I've been in a huddle with my "study buddy" over practice and it's gotten pretty interesting.
We've been talking about "S.M.A.R.T." goals. For instance:
S-pecifc [I need to learn my new band's arrangements of 40 songs, plus vocals on 12 of those]
M-easurable [I need to learn them well enough to perform them]I'll measure my success against the approval I get from my bandmates in our weekly rehearsal, and at the gig.
A-cheivable [I can do it - I've played 80% of them at one time or another]
R-ealistic [I want to do it, and I need to do it to be qualified for the gig]
T-imely [Our next gig is in early December, 6 weeks away]
Promise yourself a reward for acheiving your goal. Now, in the case of musicians, most of us feel that just having the opportunity to play is it's own reward, but when you set goals, it's a good idea to set a special reward for a special effort. My reward in this case will be to spent the money I get paid on a new axe , which is not something I usually do with gig pay.
When setting goals like this, "take ownership" of your goals by sharing them with a friend or mentor who will help you hold yourself accountable. You might even do this by publishing your goals - like on this blog, for example.
Break the goal down into action steps that make sense and fit into the amount of time you have available. If you schedule daily practice sessions, have a specific number of things you'll do planned for each practice, for instance:
Warm-up - 5 min.
Sing 2 songs - 10 min.
Play 3 songs with practice CD, 15 min.
Free Play - 5 min.
(Oh, yeah - keep it FUN)
Monitor your progress - check in with your self, your study-buddy, or Mentor on a frequent, regular basis. If you start to get off track, this will save you before things get too out of hand.
Finally, don't be too hard on yourself if you don't exactly acheve your goal. Instead, adjust your next milestone, congratulate yourself on the real progress you made by your honest effort, and recycle - start working on that next goal.
The more you do this, the easier the organizing process becomes - eventually, it may even start working it's way into your routine subconsciously.
Lifespan
I've been talking to my friend John about the lifespan of his harmonicas. John goes through harps pretty fast. He's got amazing tone - really amazing. He sounds like a trumpet; just brassy, in your face tone. Man, I really dig his tone. In fact, he can make a harmonica sound acoustically almost like it would sound through an amp - you know, when those singing, high notes just scream?
Most of his tone (and the fact that his harmonicas don't last so long), comes from the fact that he blows so hard. His cheeks stay real tight, small embouchure, just blowing the crap out of the reeds, really working those little suckers.
Well, I was working on a George "Harmonica" Smith song yesterday, "Telephone Blues". It's in A, 2nd position on a D harmonica. George starts it out with this killer little intro that's got that real brassy tone, and I was working on it yesterday in the living room (AKA 'woodshed'), trying to figure out his attack to get that sound. My living room has pretty cool acoustics, and I was standing in the sweet spot just playing with the way the harp sounded, looking for that brassy tone.
My #5 draw reed was TOAST within 10 minutes. It's the first harmonica I've killed like that in 3 or 4 years.
So here's what I think I've learned:
1. GS gets that hornlike sound from his amp.
2. Trying to play with that tone right from the reeds, the way that John can do, kills harps.
So: John, ease up, brother! When you try to get all that sound you want just from the reeds, you're making it do something it just can't do. It's like when you get up on stage and everybody's got a bigger amp than you, and you're all the way turned up, and you still can't be heard, so you're straining for volume. Technique goes right down the chute because you're straining so hard for more loudness.
If you're playing 'amplified', work the amplifier. Make your amp pull it's own weight, that the amp's job.
If you're playing acoustically, you get sound projection from "other" techniques, not from playing the reeds hard. Think of how vocalists get loud (they don't do it by screaming). I play with acoustic musicians often. You don't have to play hard to be loud, but you can't expect to sound like an amplified blues harp acoustically; you'll have to go for a different tone to get the loudness you want.
So, think of your tone and your loudness as two separate aspects of your technique.
Work on your tone (the way your harmonica sounds acoustically) at low volumes. Work your embouchure (head, chest, throat, belly) for your tone.
Work on your amplified sound with your amp at playing volumes (after crafting your tone), and don't let yourself be forced on the bandstand to strain for more volume. If you use a little amp, mic it, or get the other players to turn down.
Oh, and beware any situation where the drums are mic'd - that sucker's just gonna be too damn loud.
Most of his tone (and the fact that his harmonicas don't last so long), comes from the fact that he blows so hard. His cheeks stay real tight, small embouchure, just blowing the crap out of the reeds, really working those little suckers.
