Re: Mastery [Learning By Ear] --longish

[Philharpn@xxxxxxx]

The really tricky part about learning songs by ear (Check out Jamey Aebersold 
playalong CDs and Music Minus One jazz & blues stuff) is having either the 
harp or skills to get all the notes.

My limited expience (as I try to drive to work down the Detroit expressways) 
is that the XB-40 is much easier for me to find the notes than a chromatic. 
It's simply a matter of economy of movement. If I can play several notes on one 
hole without reaching for the lever (possible one-handed), plus smears [slide 
into a note from below], I sound more like a horn (sax, trumpet, cornet). 

Having the right chrome handy is no problem,  I own almost as many chromatic 
keys (I think I have most of them covered in Hohners, CX-12s and Herings) as  
diatonic, I have my choice of what to try to work with.] 

As little as I know from my XB-40 harps (from trying to play along with 
Dixieland jazz tunes) it sure helps when all the notes are accessible (through 
bends) just like they are on piano or electronic keyboard. I can get every note I 
hear (and if I can't hear it I can check the chart that comes along with 
Aebersold/Minus One).

For those who can do overblows and overdraws to get those extra notes on 
demand. Gadgets help also that slow the sound down without distorting. 
Having a slow down CD program like the Amazing Slow Downer ($40 online only) 
or the pricey but wonderful slowdown, change key Superscope PSD300 (play + 
record CD drives) or Superscope PSD220 and PSD230 (they play only)

(The Marantz cassette tape recorders (stereo & mono) are still available, 
too, that slow down, change pitch.)

Some songs just sound better on certain instruments. And as much as the 
chrome can do, it can't bend like Beckham. And that's the key.

Fur Elise and Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue take advantage of the black 
(Eb) key for a trill (FE) and Eb slide to E (as I recall DIMMBEB)

Sliding from one note to the next on a walking boogie line on the guitar 
cannot be readily duplicated on another instrument; you can play the notes, but 
it's not the SAME.

BTW: Missing notes is a misnomer. Violin has only 4 strings. Where do all 
those OTHER notes come from?

It's about time that somebody pointed out to the uninitiated: There are NO 
missing notes on the diatonic (even basic Richter) there are just people who 
don't know where to find them.

If you can whistle, you can bend notes. It's that simple. If you can bend 
notes but note overblow, simply grab a C and C# and swap. If Peter Madcat Ruth 
and Cham-Ber Huang and others can do it, so can you. It just takes a little 
practice.

If you can bend, and are tired of fooling around (how much time have you got? 
Life is too short!) try the XB-40 -- it's the greatest thing since sliced 
bread (and now you have to pay extra to get bread that is not sliced.)

Sure the piano has all the notes. If I get stuck I go to the piano and work 
it out. The piano (or a cheap $100 keyboard) is particularly helpful for 
matching your bends -- are you on pitch or are you playing some note from outer 
space.

Find notes on the harp is just like the piano. You want a note a little bit 
higher, go to the left. You want a lower note, go right [providing harmonica is 
right side up}.

When you play the harp by ear, you don't care whether you're playing the 
first bend on draw 2 or the second bend on draw 3. Just like on the piano, when 
you're trying to figure a tune: you keep playing the next higher note. You don't 
care whether it is F# or Ab, you just play it.

I don't what the heck "kinetic sense of memory" means. Anytime you play as 
instrument long enough to be familiar with it, and play some tunes on it, you 
"instinctively" know where to go to find some notes.

For those who never improvise, this is probably a giant step. No sheet music, 
no music. But anyone who can learn to read a chart can certainly learn to 
play by ear. Just a little practice.

Phil Lloyd, contributing editor
American Harmonica Newsmagazine
May-June AHN issue just went to press



In a message dated 6/24/2004 10:46:33 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
robbingham@xxxxxxxxx writes:

<But I do play by ear and mistakes are what I
<learn from more than anything else when it 
<comes to "mapping" the melody in my head.