Re: Sonny Terry Whoop

[Gatorharp@xxxxxxx]

 vcblues@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:
<< Once again, I suggest everyone to become a part of Jerry Portnoys Harmonica
 Masterclass. This is taught among a lot of other blues harp methods. Is
 there really anything that competes with Portnoys instructions? Really a
 QUESTION, I do NOT know. >>

portnoy's instructional is primarily aimed at teaching chicago style blues.  
obviously, most techniques are transferable to other styles.  many styles fed 
into chicago style playing (all those guys had delta roots), and they often 
were influenced by things outside of blues.  and the influence of chicago style 
harp has spread directly into lots of other music.  so, yeah, portnoy's set is 
excellent most any diatonic player.
however, things well outside of chicago style playing aren't really 
addressed, chief amongst them, the sonny terry whooping thing.  and while portnoy is 
quite thorough, he's not able to give full attention to any one aspect or 
technique.
the only other playing instructionals i have are the previously mentioned 
video on rhythm playing by madcat, and levy's overblow thing.  madcat's focus is 
totally on rhythm playing (so much so, that when he talks about bending notes, 
he refers you to a seperate video to learn bending if you can't already).  a 
good block of time is spent on whooping.
i've only watched about a third of the levy tape, so can't say for sure how 
it is.  i suspect that it's outside the scope of this thread.

steven j gatorman