Help me out here... Im going to start this question with an apology. This is a vague request, I have little in the way if examples to show you, and I don't know what I'm talking about generally, I have also tried to find decent examples but they are often in the middle of whole films so it's no real use here... Sooooo, bear with me and I'm sorry that I can't back up my request with more useful direction .
I'm trying to pinpoint that slow, mournful, ennio morricone style (ish) , slow delta, country blues. The type of harp that often fills and transitions in between scenes in southern films. I've heard Charlie McCoy do fills like it in TV programmes based in the deep south. Its a bit cowboy, but not in a thigh slapping kinda way. It often ends the lick with a question rather than resolve. Its blues but not following the 12 bars. Its a bit delta but Kinda endless and wandering. Not really songs but just stringing together short melodies, the kind of harp that sounds great by the last remnants of the campfire .
So... Thats my terrible description of a style of harp that I love.
Does it have a genre? Is there a person I should listen to? The problem is it seems to be something that isn't recorded on its own as its not song or tune focused.
Sorry for most probably wasting your time!
Last Edited by Ian on Sep 24, 2015 4:21 AM
Ian - This is a link to a documentary that Adam played backing on, so yes it's a film too. A powerful documentary and soulful playing. Is this the kind of thing?
Wow. Thanks for the link, very moving. Yes... You nailed it. Thats the kind of thing. starting at 2:35. Sometimes even slower with more of a country scale vibe. Would you know any artists that play that kind of sound beyond just backing tracks? Or what you would categorise it as? Is it just slow blues? Trying to find examples outside of film and TV seem to be tricky and id like to try to practice and emulate the sound.
Last Edited by Ian on Sep 24, 2015 7:36 AM
I can picture it - Monument Valley, Harry Dean Stanton, Paris Texas. Only thing is that's Ry Cooder's guitar instead of a harmonica. But I can't answer your question. Maybe one for the main forum...(refer them to this thread!)
https://youtu.be/b44paD20O3M
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Sep 24, 2015 7:54 AM
Ha... You got it man. I'm pretty sure that it was that kind of slow, soulful sound that got me interested in the harp in the first place. Just have always struggled to find someone who makes it their business to play it as a centrepiece to their style. Hopefully someone else will chime in with some players who are known for this style. Thanks for your input bud.
Last Edited by Ian on Sep 24, 2015 11:42 AM
I think Annie Raines has done some of this for shows like NPR and Prairie Home Companion, but that doesn't help, because most of her CDs aren't that sort of style.
I assume this is what you're looking for, although I'm not familiar with the player on this one:
Hi Jason, Yes this is the kind of stuff. But like you said it's not the focus of their music. Every example given so far is along the right lines, be it the ry cooder western style ramblings or the more bluesy feel of the other two examples. Finding an artist who plays this style on their recordings seems to be the issue. Thanks for the input
We live in the age of iTunes. You may be able to get individual tracks even if the album as a whole doesn't have a lot of it.
This song has some, but only in the intro...
This one has a slightly different sound overall...
And of course, Once Upon a Time in the West
Good vibrato, played slow, with something on the edge between echo and reverb. Seems they are kind of echoing parts that might otherwise be played by strings or a flute, I think. It's not a sound I've worked on a lot, but I do really like it.
That last clip bear in mind, that is pretty heavily processed. It sounds really great but to whip out a harp and expect to do that total acoustic, you may be disappointed.
Norton Buffalo did a ton of stuff for tv and movies. He may be a resource for what you're looking for.