Well, I was working on a George "Harmonica" Smith song yesterday, "Telephone Blues". It's in A, 2nd position on a D harmonica. George starts it out with this killer little intro that's got that real brassy tone, and I was working on it yesterday in the living room (AKA 'woodshed'), trying to figure out his attack to get that sound. My living room has pretty cool acoustics, and I was standing in the sweet spot just playing with the way the harp sounded, looking for that brassy tone.
My #5 draw reed was TOAST within 10 minutes. It's the first harmonica I've killed like that in 3 or 4 years.
So here's what I think I've learned:
1. GS gets that hornlike sound from his amp.
2. Trying to play with that tone right from the reeds, the way that John can do, kills harps.
So: John, ease up, brother! When you try to get all that sound you want just from the reeds, you're making it do something it just can't do. It's like when you get up on stage and everybody's got a bigger amp than you, and you're all the way turned up, and you still can't be heard, so you're straining for volume. Technique goes right down the chute because you're straining so hard for more loudness.
If you're playing 'amplified', work the amplifier. Make your amp pull it's own weight, that the amp's job.
If you're playing acoustically, you get sound projection from "other" techniques, not from playing the reeds hard. Think of how vocalists get loud (they don't do it by screaming). I play with acoustic musicians often. You don't have to play hard to be loud, but you can't expect to sound like an amplified blues harp acoustically; you'll have to go for a different tone to get the loudness you want.
So, think of your tone and your loudness as two separate aspects of your technique.
Work on your tone (the way your harmonica sounds acoustically) at low volumes. Work your embouchure (head, chest, throat, belly) for your tone.
Work on your amplified sound with your amp at playing volumes (after crafting your tone), and don't let yourself be forced on the bandstand to strain for more volume. If you use a little amp, mic it, or get the other players to turn down.
Oh, and beware any situation where the drums are mic'd - that sucker's just gonna be too damn loud.
Mentors
As a guy who's spent literally decades in the woodshed (playing guitar & bass) with very little help or positive interaction with other musicians, I have to say that harmonica players are a very supportive (if eccentric) bunch of folks as a class. I've gotten some of the most helpful feedback, sage advice, and handiest tips from my fellow harp players.
And there are a gang of really fine harp players here in town! A buddy told me "you're doing well to come up in such an intimidating environment (around all those strong players)", but it ain't like that. I s'pose it would be if I was a guitar player (they often seem to be looking for a showdown somehow), but these local players - Chet, HJ, Karl, Alan, Roger, Lance, Ben, Walter, Dianne, Sonny, Randal, Lenny, Ted, Budd, Steve - have all treated me as a peer from the git-go.
Even the pros I've taken lessons from (John Gindick, Rod Piazza, Bill Barrett) and those I've only shared a drink with (Magic Dick, Lee Oskar, Mark Hummel) have been kind, and respectful - no matter to them that I'm "just a noob".
I truly appreciate the kind consideration...
And there are a gang of really fine harp players here in town! A buddy told me "you're doing well to come up in such an intimidating environment (around all those strong players)", but it ain't like that. I s'pose it would be if I was a guitar player (they often seem to be looking for a showdown somehow), but these local players - Chet, HJ, Karl, Alan, Roger, Lance, Ben, Walter, Dianne, Sonny, Randal, Lenny, Ted, Budd, Steve - have all treated me as a peer from the git-go.
Even the pros I've taken lessons from (John Gindick, Rod Piazza, Bill Barrett) and those I've only shared a drink with (Magic Dick, Lee Oskar, Mark Hummel) have been kind, and respectful - no matter to them that I'm "just a noob".
I truly appreciate the kind consideration...
Changing colors
I have a deep love of good old, greasy, stinky blues. Old juke-joint stuff. Robert Johnson, Son House. Mississippi Delta, Piedmont, early Chicago.
A friend just sent me a link to some historic photos of blues musicians on the web.
It's called The Blueheart Archive. Quite an impressive collection.
Scanning through all those photos I got a visual impression of what I've been hearing and seeing over the years as a Blues fan. Most of the photos in the last 5 or 10 years are white people, while the older photos predominantly feature black people.
You've seen it, too. Blues certainly has changed.
With the exception of a few "hardcore" individuals who are almost scholars (historians, really) in their approach to the music, we've changed the sound of the blues too, and often not for the better, in my opinion. I'm not talking about The Blues had a baby and they named it Rock & Roll. I'm talking about trying to cover Lowell Fulson, Houndog Taylor, John Lee Hooker, and just totally mangling the song!
I'm not sure how adding my white voice to the din can help the situation. Probably it can't. I'm likely part of the problem. But I sure love to play and sing the Blues.
