Re: [Harp-L] blowing rags



Hi Jim,

I play a lot of ragtimey-style songs on guitar in a bastardized piedmont
style, and I usually work them out on harmonica as well. It took me a long
time (with all the smoothing out of the 4, 5, 6 overblows), but I found that
playing first position in the middle octave of the harp really made these
song really come alive. This region hasn't been explored much--as for as I
know, so it seems fresh to the ear. It also gives some nice contrast to the
shriller sound of the upper register blow bends. Check out Christelle's
version of "Nobody knows you when you're down and out" on youtube. And
Howard Levy's first position work on his latest instructional tape.

Twelfth position seems to work pretty good, too. I just checked it out
against some songs. I keep forgetting about that one.
Eric


On Wed, Oct 28, 2009 at 3:27 PM, <icemanle@xxxxxxx> wrote:

>
>  you may be correct. this has also been called the bridge to "I Got Rhythm
> Changes". In this case, H. Levy's Sweet Georgia Brown approach on that
> bridge would be a good place to start or study.
>
> I think in ragtime, this would more typically be III7, VI7, II7, V7, I ;
> e.g., in 'C': E7 - >A7 - > D7 - > G7 - > C.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Arthur Jennings <timeistight@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: icemanle@xxxxxxx
> Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Sent: Wed, Oct 28, 2009 2:01 pm
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] blowing rags
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> I think in ragtime, this would more typically be III7, VI7, II7, V7, I ;
> e.g., in 'C': E7 - >A7 - > D7 - > G7 - > C. See
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragtime_progression
>
>
>
> On Wed, Oct 28, 2009 at 10:48 AM,  <icemanle@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>  short answer - I'm assuming from your description that these rags are
> actually iii, vi, ii, V, I, so the underlying tonality would have a MAJOR 7,
> not minor 7th (as in blues or 2nd position), so concentrate on positions or
> note choices that either include the MAJ 7th or avoid the 7th altogether.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
> From: Ronald Burton <aussierwb@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> To: Harp-L <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
>
> Sent: Wed, Oct 28, 2009 1:26 pm
>
> Subject: [Harp-L] blowing rags
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> For  the record...I'm dealing with the same issues....although I have
> played in
>
> second and sometimes even third positions...I find myself with a decided
> lack of
>
> imagination....in my case...lack of talent I guess.  The same old riffs
> just
>
> keep coming.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Ron Burton
>
>
>
> > From: harp3333@xxxxxxxxxxx
>
> > To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx; harp3333@xxxxxxxxxxx
>
> > Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:06:40 +0000
>
> > CC:
>
> > Subject: [Harp-L] blowing rags
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Hi group!
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > I've recently been playing a regular gig at a barbeque joint here in
> Chicago
>
> and I'm blowing harp with a great fingerpicker(John Hasbrouck) who plays a
> lot
>
> of ragtime pieces(III-VI-II-V-I changes). I'm stuck in a first-position rut
>
> where I'm mostly on the upper register using a lot of blow bends. It works
> but
>
> everybody ,including myself, is sick of the same old riffs I'm spitting
> out.
>
> This is new territory for me and I would appreciate any tips(positions,
>
> techniques, attitudes, etc) to improve my ragtime soloing. I think I recall
> in
>
> my travels somebody saying that 12th/1st flat position is good for this. I
> know
>
> on Levy's instructional video he dissected Sweet Georgia Brown and
> explained
>
> some stuff, but I don't have the tape anymore. Any help will be
> appreciated.
>
> Thanks!
>
> >
>
> > cheers,
>
> > Jim Conway
>
> >
>
> > harp3333@xxxxxxxxxxx
>
> > www.jamesconway.net
>
> > www.youtube.com/jamesconway01
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > _________________________________________________________________
>
> > Windows 7: It works the way you want. Learn more.
>
> >
> http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/windows-7/default.aspx?ocid=PID24727::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WWL_WIN_evergreen2:102009_______________________________________________
>
>
> > Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
>
> > Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
>
> > http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l
>
>
>
> _________________________________________________________________
>
> Windows 7: It helps you do more. Explore Windows 7.
>
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/windows-7/default.aspx?ocid=PID24727::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WWL_WIN_evergreen3:102009_______________________________________________
>
>
> Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
>
> Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
>
> http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
>
> Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
>
> http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Arthur Jennings
> http://www.timeistight.com
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
> Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
> http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l
>



This archive was generated by a fusion of Pipermail 0.09 (Mailman edition) and MHonArc 2.6.8.