My friend from West of Memphis commented on my last post, but I thought I'd paste it in here so it would show up on your feeds.
quote:
Mr. Chromatonic, Thanks for the comments ! We will be doing a live interview on On the "Boogie Child" program KCLA on the American Radio Network in Los Angeles and it will simulcast on the web http://www.kclafm.com/ on March 3rd from 7:30 to 9pm We'll be playing in the studio, answering questions, Playing cuts from our Blues Heroes and some off our old and new albums.. It should be a hoot.. I hope you and yours can tune in. Thanks again !
-end quote
West of Memphis
West of Memphis
My friends from the band West of Memphis just got back from a week in the studio putting together a new CD. WOW! I am not exaggerating - this CD will knock you for a loop when you hear it! It will surprise you that it was made in this century, not in the middle of the last one - it sounds that authentic.
Please go to their website now and bookmark it. Check back until they post the link to their new CD. No fooling friends, this is some serious blues.
What an incredible vibe they create: Little Walter meets Woody Herman (and I don't throw around Little Walter comparisons lightly)!
All the horn lines, grease, grit, tone, rhythm and swing you can STAND!
Please go to their website now and bookmark it. Check back until they post the link to their new CD. No fooling friends, this is some serious blues.
What an incredible vibe they create: Little Walter meets Woody Herman (and I don't throw around Little Walter comparisons lightly)!
All the horn lines, grease, grit, tone, rhythm and swing you can STAND!
Playlist fodder
Most Blues fans know what they like. Some are 'Brit-blues' fans - they dig Mayall, Green, and the like. Some are fans of Texas Blues, Jump, Delta Blues, or Piedmont styles...
A lot of Blues fans listen mostly to the Guitar, some to the Vocals, and some prefer Piano. Since I'm a self-confessed Harmonica fanatic, I have my 'first favorites' listed over yonder in the column on the right, but I thought I'd list some other Harmonica players (that you may not be aware of) for you to check-out.
But first, the obvious Chicago Blues men that are missing from my short list:
...and now for some you may not have heard of:
Every name listed above has solid credentials and deserves your consideration to be added to your Blues Harmonica playlist. These musicians have been at it for some time really laying those blues down in a faithful, honest way. Not a poser in the group.
Finally, 3 guys you probably haven't heard of even if you know every name above:
This last list is 'homeboys' from here in San Diego. Don't let that discourage you from listening to them; all of these guys can BLOW.
I apologize to the scores of other great players not listed here; my memory ain't what it used to be. Every name listed on my blog belongs to a player I admire and aspire to be more like. I hope you enjoy them!
A lot of Blues fans listen mostly to the Guitar, some to the Vocals, and some prefer Piano. Since I'm a self-confessed Harmonica fanatic, I have my 'first favorites' listed over yonder in the column on the right, but I thought I'd list some other Harmonica players (that you may not be aware of) for you to check-out.
But first, the obvious Chicago Blues men that are missing from my short list:
- Junior Wells
- Living legend James Cotton
- Big Walter Horton
- John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson
- Aleck "Rice" Miller, AKA Sonny Boy Willimason, or Sonny Boy II
- Jimmy Reed
- Billy Boy Arnold
- Carey Bell
- Snooky Prior
...and now for some you may not have heard of:
- Adam Gussow
- Sugar Blue
- Jerry Portnoy
- Jason Ricci
- Keith Dunn
- Phil Wiggins
- Paul Oscher
- Annie Raines
- Mark Hummel
- Paul deLay
Every name listed above has solid credentials and deserves your consideration to be added to your Blues Harmonica playlist. These musicians have been at it for some time really laying those blues down in a faithful, honest way. Not a poser in the group.
Finally, 3 guys you probably haven't heard of even if you know every name above:
This last list is 'homeboys' from here in San Diego. Don't let that discourage you from listening to them; all of these guys can BLOW.
I apologize to the scores of other great players not listed here; my memory ain't what it used to be. Every name listed on my blog belongs to a player I admire and aspire to be more like. I hope you enjoy them!
Happy New Year 2007!
