A big thank you to all those who took part in the HPC3 Challenge.
Well done!
Many have overcome technical hurdles to produce videos and create tunes with a reasonable sound quality and upload onto YouTube. If nothing else that deserves a pat on the back, especially as a lot of us do not have geeky backgrounds and computers are still a mysterious novelty.
Once again, Well done!
It takes courage to bare our souls and this is what we are doing by laying it out for everyone to see. For those of us who are not performers, hopefully, this will feed our confidence so that one day, who knows, we may feel inclined to get up in front of a crowd and show them what we can do. You never know where that may lead.
It’s now time to vote on the videos. It’s open to all members of MBH, and we would welcome everyones support and encouragement.
List your favourite members videos. No more than five please. Obviously participants should not vote for their own videos but are encouraged to vote on the others.
Your individual judgement on technique, creativity, entertainment value and musical taste and whether you would want to watch it again is what counts.
Constructive criticism and tips would be welcomed by those who do invite comments and don’t forget we are doing this for fun. It’s better to say nothing than be rude.
Please be mindful of the participants skill level before making comments if they are invited. We wouldn’t want enthusiastic beginners discouraged by thoughtlessness.
The votes will be counted and voting will be closed at midnight on the 14th February. If there is a clear Challenge Champion at this stage then the challenge will be declared finished and the Champion named, otherwise members may request a Blow Off where a second round of voting could be arranged.
Please use this thread for voting purposes. You can use HPC3 Gripes and Comments thread for all other comments. Click this link for the HPC3 Gripes and Comments Thread
List of participants videos in no particular order.
I want to say first and foremost, THANK YOU to tookatooka. You did an awesome job organizing this one! Also, thanks to EVERYONE who submitted, you all did great,a nd you made it very difficult for me to make my choices! But choose I must. My main voting criterion was only thus: if a vid made me say "God D*mn! That was HOT!", well, then it got put up high on the list. I could only choose 5, so I narrowed down the ones that I thought were the hottest. The ones that had style, technical ability, good performance, and some thing else that just made them super special. I'll put them in order. I only feel that it's fair I do so.
My Top Five
1) Brandon Bailey D*amn that was just freakin' unbelievable. Just amazing. I really can't say anything more to it. It left me speechless...
2) Baker SOLID groove. Sweet licks. Great tone. I really loved your track. It was Hot, and it made my foot tap like crazy!
3) Bb Awesome chordal vamping. Great breakaway riffs. Great timing and groove. Overall, it just made me say "DAMN!", which is a good thing! ;)
4) MichaelAndrewLo TONE, TONE, TONE, and did I mention TONE? A great job at a CLASSIC Gussow track.
5) SirSucksAlot Hot riffs, tasty octaves, nimble playing, and a sweet harp bandoleer. Plus he's a fellow Arizonan! :)
My Runners Up (These votes may not count for the contest, but I wanted to let these players know that they still earned my respect.
a) HollistonHarper: I have to say, it came down to you and SirSucksAlot for my last spot in the top 5. It was a tough choice. Great use of the foot drums. The only reason I eventually went with SirSucksAlot was because there was something undefinable about his choice of riffs that I really loved, so I just had to go that way. You did a VERY good job though. It was the toughest decision I had to make in this contest.
b) Ant138: You did a really great job with this. I quite liked it. The only reason that I did not place you higher is that I'm not the hugest fan of that Sonny Terry style... It's a shitty thing to say, true, but I had to go with my guts on this. You know I love your playing in general, and that I really think highly of you as a player and nice dude. Even though the SonnyTerry stuff wasn't really my thing, I still think you did a really good job on it, though!
c) HarmonicaMick: I gave you my thoughts on your channel. Very well done indeed, but I think you know why I couldn't place you up in the top 5. Gap those harps my good man! But very good job on a very difficult tune!
d) NastyOldDog: I like the groove and the VERY dirty tone you had on the piece. It was solid work brother, you did a very good job with it! These were TOUGH choices I had to make! Hope you understand!
e) TookaTooka: Tooka, I'm sad to say that I liked the first choice you had up a little better than your second! It's too bad the first was a little too long because you would have been in my top 5 for sure with it! I just don't dig that harp style of your second one... I'm not sure what else to say about it, I guess it's just a personal preference of mine. :( I had to put you in the runner up section for that first entry though! :)
f) HepcatJohnny2000: You are the player with the lowest honest self-evaluation level who has made my list. I think you did a very very good job, and that you are very well advanced for your level. Very good show!
g) OldWailer Ray, I really dug your interpretation of Front Porch. You had great intonation, and nice laid back swing to it. I had to compare it with MichaelAndrewLo's version, though, and for some reason, his just stuck out a little more to me. You've really come long way since we were jamming out in Chris's workshop. Good Job!
