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From: Mike Curtis
Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 11:02:41 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: Second position mystery, and positions

On Tue, 27 Aug 1996 JfGindi~ol.com wrote:

> " 7 times out of 10 in a sit in
> or jam situation the harmonica player will be less competent than the
> rest of the band."
>
> Yes, but isn't true that 5 times out of 9, the rest of the band has rehearsed
> together and the harp player is just winging it? And isn't it true that the
> drummer knows what to do (keep the
> beat), the rythm guitarist knows what to do (play the chords) the bass knows
> what to do (keep the bottom) and the vocalist knows what to do ( sing the
> song), the lead guitarist knows what to do (drown everybody else out) and
> only the harp
> is left to wedge himself in, to determine when it's cool to play with a
> vocal, or behind a solo...with no rehearsal and little feedback...so
> naturally the harp, left to improvise, with matters of taste left up to him
> to decycpher, is often going to seem more amateurish than he would if his
> role were more tightly defined?

That's one way to look at it.

Another way is to have the harmonica in a HIGHLY defined role. A great
example of this taken to an extreme is WAR. Listen to those nice
harp/horn unisons. While the band is quite good, it's the harp/horn parts
that really make it.

But that requires discipline and musicianship :-(

> (On the other hand, a lot of drunk guys with
> two weeks worth of lessons DO jump up on stage to jam. I agree that it's
> just the nature of the instrument. Boo hoo.)

sheesh - first you drool and make a mess on your book, now you cry and get
tears all over the place (not to mention the mess you made of my
handkerchief). Jon, sometimes I wonder about you ;-)


-- IronMan Mike Curtis
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