Most of us look back and forward at the turning of each new year. I'm not going to be much different, but I am going to make a suggestion: If you're engaged in some kind of long-term endeavor (such as trying to build your skills as a musician, artist, or in your career), I suggest you take a few moments to 'take a snapshot' of your current position on your path. Here are some ways you might do that:
What you've created is something that shows some things you have to feel good about on your path of development. Savor it.
Now, if you need to make a second copy to use in your goal-setting process (you do have a formalized goal-setting process, don't you?), go ahead and do so.
Take your 'snapshot' and put it away. Save the file, put the book on the shelf, store the archive, whatever.
Now, make an appointment for Noon, December 31st, 2007 to pull that archive out of storage and have a good long, look. I'm confident you'll have plenty to smile about when you open it again next New Year's Eve.
- Build a little 'Brag Page', folder, archive, etc...
- Take a picture of all the Mics you've built, or your 'rig', if you're working on improving it.
- Make a recording of yourself playing your favorite show-piece.
- List your accomplishments almost as you would for a resume' - be kind, but realistic.
- Stay positive!
- Try to keep your accomplishments as 'stand-alone' items - don't list them 'against' your goals (that's for later).
- List only the best stuff - don't record a song you haven't mastered, or anything you're struggling with - make this about this year's triumphs, however few or small.
What you've created is something that shows some things you have to feel good about on your path of development. Savor it.
Now, if you need to make a second copy to use in your goal-setting process (you do have a formalized goal-setting process, don't you?), go ahead and do so.
Take your 'snapshot' and put it away. Save the file, put the book on the shelf, store the archive, whatever.
Now, make an appointment for Noon, December 31st, 2007 to pull that archive out of storage and have a good long, look. I'm confident you'll have plenty to smile about when you open it again next New Year's Eve.
Reward III
TONE! Glorious, fat, greasy, CHEAP TONE!
Let me preface this by saying clearly that I'm not compensated for any product comments made on this (or any other) site. I'm not a professional, neither am I an endorser of any product.
OK?
[Chromatonic's note]: I decided to compile my posts regarding the Valve Junior into one cohesive report. The updated version is as follows...
Reward I
Jp and I have been discussing what we're doing to motivate ourselves for practice, and one important component - beyond having a plan - is to decide on a reward. This will be mine - an Epiphone Valve Junior. This little beauty is a 5-watt Class A amp just right to fire up for an impromptu living-room jam (assuming one's friends are similarly equipped). By the way, why is it that Guitar Players have so much trouble playing at 'reasonable' volume levels? Because the amps that give them the tone they want will only do so at high volumes!
HEY! Class A, 5-watt, tiny, cool, one knob. This is a modern-day Fender Champ for almost nothing!
I've been considering building a little amp for this purpose, but, gee, with this little gem selling for less than a good Chromatic, why not just get one and do a little tweaking, and be done with it? This way, I don't have to hunt the components, build the cabinet, etc.
There are plenty of websites dedicated to modding this little demon. Here are a few:
Dennis Cronin's Valve Junior page
svokke's page
Duh Voodoo Man's Epiphone Valve Junior Mods Page
Kluge Music's Forum
a nice schematic by Eric Miller
Eric's mod page
Hoffman Amplification's forum
So why a tiny amp, when the problem is usually one of being heard?
TONE, at reasonable volumes.
They're really cool looking.
Small and lightweight - easy to move around with.
One of these and the right microphone get's my sound into the PA for next to nothing.
They're really, really cool looking.
Did I mention low volume and TONE?
Little amps are outstanding for recording (if they're not too noisy).
I'm betting that the best way to make this amp work well with a Bullet mic will be to swap in a 12DW7 in place of the 12AX7 pre-amp tube. Here's the difference: a 12AX7 has a gain ratio of '100' in both sides of the tube - that's 100 + 100, right? Well, a 12DW7 has a gain ratio of '100' in 1 side, but only '20' on the other side. Confusing? Here's an article that explains it. Since the Valve Junior only has the one pre-amp tube and uses both sides, I'm guessing a 12DW7 might be just right to control the power of a Bullet mic. I hope I'm right!
I have a secret fantasy of putting together The Quietest Little Electric Blues Band in Town - this little amp (one for each guitar and 1 for harp) would certainly facilitate that...
So, I should "qualify" for my reward in time for The Holiday formerly known as Christmas. I'll let you know how it works out for Harp.
