... Now that I went trough most of them, I think it's going to be alot harder to get to the next levels of playing!
Answers to your questions: 1. No I have never played another instrument. But I have always been very 'into music'. 2. I recorded this with a Special 20. And I pucker most of the time, so no lip injuries for me :-).
The last week I have practiced playing over this backing track 5 or 6 times, but then recorded it only once. Luckily for me that was the best version. :-)
I would like to enter the HPC3 challenge but don't know if I'll have time for that. I'm currently writing a paper for school and will be busy with that for a couple of weeks. But I'll definetely check it out and will enter one of your challenges when I have time for it!
Thanks everyone for the responses. If you have some more critique on it, keep it coming. I really appreciate it!
Pretty damn good for a year's worth of playing. Nice, clean 6OB in the first track. Would be nice to hear more vibrato, though. ---------- YouTube SlimHarpMick
Very good, you vary the phrasing really well, which is what you need to do in the constraints of 12-bar blues and the diatonic harp. Other things in your repertoire should be: Vibrato (variation in pitch), tremolo (variation in volume) and trills. Also, don't neglect the hand work.
Another thing to work on is getting four precise notes out of draw 3.
Hi Micha, Nice work for a yearling! My suggestion would also be to add vibrato (latest recording) and just relax a little with the timing. Loosen up and let things swing just a bit more and you've nailed it. Whatever you do, keep listening to others. I can hear a lot of Juke in there, but also a lot of your own licks.
As for linking up to the top end - it's important you don't get too reliant on holes 1-6. This might help open things out for you a little http://www.harpsurgery.com/crossing-the-bridge/
Learning 3rd position will almost certainly move you up top and allo wyou to flow down again. Learning the 1st position blues scale holes 7-10 is useful, just that without OBs you can't use a run to carry you back down.
One trick is to take licks you do in 2nd position between 1-6 holes and find them up top. Get your blow bends sorted and you're half way there. Learn to cross the 6-7 holes switch and you're even closer.
Hakan Ehn of YouTube fame is a member her. I asked him about a run that gets you up to the high end (and/or down to the low end. Here's the Q & A: _____________________________
Hakan, Would you please post the tabs for the run you do right before the last verse?? ___________________________________
HakanEhn (8 months ago) Show Hide Marked as spam Reply I have already done that: How To Play That Johhny Mars Harp Riff. It´s almost the same anyway. There I go down but here I go up. But the tabs are? there and it´s the same principle. ___________________________________
Here's the video where I asked him that:
Here's the video he directed me to:
This is one of his that REALLY blows me away!! I can't get enough of it. It's an excellent example of using the whole harp:
Hakan: I know you're good, but I'm not good enough, myself, to really know just how good you are or aren't, nor do I care. You're the one I've chosen as my main (but not only) influence. I love your style!!
Last Edited by on Nov 22, 2009 9:26 PM
It sounds good. Maybe you could loosen up a bit. I don't know if it's you or your recording set up but you clip the end of your notes a little, particularly in the beginning on Body Language. It sounds good though. Better than me.
Thanks alot everyone for the compliments, you've really made me blush.
2/3 of what I played are just licks from Adam's lessons that I put together the way my mind told me to at the moment. So actually he should get part of the credits. I really think of myself as a beginner.
By the way, Nacoran: I don't really know what clipping means? I share your opinion that my amplifier sounds strange at the beginning of the clip. Maybe because I don't use a real amplifier? I have a Digitech RP350 that I run with the patches of Richard Hunter. A lot higher in versatility/cost :-).
Bloozhead/Wilf: Thanks for the tips! I'll definitely try to get more into 3rd position.
One thing: Is playing in first position in the middle octave hindered by all that overblows? So for blues that octave doesn't get used and first position blues in mostly in lowest and highest octave?
Does second position sound as good as first in the high octave?
Micha- By clipping I meant that you were cutting the notes a little short instead of letting them ring out. Sometimes a recording setup can do that, if it's set up to ignore sound below a certain level you can be fading out and the system with abruptly stop recording you. It can also happen at the high volume end. Or, it could be how you are breathing between notes, like Buddha says. Still, sounds better than me.