Is there a solution? Or is it even a problem?
A friend just sent me a link to some historic photos of blues musicians on the web.
It's called The Blueheart Archive. Quite an impressive collection.
Scanning through all those photos I got a visual impression of what I've been hearing and seeing over the years as a Blues fan. Most of the photos in the last 5 or 10 years are white people, while the older photos predominantly feature black people.
You've seen it, too. Blues certainly has changed.
With the exception of a few "hardcore" individuals who are almost scholars (historians, really) in their approach to the music, we've changed the sound of the blues too, and often not for the better, in my opinion. I'm not talking about The Blues had a baby and they named it Rock & Roll. I'm talking about trying to cover Lowell Fulson, Houndog Taylor, John Lee Hooker, and just totally mangling the song!
I'm not sure how adding my white voice to the din can help the situation. Probably it can't. I'm likely part of the problem. But I sure love to play and sing the Blues.
Is there a solution? Or is it even a problem?
Practice, practice
So, do you really have to practice scales & arpeggios? Can't you just practice improvisation? Can't you just learn licks by repetition, then learn to fuse and mutate those licks into a lexicon of musical phrases unique to you?
As I see it, scales and arpeggios are like learning the structure of a language from the solid foundation up to the roof. Learning the difference between nouns, verbs, adjectives, predicates, and punctuation. Learning a complete vocabulary.
Can a story be written without a thorough knowledge of the structure of language, of story-telling? Can a good story be written with a limted vocabulary? Perhaps. But it would be a story limited by the mental boundaries of its writer.
Blues music - traditionally created by musicians with little musical book learning, imposes restrictions on us that can be very liberating within its structure.
But could one get an even better result by combining all that talent with a good education? Certainly one could get a different result.
Like the difference between Blues & Jazz.
Does that mean I'm practicing my arpeggios? Not really.
As I see it, scales and arpeggios are like learning the structure of a language from the solid foundation up to the roof. Learning the difference between nouns, verbs, adjectives, predicates, and punctuation. Learning a complete vocabulary.
Can a story be written without a thorough knowledge of the structure of language, of story-telling? Can a good story be written with a limted vocabulary? Perhaps. But it would be a story limited by the mental boundaries of its writer.
Blues music - traditionally created by musicians with little musical book learning, imposes restrictions on us that can be very liberating within its structure.
But could one get an even better result by combining all that talent with a good education? Certainly one could get a different result.
Like the difference between Blues & Jazz.
Does that mean I'm practicing my arpeggios? Not really.
Practice
Practice (as opposed to rehearsal) was one of the bones of contention of my former band. It's my former band because it wasn't fun anymore so I (the founder) quit.
Anyway, here's where I'm going with this one: Practice is for the woodshed. Practice is what you do when you have room to screw up. By yourself. Practice is for making mistakes, then polishing them into something fine to hear. Recording is great for practice, because it give you the opportunity to review your errors.
Rehearsal, on the other hand, is for perfecting your "dance moves" - for learning the starts, stops, changes and finishes - of the songs, and of the set. Seemed like the guys in the band wanted to learn the songs in rehearsal, which left no time for rehearsing the dance moves.
Recording is even better for rehearsals - it helps you to differentiate whether it was the drummer or bass player (or you) that screwed up that last chorus.
Practice at home in the woodshed,
Improvise at jams,
Rehearse in the rehearsal studio.
Anyway, here's where I'm going with this one: Practice is for the woodshed. Practice is what you do when you have room to screw up. By yourself. Practice is for making mistakes, then polishing them into something fine to hear. Recording is great for practice, because it give you the opportunity to review your errors.
Rehearsal, on the other hand, is for perfecting your "dance moves" - for learning the starts, stops, changes and finishes - of the songs, and of the set. Seemed like the guys in the band wanted to learn the songs in rehearsal, which left no time for rehearsing the dance moves.
Recording is even better for rehearsals - it helps you to differentiate whether it was the drummer or bass player (or you) that screwed up that last chorus.
Practice at home in the woodshed,
Improvise at jams,
Rehearse in the rehearsal studio.
Podcast
Hey, check out The Roadhouse Podcast if you get a chance. Tony Steidler-Dennison knows blues. He often features players you've never heard of - most of 'em quite good - and he's started to feature more well-known stuff, too.
Da Kine, brah.
Mama don' 'low
You won't see me posting much about overblowers here. I don't care for the sound of the technique, generally speaking.
