tyler127
1 post
Feb 03, 2016
7:01 AM
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Hey guys n galls! My name is Tyler, im 26 and from central Mississippi and I wanted to take a moment to say hi and thank you guys for adding me to the forum.
Although I'm not completely new to the music scene (i can jam a couple blues scales and riffs on my guitar, but by no means consider myself great) I must say the harp has stuck my fancy something serious!
Growing up here had me immersed in the blues from a very young age and I've always been attaracted to the harp in some strange way. Recently I had a hernia repaired then lost my job so im not doing much so I decided to take a leap of faith and buy a harp!
Yes I bought a marine band in e because I knew nothing about harps lol but I gotta start somewhere (also the only one my local pawn stop had). After doing a little research I noticed it's common pratice to adjust the reeds in a new harp. How critical is this on a new marine band? Already got several hours on it and I can tell I'm having a little trouble with the draw 1 and 7-10 take a little extra effort. I was thinking perhaps there is a "break in" period and in just jumping the gun.
Single notes and bends seem like the obvious thing to work on now, but and tips would be imminsly appriciated.
Might try and save up some scratch and hit up one of the harp expos in the sping or summer of I feel like im getting anywhere with it!
Thanks in advance.
Tyler
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MindTheGap
1096 posts
Feb 03, 2016
7:16 AM
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Welcome Tyler.
Well, your question about adjusting reeds, if you read many of the recent posts you'll see that there is quite of a lot of discussion about that very topic just now!
I'll just say: yes it does seem to be typical to have to adjust the reeds a bit, and it's easy to do. However, you do have to consider it might be your developing technique too. Finding out which is which is part of the fun.
I'll leave the others to fill in the details :)
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Feb 03, 2016 7:18 AM
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tyler127
2 posts
Feb 03, 2016
7:30 AM
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Thanks mindthegap, Yeah I'm aware that I need alot more work than my harp that's for sure! Just weary because of the nails instead of screws. I enjoy tootin so much I don't wanna mess anything up. I'll prolly play it for a couple more days then break into it. Thinking of replacing the nails with the nuts n bolts off 2 old piedmonts my buddy have me the other day( which are old as dirt and the sound reflects it).
Anyway here's to another day of reading endless harp articals and playing till my lips are numb!
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MindTheGap
1097 posts
Feb 03, 2016
8:03 AM
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Adam has a YT video where he prises off the covers with a knife, it all looks pretty straightforward. Famous last words! Anyway I've not done it, but others have and they'll be along shortly I expect to encourage you.
"...reading endless harp articles, playing til lips re numb..." sounds to me like you've got the right stuff :)
But numb lips? Maybe consider a Lee Oskar for your next harp. (Don't take any notice...) :)
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Feb 03, 2016 8:05 AM
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Killa_Hertz
419 posts
Feb 03, 2016
3:45 PM
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Tyler welcome to the addiction bro.
As far as the reed work goes i would just leave it be for now. Just try to get single notes down. Your harp prolly needs adjusting, but until your technique is a lil better it would be hard to tell where to adjust it to. I can point you in the direction of some of the videos i used on youtube when i first started. Which wasnt all that long ago. 8^)> If you stick with it you can go a long way in a relatively short time.
If you want there are Alot of good videos on this site and others for sale, but as you're unemployed at the moment disposable income is prolly not there.
Also MTG had a comment. For your next harp buy a recessed comb harp. I would suggest a Hohner Special 20 in the key of C. MTG likes Lee Oskars. They are good too. Either way, i feel they are easier to learn everything on. And harp expo? RockinRons.com sells all brands of harps. He ll have it at your door in like 2 days.
For you tube check out:
FunkyHarp Channel
Mitch Granger
Jon Gindick
Of course Adam Gussow and Ronnie Shellist.
The first two guys have a free step by step lesson thing goin on.
Adam just has an ungodly amount of information and videos. But at first it can be too much.
I would say work on single notes (your embouchure or lip placement/position ) and finding your way around the harp. Just check them videos out and get a good base down. Once you move onto bending, maybe think about opening the harp.
Start with lukes (Funky Harp) video 1 and follow then for a while. Honestly i skipped all the scale stuff at first. So it won't kill you if you do. Infact if i had tried to stick to all that i may have Gave up.
