On Apr 24, 3:50 am, Dylan <DDawso...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> On 23 Apr, 21:33, Jack Campin - bogus address <bo...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> wrote:
>
> > > I plan to start listening, with harmonica in mouth, to the great
> > > harmonica players, in order to build up a repertoire of licks and
> > > riffs. The problem is that I don't know where or how to start.
>
> > You need to know that the player you're trying to emulate has the
> > same sort of harmonica as you. There are an astoni****ng variety
> > of designs and good players often use several of them. You don't
> > want to realize after weeks of slog that you were trying to do the
> > impossible.
>
> > ==== j a c k at c a m p i n . m e . u k ===
<http://www.campin.me.uk>
====
> > Jack Campin, 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland == mob 07800
739 557
> > CD-ROMs and free stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, and Mac
logic fonts
>
> You're absolutely right Jack, before I can try to copy another artist
> I need to determine if it a diatonic or chromatic harmonica that is
> being played and also figure out what key the song is in and what
> techniques the musician is using. This is quite a lot to do simply by
> using my ears.
>
> Dylan
This is where a little bit of theory would be very helpful. In lieu of
learning the notes, notation, rhythm keys and progression, there is an
alternative that may be of use. Learn the notes of the Blues Scale as
they apply to the regular Blues Harp. There will be harps in every key
and players may commonly bring many to the gig. Playing each of them
(if you have the proper harp for the proper key) will be the same
patterns on each appropriate harp.
If you know the Blues Scale patterns on one harp its the same on them
all. Thus, you can tell pretty quick if your harp is the correct one
for the key of the recording that you are trying to play with. If it
fits, go with it, if it doesn't, either get another harp or go on to a
different recording until you find one that is in your "key". Once you
are synced up, you will be copying the recording much easier.
If the harmonica being used it a Chromatic Harp, then you will be
better served to bite the bullet and learn about the notes and keys
and other things concerning theory. The chromatic harp is much more
like a "real" instrument (meaning that it can play all the notes like
a piano or accordion etc, not used in a derogatory sense) and thus you
will find that it will be very useful to learn at least enough theory
to be able to deal with this.
There may be players that will use keyed chromatic harps with an in
between style. That is, they will play off the Blue notes of the harp
and supplement them with some of the chromatic tones to give variety.
If you find that you are in the correct blues key, but there are notes
that just won't come out sounding right on the simple Blues Harp, this
might be the case.
In either case, this may help you get started. You could do worse than
to learn a bit of theory as you go along, but starting with the ear is
the first step to learning music. If you learn the blues scale
patterns on the harp, you can start to play the blues "a cappela"
right away, even if you don't have any recordings and if you have a
friend that can play in your key, you can start to jam. You will also
be able to jam the blues over any blues tune in your key. Learning the
blues scale will give you a base of operations that can be built upon
and in the meantime you are learning the harp and the blues. As you
learn to make music with just this one scale, you will be able to
decide what you need to know next and in the meantime, you will be
making music and learning the techniques of the instrument.
Good luck,
LJS
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