sreagvle
1 post
Jan 27, 2010
2:13 PM
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Hi all,
I'm going to begin learning the harmonica to jam with my band and I want to know what harmonica to buy. When I can play I'd like to be able to play the slide guitar part at the beginning of Lynyrd Skynyrd's Freebird (not the outro solo!) and so I'm asking for advice on which key to get.
The song's in G so I thought i'll get that, but the guitar line's in both G and G minor, so then wasn't so sure. Then I read about playing in 2nd or 3rd position and now I'm just confused. Any advice?
Thank you
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toddlgreene
627 posts
Jan 27, 2010
2:15 PM
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Any key harp will work as a slide;-)
Get a C if you want to play cross harp(2nd)over G.
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Todd L. Greene, V.P.
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ZackPomerleau
526 posts
Jan 27, 2010
2:15 PM
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I would say a C.
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nacoran
891 posts
Jan 27, 2010
2:56 PM
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I don't know toddle, some of the plastic cover harps could get chewed up if you use them as a slide.
sreagvle- Yeah, a C would cross harp for G. The two draw will be your tonic.
edit- and C is also what most harmonica lessons start with. I personally would suggest a Hohner Special 20, or a Lee Oskar. I like plastic combs, at least until you get up into the custom comb range. They are easier on the lips. Golden Melodies are also nice, but they are better for playing single notes than chords.
A lot of people would also recommend a Marine Band (wooden comb). If money isn't too much of an issue the MB Deluxe and the MB Crossover are good options. Those are the decent harps you're likely to find at a music store.
If you order online there are lots of other options. I here great things about the Suzukis, and I have an awesome Seydel Blues Favorite that I love.
Welcome to the forum!
Last Edited by on Jan 27, 2010 3:06 PM
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Rick Davis
93 posts
Jan 27, 2010
8:19 PM
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Freebird? Really?
Well, at least you will have it ready to go when some mulletted guy in the crowd yells, "Play Freebird!!!"
The drunker they are, the more requests we get for it. We have two standard responses:
1- "Sorry, we played that last set."
2- "We have a bunch of requests already, so we'll play it later."
We have never played it.
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-Rick Davis
Blues Harp Amps Blog
Roadhouse Joe Blues Band
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jawbone
249 posts
Jan 27, 2010
9:08 PM
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I would just say "We don't do that one but the next one has all the same notes"
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If it ain't got harp - it ain't really blues!!!!
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Andrew
848 posts
Jan 27, 2010
10:28 PM
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I was in the sixth form/college 1976-1978. In the common room Freebird was played between 9 and 15 times per day for two years. For those of us who liked Hendrix or Beefheart and so on, life was a living hell. About a year ago I downloaded The Best Of Lynyrd Skynyrd. The only song I liked was Sweet Home Alabama. I listened to two versions of Freebird - studio and live. The live one was a mess - musical diarrhoea. Oooh, smell that smell!
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Kinda hot in these rhinos!
Last Edited by on Jan 27, 2010 10:29 PM
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Ryan
89 posts
Jan 27, 2010
11:35 PM
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I don't want to be a downer, but I just want to let you know it may be quite awhile before you're able to play that. A lot of people think that the harmonica will be something they can pick up fairly easily, not realising that it's a real intrument that's very complex, and will take a long time and A LOT of practice to get good at. I don't want to discourage you, but I want to let you know you shouldn't expect to be able play something like that with only a month or two of practice. You should definately start learning(it's a lot of fun), just don't expect to be playing this with your band in the near future. Good Luck!
Last Edited by on Jan 27, 2010 11:35 PM
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Buzadero
282 posts
Jan 28, 2010
7:03 AM
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Back when I had occassion to frequent those places on a military base where one could get an adult beverage, the three tunes you could count on hearing the poor band get requests for were:
1) Stairway to Heaven
2) Cocaine
3) Freebird
Never failed.
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~Buzadero
Underwater Janitor, Patriot
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Jim Rumbaugh
139 posts
Jan 28, 2010
10:04 AM
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I have'nt tried Freebird. I fondly remember playing it on bass back in the 70's... Has anyone here actually played Freebird on the harp using a C when the tune is in G??
I may need to go home and try it. But I have been playing with Hotel California. I'm leaning towards 4th position minor scale..... I guess that would be another thread.
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nacoran
901 posts
Jan 28, 2010
10:54 AM
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Ryan- I don't know, I think how long it takes depends on what your other musical experience is. I met a guy who was playing well enough to be up in front of a crowd after a few weeks. (When I first asked him what kind of harp he was playing he looked at me confused and asked me what I was talking about.)
Of course, he was already an accomplished guitar player with a lot of theory. He might not have been ready to play a hot solo, but he could do some fill when he wasn't singing.
One of the cool things about theory is it can improve your playing on a bunch of instruments. It makes it easier to pick up a new instrument later.
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Jim Rumbaugh
141 posts
Jan 28, 2010
5:54 PM
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sreagvle
I thought I'd try it when I got home. I disagree with the recomendation of a C harp for a beginner. I tried a C and did not like it. The second note of the "slide solo" is a major 7th, not dominant 7th. I even had to work at making a good solo in G. I say go with a G harp if the tune is in G.
here's the simple jam track I made to test it.
FreeBird in G
I ask other harp players to give it a try and give their opinion. I say use a G and start on 7 blow and play it straight harp.
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
359 posts
Feb 04, 2010
9:20 PM
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Gang,
I have played Free Bird many times. Song is in G MAJOR. Chords are G, some weird D chord, Em, F, C, D or something. You play it on a C harmonica. Here's the catch, the first two notes are G and F sharp. So you'll need a country tuned harmonica or overblow the 5 for that F sharp. I think I played it on a chromatic, the slide guitar part, thought "this sounds lame" then switched to mandolin and played the slide guitar part on the mandolin. That was awesome.
Then fun part on harmonica is the fast half of the song. You can copy the guitar parts in second position pretty easily. The licks are pretty simple and they repeat a lot. I used to play it all the time.
Now the chord progression at the end goes G, then Bb then C. Or something like that. That would be AWESOME on a 48 chord harmonica, or another form of chord harmonica. It would be ROCK ON! AWESOME if a harmonica trio did that song. Say, the harpbeats. Could you imagine Phil Caltabellotta playing Free Bird? That would be awesome. He could do it, too. There is no song he cannot play.
Rockin' in Rockford,
Dave
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www.harrisonharmonicas.com
Last Edited by on Feb 04, 2010 10:08 PM
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