[Harp-L] Jimi Lee Jam Trax--Feedback to Dan

["jon " <jongindick@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dan--  

Congratulations. 

I think you are starting to speak the language.
You've got lots of good ideas and patterns, and
You have a good idea how to format your phrases.
It's a bit like you are a 2nd year Spanish student
speaking Spanish in Mexico. You can do it, but it is 
still halting, and limited, and without attitude.

Experiment with your attitude: try a 
deliberate attitude of aggression, so that each note
conveys a confident and deliberate purpose, and also builds 
towards a musical climax. Or, at least, so your attitude creates 
a rise and a fall.  

There are of course lots of other techniques you will throw in, in time. 
Bending, note shaping, vibrato, volume changes, the great things you can say

with simple throat articulation.

There are also some very simple things you can do that will 
really change things up.

For instance, if you play a riff like 1d 2b 2d -- you can 
Add a lot of attitude and percussion, by adding syllables to that
Last note of the phrase.  1d 2b 2d// 2d!

And making the last note of the phrase, the 2d!, twice as loud and staccato 
As the notes that preceeded it.

Or taking that last 2 draw, and sliding off of the the 1 hole at the same
time that you 
slightly bend it, so the last syllable of the phrase is  2d 2d*1d

The last note of a phrase is frequently the one that tells you what that
phrase just said.
Mess with it.

The main thing is, you are on the road. You have made lots
Of progress, and you are also very creative. And, you are 
reaching out. If you keep doing this, you'll get better and better.


Jon Gindick



Message: 11
Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2011 22:09:49 -0700
From: Daniel McKernan <danielpmckernan@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Jimi Lee's GrooveTrax (TM)
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID:
	<CAACSeVOjFvVLonk-eS2sBVv__oz4mp9y2Y8nw1NVbiEG1XBn3w@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
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I know this improvisation is probably a little too elementary for most of
you on the Harp-l list, but I thought you might enjoy it nonetheless.  I've
only been playing for a little over 2 years and because I'm babysitting and
pre-schooling my grand kids on a full-time basis, I don't get a whole lot
of time to practice.  I don't have any formal music education other than
singing in the choir at St Elizabeth's in Altadena, CA.  I've been picking
up a lot of tips from the Youtube gurus like Adam Gussow, Jon Gindick,
Jason Ricci, Ronnie Shellist, Dan Gage, Dan Ridgeway. Christelle Berthon,
Hakan Ehn, Paul Lassey, and the late great Chris Michalek,  All of them
have special talents and it is really a joy to be able to see and hear
these talented musicians.

Anyway, here is my latest improv, to the outstanding backing tracks of Jimi
Lee.  This one is titled Real Easy Groove in E.  I'm playing this on a
B-Radical.  I know, I know, don't start another battle about Harrison
Harmonicas.  I only mentioned it because I see so many comments on Youtube
videos asking about the harmonica and the key.  I'm sure this is nothing
new to you guys but the whole cyberspace world is still pretty daunting for
this 53 year old!

I also recently uploaded a few songs from Disney movies, "A Whole New
World, When You Wish Upon A Star, and Zip A Dee Doo Dah" if you like to
take a look and listen of those as well.  Enjoy!

*******************