Date: Mon, 09 Jul 2001 02:42:51 -0000 From: ESKorpe~igitalweb.net Subject: another newby (kinda long - sorry)
Hello All,
I'm new to harp and the list and have many questions in a number of areas but first a little about myself.
Current ability
Been playin about a year. I can single note ok - in fact to the point of having to work to play chords - my lips want to single note! I bent my first note a day ago - 3 draw. Nice to have "sort of figured it out" - to me the "secret" is where your tongue is once you mouth is in the OH (as opposed to WE) position - now I can work on this! Overblows and draws - not yet! Speed - I've a LONG way to go!
Goals
Competence! Ability to jam intelligently and play "around the campfire" - NO professional aspirations - My day job is research scientist. Mostly interested in country, folk, celtic, Irish and delta or country blues (Sonny Terry style).
Gear
I have 6 SP20s A C D G F Bb a crate taxi amp and a radio shack optimus 33 tie tac mike. I really enjoy messin around amped but have some questions. Because the crate taxi is solid state I'm wondering if I can use a harmonica honker to get at least some level of distorted "blues sound". That is - the distortion comes from the mike not the amp. Feasible?? (or not). I got a good deal on the amp ($150 to $155 US) and it gets used as a PA in other activities - like scouts - so I have no prob with having bought it.
Music Theory
Why are there only 12 keys - if you have 7 notes A thru G AND the sharps or flats (whichever way you want to cut the pie) the total comes up 14 - not 12 - where are the other two (where are Cb and Fb if looking just at flats)?
Scales - Major for now - is there any rhyme or reason to them - some have sharps or flats some don't - why?
I understand the operating principle behind the circle of fifths - that is positions relative to the key of the music - but so what - how does the rubber hit the road (so to speak)? In other words if you have tab for the red river valley - is the same tab valid for all 12 positions - if not what is the point to positions especially if you end up "huntin an peckin" for the "right sounding" notes. If somebody says to you What are you playin? an you answer I'm playin 3rd position relative to the key of the song - an he (or she) says So?? How do you answer - if at all - maybe the question isn't even relative!!
Practice
My wife says I'm ADD (attention deficit disorder) so I tend to jump around and do many things at once (she's probably right!). This carries over into my practicing - sometimes I work on Jon Gindicks musically hopeless tape, then Mike Stevens book, then David Harps Country and Western book then I "jam" (believe me -use the word loosely) to anything from Kathy Mattea 33 45 78 to Tears for Beers celtic "Black is the color" (check em out at mp3.com) to Bones XG (from the blues.org site - great song BTW).
When "jammin" I search around for the "right" harp - that is I try one after another until I find one that "fits". I've noticed that the ones that "fit" almost always feature blow notes higher than 4 or 5 - draw notes usually don't seem to "fit" - what am I doing in terms of positions? (if anything). My "jammin" is mostly single notes or short combinations as I search for other combinations that might work... More questions on "jammin" later...
Any comments on my practicing? Should I be more regimented or is "hopping around" OK.
Lastly - I don't know if I should be jumpin in on this list as I note that most of you are far far far far more experienced than I. I really enjoy watchin this list an learn alot. It is the only list that I know of where what one asks is likely to be seen by some of the best of the best - an that is somewhat intimidating - like how stupid can I show myself to be?? I posted earlier over on the bluegrass list but it appears to have mostly died - so...
I'm really looking forward to seeing and hearing some of the best at the Edmonton blues festival - Annie Raines, Rob Paparozzi and Paul Delay - maybe I can get to the Edmonton Jazz Festival and see Carlos Del Junco as well!!
I look forward to any and all responses to any part of my post. Take Care! -Ed-
PS If there is any response to my post - feel free to subdivide into different threads...