Reward II
I just picked-up my reward - a new Epiphone Valve Junior head.
Five watts of Class-A tone, bay-bee!
I couldn't wait to plug-in to it, so I went out to the garage and drug a bunch of toys out there with me. I hooked it up first to a 4x10 bass cabinet I have - it was dreamy, and incredibly loud. How loud? I might consider gigging with it. Next, I plugged it in to the 10" speaker in my Fender Pro Jr. Man, that was tasty!
First impressions: It's bright, musical, and VERY cool. Unfortunately, it doesn't like my Crystal mic (too treble-y), and the 12AX7 pre-amp tube has to go. I'm swapping in a 12AT7 to try to get a little more play from the volume knob (it's a bit prone to feedback with harp mics).
[UPDATE] - The 12AT7 still seemed a bit hot - I'm going to a 12AU7 (I have an NOS Mullard in my stash).
So why did I get the head instead of the combo I posted originally? The head is a little quieter due to a slightly different circuit design. It's also a bit more versatile, 'cause it supports 4-, 8-, and 10-ohm speakers, so you can plug it into a number of different speakers to vary the sound. So the Combo is a cool little all-in-one that any hacker would love (see the links in my first Reward post), but the head is more versatile and (I think) recordable.
The little pup is so dang musical it's already inspiring me to play some new licks. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship.
[UPDATE] A 5th of Blues Guitarist Rick Trotter, just picked up his Epi V-J and he's as ecstatic about it as I am mine. It's gonna be a toneful new year in 2007, people!
Reward III
One of my best buds is also a Harmonicist. I've been gushing all over him regarding my new Epiphone Valve Junior. I really dig this little thang; it's got such monster tone!
Every time I tell him about it, he asks me to send him some sound samples. Well, there aren't any samples online of Harmonica played through the Valve Jr, so I finally made a few using the meager resources I have at hand. If you're interested to hear 'The Wee Beastie' scroll down and click on the link.
[UPDATE] The 12AU7 was too cold. Probably a result of both halves of the tube being used as the entire pre-amp stage (rather than multiple tubes as most amps are), so I tried a 12AV7. Not a very common tube, the 12AV7 is just a little colder (41 gain vs 45) than the 12AT7. Seems to be just about right for my green bullet, volume around 33-38%. I have a little 'colder' mic that I just assembled that lets me use the volume in the range of 55-80%. I think it may become my dedicated mic for this rig. At 55-60%, the amp is smooth & creamy with just a bit of break-up; at 80% you get heavy, saturated, highly compressed distortion. In these upper volume settings, you get a little brighter sound until the high-compression range. My favorite tone comes from a volume setting around 65-70%.
[UPDATE: 12/23/06] The latest news is that I got a pair of (cheap surplus) 8" speakers and put them in a small 'suitcase cabinet' to use with this amp (nicknamed The 88). In my opinion, 8" speakers are THE BEST for this amp (& harmonica). Lots of 'cry' and 'bark' in the sound. Check back - I've posted some soundbites of several speakers, and a picture of The Wee Beastie Rig at this link.
In short: It's not really loud enough to gig with unless you prefer mic'ing your amp into the PA (no line-out available). But it's so dang toneful at reasonable volumes that I find myself wanting to play it all the time, and now I'm trying to think of ways to tweak my 'big' amps to get 'that' sound.
Let me clarify, however: this amp can be about 1/2 as loud as a 50-Watt guitar amp with the right pre-amp tube, input, and speakers. That can be very loud. Too loud, certainly, for an apartment. But at volumes less than WFO, it's a good bit quieter. I can play it in my house and not disturb the neighbors (in the daytime). And I'm hoping it will make our rehearsals less loud (if I can pull my bandmates' volume down to my level).
Happy Holidays
I needed a Christmas song for Slow Jam, a musical get-together I do most every month, but I couldn't find one that really captured the feeling I wanted to convey. So I wrote this last night.
