I have many instruments and have been known to not play some for extended periods too, including amplified harmonica. Solution: buy more stuff! Not as expensive as you might think, while I have alot of extremely valuable old microphones I also have an arsenal of inexpensive powerful old Japanese harp mikes, any one of which would absolutely stomp that Harp Blaster thing into a mud hole; under $40 including tax & shipping is not uncommon for these microphones. Whenever I get one of these I get excited about playing, at least for awhile.
My group of friends back then were heart broken when Alan passed away. Thanks to you young folks for keeping people like Alan's music alive. You're awesome, keep up the great work
I wouldn’t even know where to begin, most of them are done in one or two takes and on the spot, I don’t really know what I’m gonna play. I’d have to tab everything out note by note. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll do tutorials
@@formansbasement2311 You should do. You've got some great licks. Worth a shot putting out a few small tutorials. Thanks for your videos though, I find them very informative. Cheers
I haven’t tried the new one, but I don’t like the looks of it. I just bought a set of East Tops professional models that are a closed harp. That was a waste of money. I have so meany Golden Melody harps that’s blown out, I guess I’m going to see if I can get them fixed. The old Melodies are the one I really like. I’m more of a single note player and the intonation or temperance on those are pretty good for that
Can never be "good enough." "Perfection in music is not the normality"-unknown author. To quote the iconic saxophonist John Coltrane : " Damn the rules, it's the feeling that counts..." End quote. In your rendition here you laid it down beautifully. You gave a life and exceptional feelings to the notes, the words. Consequently, you didn't just play what's there in the sheet music form, YOU played what's not there , and can't be printed. Again, you added the most difficult part to find--the FEELING(s), through the expressions of your inner-self voice. So, exceptional muscianship, exceptional rendition. Very enjoyable listening 🎶.
I just found your channel and I am glad I did. I was harping a lot about 3 years ago and stopped I still carry one in my bag and car and I pulled it out and I forgot how much I enjoyed it. Watching you I am back on that Harp Wagaon! Thanks!
Came across your channel today and sucking in your vids. Really great and total inspiration for me to get more into my harps laying on my piano. Keep these coming!!
I love this! I recently did a vid about Wilson and one of the things I was wondering about concerning his playing was did he think things out or was it all spur of the moment feel? I tend to think it was well thought out and I think you have verified that somewhat. I knew he did a custom tuning but I didn't know exactly what that meant, so thanks again for showing us!
Brother I click that title so fast, before I even realized it was you. I've been facing this shit for years and totally relate. I don't feel inspired to do anything these days. And it's been rough
Happy Birthday. Hope you have an awesome 27th year. You song here is creative and enjoyable listening. Your morning imho was well spent. You are talented. I've been learning to play harmonica for approximately 7-years now. Many times it's frustrating. Thinking at times that's the best I can do today, but sadly, impossible to get a good take on what I'm learning or trying to do. Yet through my persistence and practice improvements grow. A new seed is planted and it blossoms in micro steps. Happy days ! The years pass and my ceiling for playing gets better and the ceiling gets higher. Somewhere along my learning curve I realized the ceiling is infinous. Really it's not ment to be reached just a destination. The learning is in our mistakes and ment to be enjoyed -we're learning to improve because of them. Perfection in learning music /an instrument is not the normality, making mistakes having a difficult time is the mantra of growth towards our music accomplishments. Your creativity in this video is awesome. Tomorrow, or at some point, possibly another take, another verse will break through another growth barrier toward becoming an even more accomplished player/muscian. The great virtuoso jazz trumpeter Miles Davis said : "Do not fear mistakes, there are none. If you are not making mistakes it's a mistake. We all played bad before we played good." End quotes. Those words changed my learning perspective and became a mantra on my forever learning curve. On one of my Little Walter cd's it's the "35-38th" take he did that made it on the cd. The tune is " Temperature." And that's considering his greatness on the harmonica. 🎉 I enjoy your videos, your playing, your perspectives on the harmonica and music. May you walk in peace along your life path, and have a great harmonica time.
Notes on things you said: A) getting out air. (Important for low key harps which use more air for bigger reeds) 3 BLOW - I use single note 3 blow instead of 2 draw to get air out. Same note. I will sometimes breathe out with nose too on blow notes. I practice this. Sometimes while practicing I am doing this consciously, often while jamming I do this subconsciously. Grunting. Yeah. Jason Ricci will "huff" on the break between phrases and I find myself doing it more lately. Sound often comes out "huh" like a James Brown grunt. It works. "Exercising the muscles for bends" Great concept. I am stealing that to use for my students. Yoink. Mine now. Haha.
PS: circular breathing is a misnomer. You > STORE< air in your mouth. Breath in while using cheek muscles to push stored air out of mouth. You can practice and learn it, but you likely want to circulars breathe in, and it doesn't work like that because biology. It is more useful for breathing out instruments, particularly didgeridoo, but woodwinds can learn it and use it.
Lee Oskar is the 1st low I ever saw & tried. My friend's had one...like 40 years ago. I thought it was too crappy to buy one but I was kinda prejudiced & in those days I had only ever tried 1896 & Golden Melody after my 1st a Special 20 that I bought along with Tony Glover's book. I do have a regular 1896 Low D. It's old & I haven't even seen em for sale in years. Sounds great though the 1 draw always rattled a bit regardless of tinkering. I have 4-5 1847 Seydel's. I LOVE them. The larger holes took adjustment BUT they freaking last forever & overblow out of the box. Hohner is still my favorite so maybe I'll try some Rockets...when I get a dollar. I still have not tried a Deluxe even. I never use the low ones with a band... won't cut through. Magic Dick KILLS on a regular F....First ILook at the Purse & PLENTY MORE. We used to play ZZ Topp's Francine.. also cool w/an F. Your video's fine. Chill. And you're spot on about Black Coffee too. Rice is on the Mt. Rushmore for sure. At your age you wouldn't believe it but when I was teenage or early 20's my favorite 2 music stores had FULL lines of harps out of the plastic on display in the front glass case like jewelry & had these little plastic deals that went between your mouth & the harp...kind of a thick hard plastic mouth condom for trying one out. That's middle late 70's in Decatur, AL & Spartanburg, SC in wayyy different times...