Entries that would have placed somewhere in my above two lists, but had "rules issues", so I had to drop them
JonSparrow: I really dug your forward thinking groove there, and I personally liked your use of loops. But the contest rules said "No Loops", plus you were a little over the 3 minute mark, so I had to drop ya! Sorry brother, nothing personal, I just had to stick with my principles! Hopefully looping will be allowed in HPC4. Then you'll place fo' sho'. ;)
KingoBad: I liked your entry a lot. I was all set to vote for you, but then you started singing! The rules stated "No Singing", so, sadly, I had to drop you! Very good track though!
Sct246: I also liked your entry, but since you did not self-evaluate your playing abilities I have no way to evaluate it in the context of your experience level. It would have been unfair to compare your entry against others who had done so, since I can't be sure you aren't a pro or something, you know what I mean? Very good job though, I dug it!
Thanks to everyone who submitted, this has been a really great round for HPC's!
Superchucker Ant 38 Harmonica Mick Oldwailer German Harpist
In no particular order. Some have been playing longer. Some have been practicing hard. Some have real natural talent. But I liked the sound of them all.
Thanks again to Tooka--and thanks to all who entered. My list is totally subjective, based only on what I liked to hear--List is just in the order they are in in this thread. . .
Ant38--a really entertaining job--hoots and all
Baker--a nice, easy and unhurried job--always getting back to the central theme.
Sirsucksalot--A good, rough and tumble improv--if I could play all those licks I'd definitely be better.
MichaelAndrewLo--this little prick stole my entry--and did it better--great use of the subtleties Adam teaches in lesson 24.
Superchucker77--here's a ringer if there ever was one--he just plain cooks. If I was putting this in order, he would be at the top of my list.
Some of these were too close to call--but it'll get too tedious to go into all that. . .
my vote goes to: - Tookatooka, for historical eccentricity & accuracy - Sparrow, for innovative distortion & originality (but sounds weird and not pleasing to my ear but who cares??) - MichaelAndrewLo, for a very carefully learnt piece with nice tone..like to see what you can play fast man - Ant138, for chugging good rythym and obvious enthusiasm Good night and well done all entrants, a pleasure to listen..
Great Job everyone and Tooka - Thanks for all your hard work.
Superchucker77- tone and technique are superb Baker - steady and solid Bb- enjoyed this Todd Greene - clean Harmonia Mick - great tone and cadence
---------- Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art. - Charlie Parker
6 Baker 14 Isaac 15 Superchucker 9 Scott B. 8 Oldwailer
With honorable mentions for GH. I liked them all. It's hard to pick. I had to disqualify Jon for the loops, although I love loops and think maybe next time around there should be a category that allows loops, and Kingo for singing although I really liked that too. I so wish I had a loop pedal and a voice!
superchucker77 – Killer stuff! That sh*t is just gonna get better too, Man. MichaelAndrewLo – Great tone is a super solid platform for everything that followed. Yep. Baker – Nice groove. It really hung together for me as a solo piece. Tasty. sirsucksalot – You play from a place of power. BIG sounds, nice flutters and sh*t. HarmonicaMick – It was a well played and considered piece. I really liked it.
Those are my votes in order.
BUT, I think Kingobad also blew some damn tasty stuff. Nice job.
I think everybody sounded just a bit stiff, though. Just a little, you know? I think maybe because it's just not very natural to play into a camera. I bet EVERYONE would have been that much better just hanging around getting hammered and blowing harp together. THAT would be really fun! -Bob
i jon sparrow here by vote for the following contestants in no particular order.
ant38 baker germanharpist isaac superchucker
i could have very well voted for much more, as i think others did a very good job too. but sense theres only 5 to pick there ya go. congrats to every one that entered good job! ----------
Tooka--your entry that you pulled because it was too long was killer and would have easily been in my top 5. I couldn't vote for any of the other excellent entries that exceeded 3 minutes because it wouldn't be fair to you.