Broke-down Christmas Blues
Oh, Santa, Santa Claus, hear me sing these Christmas blues
Oh, Santa, Santa Claus, hear me sing these Christmas blues
Man I got holes in my pockets clean down through the soles of my shoes
Oh Santa, Santa Claus please bring my kids Playstation 3
Oh Santa, Santa Claus please bring my kids Playstation 3
You know they broke, they broke the last one, and get so bored just watchin' TV
Oh Santa, Santa Claus please Santa won't you understand
Oh Santa, Santa Claus please Santa won't you understand
I got to get a cell-phone for my Little Princess and a $200 skateboard for my Little Man
Oh Santa, Santa Claus, please bring a fur coat for wife
Oh Santa, Santa Claus, please bring a fur coat for wife
You know I promised it last year; if you don’t she’ll take my life!
Oh, Santa, Santa Claus, I need a brand-new Cadillac car
Oh, Santa, Santa Claus, I need a brand-new Cadillac car
You know a Four Hundred Dollar paycheck, Santa it just don’t stretch too far.
[breakdown]
Now Santa I done told you that I been good all year
I paid my tithes, I paid my taxes, and my union dues, I swear
I made my two car payments, and I paid my landlord, too
I even paid 4 memberships to the San Diego Zoo
Oh, Santa, Santa Claus, hear me sing these broke-down Christmas blues
Man I got holes in my Credit-Card clean down through the soles of my shoes
Broke-down Christmas Blues
Oh, Santa, Santa Claus, hear me sing these Christmas blues
Oh, Santa, Santa Claus, hear me sing these Christmas blues
Man I got holes in my pockets clean down through the soles of my shoes
Oh Santa, Santa Claus please bring my kids Playstation 3
Oh Santa, Santa Claus please bring my kids Playstation 3
You know they broke, they broke the last one, and get so bored just watchin' TV
Oh Santa, Santa Claus please Santa won't you understand
Oh Santa, Santa Claus please Santa won't you understand
I got to get a cell-phone for my Little Princess and a $200 skateboard for my Little Man
Oh Santa, Santa Claus, please bring a fur coat for wife
Oh Santa, Santa Claus, please bring a fur coat for wife
You know I promised it last year; if you don’t she’ll take my life!
Oh, Santa, Santa Claus, I need a brand-new Cadillac car
Oh, Santa, Santa Claus, I need a brand-new Cadillac car
You know a Four Hundred Dollar paycheck, Santa it just don’t stretch too far.
[breakdown]
Now Santa I done told you that I been good all year
I paid my tithes, I paid my taxes, and my union dues, I swear
I made my two car payments, and I paid my landlord, too
I even paid 4 memberships to the San Diego Zoo
Oh, Santa, Santa Claus, hear me sing these broke-down Christmas blues
Man I got holes in my Credit-Card clean down through the soles of my shoes
Dharma Descendants
There's a tradition of Dharma in Zen. Dharma means the pure juice - the heart, marrow and guts of the Buddha's teachings. In blues, we might think of Dharma as Mojo.
A Dharma descendant is one who can trace the line of Dharma transmission all the way back to the Buddha through his Master and his Master's Masters- the direct lineage, if you will (although not by blood; by receiving the Dharma).
If the Blues Harmonica has Dharma descendants - Masters walking the earth who have the pure Mojo, and likely got it from the Originators of Blues in the most direct line of descent possible - we're talking Kim Wilson, Charlie Musselwhite, Jerry Portnoy, and a small handful of others.
If West Coast Blues Chromatic has Dharma descendants - we're only talking about one man - Rod Piazza.
Check out Piazza's online store if you want to hear what I'm puttin' down. If you don't hear it, listen twice, or just listen 'till you do. This is the real stuff, no lie. The man can blow.
(I get nothing for the link above - I'm just a fan of Rod Piazza.)
A Dharma descendant is one who can trace the line of Dharma transmission all the way back to the Buddha through his Master and his Master's Masters- the direct lineage, if you will (although not by blood; by receiving the Dharma).
If the Blues Harmonica has Dharma descendants - Masters walking the earth who have the pure Mojo, and likely got it from the Originators of Blues in the most direct line of descent possible - we're talking Kim Wilson, Charlie Musselwhite, Jerry Portnoy, and a small handful of others.
If West Coast Blues Chromatic has Dharma descendants - we're only talking about one man - Rod Piazza.
Check out Piazza's online store if you want to hear what I'm puttin' down. If you don't hear it, listen twice, or just listen 'till you do. This is the real stuff, no lie. The man can blow.