So another piece of advice would be to just skip around and play what interest you.
Good luck man. Let us know how it s goin.
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"Trust Those Who Seek The Truth. Doubt Those Who Say They Have Found It."
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SuperBee
3348 posts
Feb 03, 2016
4:46 PM
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Hi Tyler,
I agree you probably shouldn’t get too much into trying to adjust that harp just yet. Pretty much what Killa said.
All I want to add is that you have picked quite a tough harp to learn on. That is one of the trickier beasts around. Because it’s quite a tricky harp to play, it’s also quite something to set up well, and because you are just starting out it would be really dodgy I think to expect you to be able to set it up. I’ve set up a lot of harps and played for a long time and I still don’t feel really comfortable about playing and setting up an E harp.
One reason is I just don’t play that key much. It crosses into B which is not so common, it’s a bit too high to use for 1st position (playing Key of E), it plays third position in F# which is also fairly rare...basically it’s just a bit of a black spot. An F harp is quite hard too but more useful because it plays second position (aka cross harp) in C which is a lot more common than B, and even an Eb gets a bit more use because it plays crossed into Bb. E is a bit of an ugly duckling. It’d be among the first I’d take to the pawnbroker too.
The top end…it’s not surprising you find it tough. The top end is harder to play well on all harps imho…(not that you have to blow harder, in fact the opposite of that is true in some ways)…it requires a bit more focus and finesse than the lower 6 holes, to get a sound at all and especially a sound that’s cool. Those reeds are small and stiff, and they respond to small changes. It just takes a while to learn the fine control needed. Some folks hardly ever go there. Even Little Walter didn’t really play the top end much. I’m not saying don’t go there, but don’t fret about it too much, it just does take a while…especially on an E harp.
I really don’t care what type of harp you get next, but I’d advise making it an A harp…or Bb, or C…kinda depends what you like to play along with but A will let you play along in cross harp with folks playing in E, and that’s very common and mellow and the harp is a bit easier to get on with. And if you want to get into playing the top end, it’s quite a good one to cut your teeth on.
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Killa_Hertz
425 posts
Feb 03, 2016
5:36 PM
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Yes. I ment to mention both of those points. Im still working on getting any kind of good sounds out of the top end. It's tough. And the key of E is going to be harder to play probably because of how high it is.
The marine band is prone to leaks and other problems. while easily fixed, Not a good harp for your first.
I have heard other people suggest an A harp for a first. That's interesting.
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"Trust Those Who Seek The Truth. Doubt Those Who Say They Have Found It."
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MindTheGap
1099 posts
Feb 04, 2016
12:14 AM
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Ah, I didn't notice it was an E-harp. I which case I agree with the comments above - whatever model you get, a lower key would be easier to learn on.
It's not an obvious point when you start, but the different harp keys aren't just different in pitch, they are surprisingly different in feel as well. Roughly the high keys are 'tighter' and the lower ones 'looser' but - like a lot of harp things - you have to experience it for yourself then all the words start to make sense!
Personally I do most of my practice with an A-harp as it is a bit gentler on the ears than the higher keys for repetitive work.
For following instructional material a C-harp is the default, although Adam mostly uses a Bb in his videos!
Footnote: Don't take my comment about Lee Oskar too seriously, just we've been talking about them.
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Feb 04, 2016 12:20 AM
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Glass Harp Full
95 posts
Feb 04, 2016
9:42 PM
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Hi Tyler. Welcome to the forum and I'm sorry to hear about your health and employment problems. I hope things start looking up soon.
Along with the good advice others have contributed already, you might like to try train imitations and chugging. There's some good introductory/beginner level videos on YouTube:
Adam Gussow has a couple on train imitations
Lee Sankey has a four video intro to country blues (more are available for purchase on his website)
Ben Hewlett has a video on five easy Sonny Terry riffs
This stuff is a fun way of doing something that sounds cool and musical before you can get single notes confidently and you can continue to develop it and make it more complex as you progress.
Good luck!
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Ian
274 posts
Feb 05, 2016
1:51 AM
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I would definitely recommend getting either a bluesmaster or sp20 in C and A, then going through Mitch Graingers youtube lessons. They are numbered from begginner to lower intermediate and they set me off really well when I started.
Good luck and welcome.
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