Kingobad--see above entry, plus you will definitely kick butt in any sing and play competition.
MichaelAndrewLo--I would have voted for your first entry, which you pulled in favor of Front Porch Blues. I'm really impressed by the technical skill you showed in FPB but to me it lacked emotion and seemed more like an exercise for Prof. Gussow, when you clearly are the real deal and have the ability to make music (as opposed to just playing notes). I enjoyed Oldwailer's version more because he made it his own (just too long).
Isaacullah--It seemed to me that your playing took a huge step forward in your vid. I thought your performance was rhythmic and had a great groove, which to my ear has been the one area in your previous posts which has consistently needed improvement. I also wanted to thank you for your comments above and let you know that I made a stomp box based on your DIY video. Your contributions to this forum are excellent and I really appreciate them. I'm terminally left-handed, don't have the finest of motor skills and am not a DIYer, but some of your posts have inspired me to try some things outside of my comfort zone, and I've actually had some success. Now if I could only figure out how to DIY half valve a harp, no success yet....! ----------
Last Edited by on Feb 02, 2010 7:04 AM
First of all i'd like to thank Tooka for putting all of this together and for being a one stop shop for troubleshooting on this forum.
My list is in order of how i have rated the video's
1: Superchucker in the advanced catagory.
2: OldWailer. That is some sweet front porch Blues. Great finesse.
3: Isaacullah. I really like the laid back approach, I could definatly feel what you were Playing.
4: SirSucklot. You had some great riffs and i love the way you strung them together and Played them with conviction.
5: HollistonHarper. I really liked the riffs you were playing through the 12 bars. You knew exacty where you were when you came back to the 12 bars aswell.
Honourable mensions: - Michael Andrew Lo, it was a tough choice between you and Oldwailer. I think Oldwailer just had a little more finesse and i've never heard it played amped before and i liked it. Your version does kick arse though Michael.
JonSparrow: That is some crazy sounding harp. I dont think i've heard stuff done on harp like that before but it did keep me watching.
HarmonicaMick: Great playing as always. I just dont like that song,i never have and i really dont know why?
OK, I got a chance to finally get through the vids and make my choices. First off, I found all the entries inspiring. I wish I could play like just about anyone in the challenge. I guess my criteria for picking my top 5 was the vid had to 'hook' me and make me want to listen all the way through and it had to make me want to pick up and play. There were so many that I discounted any that had a backing track or another musician or went more than a few seconds over 3 minutes.
Also, I can't get YouTube at work so I'm using my blackberry. If your vid didn't say "HPC 3" in the title my search may not have picked it up and I may not have seen it.
So, from 5 - 1:
5. SirSucksAlot: I really enjoyed your playing and you did well enough that you pulled off the bandolero look!
4.MrSoandSo: Nice job on Not a Shuffle. I think that's a great tune and you did it justice.
3. Ant: I love the Sonny Terry groove and you did it well. I always love to listen to your vids.
2. HollistonHarper: Man, your playing keeps getting better and better. Now you've added the foot drum thing and you really pulled it off. It's been great watching you progress over the past year or two Mark.
And my #1 choice...
1. Baker: This was the second video I watched and it got my foot tapping and made me want to pick up the harp. I thought it was great playing and a great entry.
Some other comments/honorable mentions:
SuperChucker: You...Are...Awesome. Period. I hope I get down to Hills Harmonica to hear you play and maybe pick up a point or two.
OldWailer: LOVE Front Porch Blues amped! Nice job.
Lumpy: As far as 'entertainment' from a video, yours was great. Your playing was great also btw, but the video and running commentary, pics, etc. was very engaging!
Nice job to all! Keep on Honkin'
---------- JayMcC
"Take out your false teeth, momma, I want to suck on your gums."-P. Wolf
I watched the videos with great enjoyment. Everyone did a fine job. My choices are in order of best to fifth best. I did eliminate from consideration any video that went over the three minute mark. 1 & 2 were close calls. 1. Baker...Top notch toe tappin' stuff. 2. Superchucker77..ditto 3. Ant138...Nice sound free flow. 4. Jordanchudan...short but sweet and to the point real down home. 5. All of the rest of you harpers.