(I get nothing for the link above - I'm just a fan of Rod Piazza.)
Maintenence
Time to do some maintenance on my harps. The band is coming out next weekend (playing our first gig with this line-up), so I want to make sure all my harps are playing good as can be. Here's my maintenance regimen:
Special 20s: Take them apart completely (one at a time), and emerse in a solution of soapy water, as warm as I can stand it. I usually use a loaf pan. Let soak for a few minutes, then scrub reed plates, covers and combs with a toohbrush. Any crud on the inside or edges of the covers I scrub with an abrasive ("Scotchbrite") cleaning pad. Rinse thoroughly and place on a clean towel to air-dry. I usually scrub 4 or 5 before re-assembly, but I'm careful to keep all the parts for each harmonica together. I use a can of compressed air (like you blow your computer out with) to drive out any excess moisture that I can't towel off.
CX-12s: Same drill. I take the reed plates off completely. During re-assembly, I drag a clean sheet of paper between the 2 parts of each wind-saver. Chromatic wind-savers are my least favorite part of playing chromatics - the sticking, buzzing, flapping bugs me to no end. I'm not experienced enough yet to have ant real good answers, but I'm learning.
Super 64s: The CX process above reflects my deep cleaning drill for my Supers which I'll only do 2-3 times a year. I mostly just do Slide maintenance on them. I don't have half as much trouble with the wind-savers on my Supers as my CXs, even though they get played much more.
Swan: I use a Swan 14-hole as a knock-around practice chrom. It's adequate, although a little leaky and quiet. So far, I've only cleaned the slide on the Swan.
Chromettas: These get as little cleaning as possible, but when I do clean them, I go through them thoroughly like the CXs.
270s: I don't take the reed plates off of these wood-bodied harps unless absolutely necessary. In fact, I got a used one (never a good idea) with a broken comb which I repaired with beeswax with the reed plates still on! Most of my chroms require slide cleaning most frequently, deep cleaning less often.
Slide cleaning: Completely remove all slide components from the instrument. Everything gets a bath as per the above process. Everything but the Mouthpiece gets scrubbed with the abrasive pad first (I try to avoid scratching the MP). Then all pieces get a good going over with the toothbrush, usually under strong magnification. The first time I have the mouthpiece off a chrom, I put a gentle arc in it so the center is just a bit lower than the ends, (relative to the body) when I reassemble. The other trick I learned is mineral oil. I use a very light coating of mineral oil on the slide when I re-assemble. The type of mineral oil I mean is the "food grade" type a chef will use to treat a wooden cutting board. Just apply a very light coating (so that you wipe off all the excess) with your finger. Keeps your slide moving as free as possible. I don't use the "water lube" method on my slides. I clean the slide on my chroms about every 7-10 playing hours, or when they seize up (from dried saliva), whichever comes first.
By the way, those little vinyl bumpers that go around the screws that hold the MP on (if lost) can be replaced with a little insulation from an 18 guage wire - not a perfect replacement, but a serviceable one.
One last thing: I never eat immediately before playing (and always brush and rinse before playing), and I rarely drink anything but water while performing.
...so what do y'all do?
Special 20s: Take them apart completely (one at a time), and emerse in a solution of soapy water, as warm as I can stand it. I usually use a loaf pan. Let soak for a few minutes, then scrub reed plates, covers and combs with a toohbrush. Any crud on the inside or edges of the covers I scrub with an abrasive ("Scotchbrite") cleaning pad. Rinse thoroughly and place on a clean towel to air-dry. I usually scrub 4 or 5 before re-assembly, but I'm careful to keep all the parts for each harmonica together. I use a can of compressed air (like you blow your computer out with) to drive out any excess moisture that I can't towel off.
CX-12s: Same drill. I take the reed plates off completely. During re-assembly, I drag a clean sheet of paper between the 2 parts of each wind-saver. Chromatic wind-savers are my least favorite part of playing chromatics - the sticking, buzzing, flapping bugs me to no end. I'm not experienced enough yet to have ant real good answers, but I'm learning.
Super 64s: The CX process above reflects my deep cleaning drill for my Supers which I'll only do 2-3 times a year. I mostly just do Slide maintenance on them. I don't have half as much trouble with the wind-savers on my Supers as my CXs, even though they get played much more.