Like playing in all keys on the chromatic, there are damn few players who can play in many (or all) keys on the diatonic. In fact, far fewer than chromatic players. And most overblowers sound like crap, IMO - they get a strangled tone from making the reeds go that way that just grates on my (old) ears. So, no overblowers here.
Chromaticity
My "study buddy" & I made a pact. We decided we'd try to challenge each other to achieve a semblance of "chromaticity" - the art of being able to play fluently in all keys. If you play harmonica you know how hard this is. If you don't, I'll give you a hint: most harmonica-playing pros carry more than 20 harmonicas to give them the reach and depth of color-palette to do this tastefully. I should say most BLUES-harmonica-playing pros.
You can find Maestros like Toots Thielemans and Bill Barrett -and very few others that can play fluently in all keys with one harmonica. But on a planet with literally MILLIONS of players, musicians like Toots are nearly as rare as Charlie Parker.
Anyway, my bud & I are going to try to LIMP through Aebersold's Blues in All Keys over the next several months, challenging each other to a new key every week or so. Should be interesting - I hope we make it all the way through. Maybe I'll try to post a sound-byte later if I can get one that doesn't bite...
William Clarke
I know this is supposed to be a harmonica blog, but the most Badass harmonica player ever has a Guitar-Playing video on YouTube that just kicked my ass. Here it is:
F R Farrell
Long time mail-order Harmonica distributor, F R Farrell closed their doors several months ago. Now, their inventory is showing up on Ebay. Hundreds of harmonicas at a time were auctioned for a fraction of their "street value". click here to see what's left...
About me
My first real musical instrument was a harmonica, given to me by my folks before I was in school. Probably the first Harmonica player I can remember really knocking me out was Little Stevie Wonder. Next after that was Charlie Musselwhite, I think. After that, I had the blues fever and started seeking out the source material like Sonny Boy Williamson, Junior Wells, Little Walter and all the rest.
My parents, both musicians, exposed me to many different musical styles throughout childhood, from Gospel to Country (what would now be referred to as Americana), Blues, Jazz, and of course 'popular music' of the era. There was always music at home, at church, and any time family was around. My family revered music and musicians. My Paternal Grandfather played fiddle; old music from the Arkansas hills of his youth. All of his children loved to sing, and my father played Jazz guitar. Mom's family were singers, too, and mom played Piano and Organ in church. I learned a lot about music in general (and about harmony in particular) by osmosis from my family at a very young age. Have you ever heard the sweet sounds of family members in harmony? At family gatherings, singing was as much a part of the conversation as talking. I believe my love of singing comes from that.
My harmonica 'education' has included included one-on-ones Eddie Gordon (Johnny Puelo's Harmonica Gang), Bill Barrett, Rod Piazza, and harmonicist & educator Roger Gonzales.
Harmonica is the only musical instrument you literally breathe through. Just as with singing, when you play harmonica, the instrument you're playing is really your whole body. That gives the harmonica a uniquely expressive character, like the human voice. Although I perform mostly with Diatonic and Chromatic harmonicas, my collection also includes Tremolo, Octave, Bass and even Chord models. What I love most about playing harmonica is when I have the opportunity to improvise. The most important components of a performance are imagination, passion, and connection with the audience. I'd rather play one note that touches your heart than a hundred that deafen your ear.
My parents, both musicians, exposed me to many different musical styles throughout childhood, from Gospel to Country (what would now be referred to as Americana), Blues, Jazz, and of course 'popular music' of the era. There was always music at home, at church, and any time family was around. My family revered music and musicians. My Paternal Grandfather played fiddle; old music from the Arkansas hills of his youth. All of his children loved to sing, and my father played Jazz guitar. Mom's family were singers, too, and mom played Piano and Organ in church. I learned a lot about music in general (and about harmony in particular) by osmosis from my family at a very young age. Have you ever heard the sweet sounds of family members in harmony? At family gatherings, singing was as much a part of the conversation as talking. I believe my love of singing comes from that.
My harmonica 'education' has included included one-on-ones Eddie Gordon (Johnny Puelo's Harmonica Gang), Bill Barrett, Rod Piazza, and harmonicist & educator Roger Gonzales.
Harmonica is the only musical instrument you literally breathe through. Just as with singing, when you play harmonica, the instrument you're playing is really your whole body. That gives the harmonica a uniquely expressive character, like the human voice. Although I perform mostly with Diatonic and Chromatic harmonicas, my collection also includes Tremolo, Octave, Bass and even Chord models. What I love most about playing harmonica is when I have the opportunity to improvise. The most important components of a performance are imagination, passion, and connection with the audience. I'd rather play one note that touches your heart than a hundred that deafen your ear.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