@JayMcC thanks for the honourable mention :^) I don't know when I am going to get time to listen to them all, from work I can't watch them on this forum and I can't find them all on youtube and I get very little spare time at the moment when SWMBO isn't using the PC.
I did get time to hit an open mic and sit in at a jazz band over the last couple of days.
Thanks to Tookatooka for all your work on the HPC3.
Hi Bro's 1-Superchucker..2 Jodanchudan..3 Aussiesucker..4 Bluesnut..5 MichaelAndrew..Thanks everyone i Had Fun..Thanks Issac It's cool..Only 1 thing Bro's I'm allso guilty but keep checking myself up on is Keeping nice open cupped Hands when Playing Acoustic not let my hands come apart at the bottom when Projecting sound outwards Thanks for all the Fun..
Miles did you notice that your post just pushed this back up the forum front page? That's what "bump" does. It's just to prevent the topic from going off the front page, even though you may have nothing to say.
Well, I watched the vids last night from beginning to end(except my stupid unrehearsed improv thing that tooka made me post ;-D), and a solid effort by all. There's an obvious difference in skill levels here, and that makes picking a 'favorite' difficult. Yes, some rules were broken. But everyone(but me)gave this a solid effort and should be commended. Instead of naming and rating right now, I'm gonna give the Honorable Mentions: for Interpretive Dance to Hobostubs, and for Most Bizzare Effects Usage to JonSparrow.
---------- Todd L. Greene, V.P.
Last Edited by on Feb 05, 2010 11:31 AM
Well, I finally got time to listen. It amazed me how many people couldn't be bothered to read the rules before entering! The three I favour are.....
sct246 superchucker ant38
there were some that I didn't listen to all the way through and one that I really couldn't listen to at all [apart from my own.] but it all boils down to taste
The good thing about having a cold and staying home from work, I got to listen to ALL the entries while blowing my nose (not my harp).
I took this semi serious. I used a points sytem like we do at The WV State Harmonica Championship. Everyone got points in 5 catagories, tone, rythm, feel, presentaion, complexity. Talk about close, it was a 5 way tie for 2nd place. So I had to do a review.
Finally had a chance to listen,since I'm snowed in. My main voting criteria were tone and musicality. Hard to get the timing and keep it interesting "a cappella". I actually came up with 9 or 10. To narrow it down,I left out Brandon,simply because we know what he's capable of and he doesn't need my "blessing". MichaelAndrew Mick Holliston Bb Mr. So&So
Honorable Mention-actually you could switch with my top picks: Baker(just a bit rushed) Ant GH KingoBad (broke 2 rules) Edit-Forgot Issac. He gets my Most Improved award.
Last Edited by on Feb 08, 2010 4:01 PM
In order: Sirsucksalot - awesome prformance and energy. Wearing that harpbelt with pride and honor... Tooka - Beautiful song. That intermezzo at the end will follow me into my dreams - fantastic! Baker - good dynamics - very cool! Bb - Foot tapping groove. toddlegreene - authenticity that only a impromptu performance can bring.
Honorable Mention Aussisucker - beautiful choice of song. Ant38 - nice wooops ;) MichaleAndrewLo - outstanding technique and progress superchucker77 - well... pro, nothing else to add. HarmonicaMick - great technique and a lot of finesse. JayMc28 - nice and steady groove. I will sing that melody while I go to the bus right now!
I didn't judge Kingobad, jon and Ow, but all three had awesome vids... ---------- germanharpist on YT. =;-) - Resonance is KEY!
Last Edited by on Feb 10, 2010 8:45 AM
Here are my 5 choices, in order, which were picked based on length of time playing / technique / musicality. I'm not gonna write lengthy comments 'cos my head has been hurting all day and I feel like cr*p:
MichaelAndrewLo superchucker77 Bb Ant38 hepcat
These 7, in no particular order, were on my short-list:
baker Sirsucksalot scottb GermanHarpist Hollistonharper isaacullah mrso&so (despite being a smidge over time) ---------- YouTube SlimHarpMick
Last Edited by on Feb 14, 2010 11:21 AM
Last Edited by on Feb 02, 2010 7:04 AM