Swan: I use a Swan 14-hole as a knock-around practice chrom. It's adequate, although a little leaky and quiet. So far, I've only cleaned the slide on the Swan.
Chromettas: These get as little cleaning as possible, but when I do clean them, I go through them thoroughly like the CXs.
270s: I don't take the reed plates off of these wood-bodied harps unless absolutely necessary. In fact, I got a used one (never a good idea) with a broken comb which I repaired with beeswax with the reed plates still on! Most of my chroms require slide cleaning most frequently, deep cleaning less often.
Slide cleaning: Completely remove all slide components from the instrument. Everything gets a bath as per the above process. Everything but the Mouthpiece gets scrubbed with the abrasive pad first (I try to avoid scratching the MP). Then all pieces get a good going over with the toothbrush, usually under strong magnification. The first time I have the mouthpiece off a chrom, I put a gentle arc in it so the center is just a bit lower than the ends, (relative to the body) when I reassemble. The other trick I learned is mineral oil. I use a very light coating of mineral oil on the slide when I re-assemble. The type of mineral oil I mean is the "food grade" type a chef will use to treat a wooden cutting board. Just apply a very light coating (so that you wipe off all the excess) with your finger. Keeps your slide moving as free as possible. I don't use the "water lube" method on my slides. I clean the slide on my chroms about every 7-10 playing hours, or when they seize up (from dried saliva), whichever comes first.
By the way, those little vinyl bumpers that go around the screws that hold the MP on (if lost) can be replaced with a little insulation from an 18 guage wire - not a perfect replacement, but a serviceable one.
One last thing: I never eat immediately before playing (and always brush and rinse before playing), and I rarely drink anything but water while performing.
...so what do y'all do?
4811 Wadsworth
4811 Wadsworth is one of my favorite Rod Piazza songs. In fact, it's on my Up In The Chrome-shed woodshed list. It's sub-titled Blues for George. I recently saw a George Smith record label (vinyl, that is) with that address on it. Maybe it was George's address, or the address of the recording studio, or his Label, I'm not sure.
Anyway, I'm up in the woodshed learning this song, but there are a couple of parts that don't sound right on my Super 64. Most of it lays out OK, but I can't nail the part that starts about 3:10. Just the way he's moving into the notes, and then that little shake...
Then, it hits me. I pull a G 'tonic out of the case, and - eureka! - everything falls into place.
Rod (I mean "Mr. Piazza"), you tricky so-and-so...
The real tricky part, though, is not that he changes harmonicas (I'm learning that a lot of the Big Boys do that), it's that his TONE remains so similar throughout the piece that it's very hard to tell he's done it. You try that. It's a whole different level of technique that I'm just beginning to work on.
If you listen to Smith, Piazza and Clarke, you'll notice that most of the time they're playing 'Tonic they still sound like they're playing Chromatic. This is not just 3rd position - they even sound that way if they're playing 2nd or even 1st. It seems to me that it's a combination of things; their approach and their tone.
Approach: Finding arpeggios & licks that can be played in the same sequence both on Chrom (in 3rd) and Tonic (in 2nd and 3rd) is one aspect. Avoiding notes on Tonic that give your licks too much of a Chicago or Delta sound (as opposed to the West Coast sound) is another. Always playing with a Swing feel (as opposed to a Stomp or Boogie-woogie). I think it's fair to say that Clarke and Smith both play a 'tonic much more on the high-end than a Chicago-style player would. This is some of what facilitates the Chrom-like approach, 'cause the note layout of the high holes is similar to a solo-tuned chrom.
Tone: Modifying the cupping technique you use with a 'Tonic so it sounds like the more open cup that a Chrom requires. My current approach and tone on 'Tonic is significantly different than my Chromatic approach.
OK, back to the Woodshed...
Anyway, I'm up in the woodshed learning this song, but there are a couple of parts that don't sound right on my Super 64. Most of it lays out OK, but I can't nail the part that starts about 3:10. Just the way he's moving into the notes, and then that little shake...
Then, it hits me. I pull a G 'tonic out of the case, and - eureka! - everything falls into place.
Rod (I mean "Mr. Piazza"), you tricky so-and-so...
