Re: [Harp-L] New question from a part-time lurker

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Ronald Burton" wrote:
<I play periodically with a guitarist who likes to throw in "Rollin' In My 
<Sweet Baby's Arms" at about a 220 count.  I have, almost, been able to 
<handle that speed but I am not satisfied with my lead line.  Anyone have any 
<link ideas to any artists, CD's, You-Tube examples of similar tunes that 
<would spark some more imagination to what I'm doing?

One way to get some new ideas is to listen to how non-harmonica instrumentalists handle the tune.  I Googled the title of this song and found a version by Flatt and Scruggs.  Very impressive, though I don't think banjo is a very good instrument for harp players to emulate--the attack is so different, and the banjo has almost no sustain at all.  Seems to me that fiddle players are better role models.  As an example, here's the Ricky Skaggs band:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSLsB6iEvwk&feature=related
The slide guitar sounds pretty inspirational too.  

One comment: It's hard to get great tone with very fast lines--you're not giving the notes time to bloom--so if you want to show off great tone, you have to slow down once in a while.  

Regards, Richard Hunter







author, "Jazz Harp"
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