The real tricky part, though, is not that he changes harmonicas (I'm learning that a lot of the Big Boys do that), it's that his TONE remains so similar throughout the piece that it's very hard to tell he's done it. You try that. It's a whole different level of technique that I'm just beginning to work on.
If you listen to Smith, Piazza and Clarke, you'll notice that most of the time they're playing 'Tonic they still sound like they're playing Chromatic. This is not just 3rd position - they even sound that way if they're playing 2nd or even 1st. It seems to me that it's a combination of things; their approach and their tone.
Approach: Finding arpeggios & licks that can be played in the same sequence both on Chrom (in 3rd) and Tonic (in 2nd and 3rd) is one aspect. Avoiding notes on Tonic that give your licks too much of a Chicago or Delta sound (as opposed to the West Coast sound) is another. Always playing with a Swing feel (as opposed to a Stomp or Boogie-woogie). I think it's fair to say that Clarke and Smith both play a 'tonic much more on the high-end than a Chicago-style player would. This is some of what facilitates the Chrom-like approach, 'cause the note layout of the high holes is similar to a solo-tuned chrom.
Tone: Modifying the cupping technique you use with a 'Tonic so it sounds like the more open cup that a Chrom requires. My current approach and tone on 'Tonic is significantly different than my Chromatic approach.
OK, back to the Woodshed...
Solo
Well, I did it - played a bare-nekkid solo set. Don't panic, I don't mean sans clothes, I mean sans any accompaniment at all. I know, all the guitar players and singer - songwriters are saying 'so what - I do that all the time'.
OK. But with nuttin' but a Harmonica and your boyish (or girlish) charm?
OK. But with nuttin' but a Harmonica and your boyish (or girlish) charm?
It was just an intimate little neighborhood open mic - a friendly little thang, but somehow it was a little scary. I don't have a problem with stage fright any more (not since high school), but I had serious second thoughts before I got to the mic. I played Canadian Sunset, Sugar Mama, Blue Monk, and on chrom, Summertime. It was all very well-received. I felt very encouraged after I got through it.
I highly recommend the experience.
Choppers
(This post was modified Dec 10, 2006 to reflect experience.)
I've been building 'chopper' mics this week; modified hand-held 'bullet' mics for my friend John.
I found a little-used type of mic (Shure 450) that has a much-desired element. Rather than take out the element and transplant it into an older bullet shell (fast becoming an expensive commodity themselves), I've built a few that utilize the mic shell the element is in. It has quite a different look than the old mics. I'd describe the traditional Blues Bullet (a JT30) as looking a bit like a '36 Chevy headlight. The 'choppers' I'm building look more like a '67 Polara. Anyway, John says he loves them (I like them, too), so the unconventional look doesn't have a negative effect on performance. The JT-30 types are on the left in the picture above; the Shure 450s are on the right (in the middle is my favorite mic, based on an old Shure DN50).
The other mic I'm working on is based on a vintage JT30 shell my friend Alan hooked me up with, and, just for fun, a Headphone Speaker as a mic element.
UPDATE: I tried the speaker/mic - it had a cool "AM Radio" sound, but was prone to feedback. I have swapped in a regular Dynamic element, and am working on "taming the beast" to hopefully use it on stage.
Why go to all this trouble? 'Bullet' mics with hot elements and a trick paint-job can cost over $300.00. The elements can cost between $50.00 - $100.00 if you don't know where to find them yourself. The vintage mics these are made from regularly sell for upwards of $100.00 online. The components that the mics are made of don't have to be so expensive - my 'choppers' cost less than $40.00 in materials plus a little labor; the experimental mic will cost a bit less when I'm done (of course I don't know yet how it will sound).
Practice, practice, practice
My friend Jp over at I can't get started is posting some great practice advice on his blog. It's inspired this post.
Here's what I try to do to fit (squeeze) in time for practice in a schedule that includes work & family (wife, 2 kids, in-laws, etc.) in generous quantities:
Rehearsal - 1x per week, 3 hours, with the band.
Freeplay practice - usually 1x per week, often on Saturday afternoons. This is often a 2-3 hour session. I know - folks say don't force yourself to practice long hours, but it's a joy to have the opportunity to play that much, and I feel it helps me to build my stamina for 4 sets. I usually spend some time practicing train chugs & whoops, some time on Jazz melodies, some time working on new keys for improvisation, and some time on new songs for the band. This session also includes most of my vocal practice.
Mornings - about 3x per week, 15-30 minutes, usually band songs, or other tunes I'm working up.
Lunch time, 1-2x per week, 1/2 hour, usually diatonic licks.
Afternoons, 1-2x per week, 30-45 minutes, diatonic/chrom licks.
Evenings, 1-2x per week, new songs for band & "other" projects.
Sundays (not every week consistently), listen to songs, play new songs, make performance notes, work out horn lines, lead lines, specific parts for the band, etc.
I've found I can't usually practice at home in the evenings, unless I 'hide' somewhere - too many distractions and homework to help on.
Gear Digression - I carry a cheap 14-hole chrom and a diatonic everywhere, even to work. I usually won't carry either my short set or a full set unless I'm performing. I find that I can easily transpose on diatonic, so 1 is enough for practice. The Chrom I carry is compact and substantial-feeling, the MP is 'OK', although a little leaky. It's OK for practice, but not performance, and it cost next to nothing, so I don't mind leaving it in the car. I'm still working on being able to transpose by ear on chrom (harder for me than diatonic).
If you add it up, you'll see I only manage to squeeze in as much as 13 hours a week of practice (not counting performances) - and that's on a good week! Occasionally, a week might include less than 6 hours of practice. Compare that to Bird, who was playing 12+ hours per day when he was coming up.
A Zen Master said: "Practice does not make perfect; Perfect practice makes perfect".
By the way, I don't play harmonica anymore while driving in my car; I find it too distracting; it affects the quality both of my driving and of my practice.
And on that note, one last thought:
The biggest difference between pros and everybody else is their attention to detail. Fine, granular, microscopic attention to content, nuance and execution is what it takes to reach the high level of play of a true professional, no matter what the discipline.
Here's what I try to do to fit (squeeze) in time for practice in a schedule that includes work & family (wife, 2 kids, in-laws, etc.) in generous quantities:
Rehearsal - 1x per week, 3 hours, with the band.
Freeplay practice - usually 1x per week, often on Saturday afternoons. This is often a 2-3 hour session. I know - folks say don't force yourself to practice long hours, but it's a joy to have the opportunity to play that much, and I feel it helps me to build my stamina for 4 sets. I usually spend some time practicing train chugs & whoops, some time on Jazz melodies, some time working on new keys for improvisation, and some time on new songs for the band. This session also includes most of my vocal practice.
Mornings - about 3x per week, 15-30 minutes, usually band songs, or other tunes I'm working up.
Lunch time, 1-2x per week, 1/2 hour, usually diatonic licks.
Afternoons, 1-2x per week, 30-45 minutes, diatonic/chrom licks.
Evenings, 1-2x per week, new songs for band & "other" projects.
Sundays (not every week consistently), listen to songs, play new songs, make performance notes, work out horn lines, lead lines, specific parts for the band, etc.
I've found I can't usually practice at home in the evenings, unless I 'hide' somewhere - too many distractions and homework to help on.
Gear Digression - I carry a cheap 14-hole chrom and a diatonic everywhere, even to work. I usually won't carry either my short set or a full set unless I'm performing. I find that I can easily transpose on diatonic, so 1 is enough for practice. The Chrom I carry is compact and substantial-feeling, the MP is 'OK', although a little leaky. It's OK for practice, but not performance, and it cost next to nothing, so I don't mind leaving it in the car. I'm still working on being able to transpose by ear on chrom (harder for me than diatonic).
If you add it up, you'll see I only manage to squeeze in as much as 13 hours a week of practice (not counting performances) - and that's on a good week! Occasionally, a week might include less than 6 hours of practice. Compare that to Bird, who was playing 12+ hours per day when he was coming up.
A Zen Master said: "Practice does not make perfect; Perfect practice makes perfect".
By the way, I don't play harmonica anymore while driving in my car; I find it too distracting; it affects the quality both of my driving and of my practice.
And on that note, one last thought:
The biggest difference between pros and everybody else is their attention to detail. Fine, granular, microscopic attention to content, nuance and execution is what it takes to reach the high level of play of a true professional, no matter what the discipline.
Setting Goals
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
