re: Chromatic Blues Technique

[Bill Houle <saxandharper@xxxxxxxxx>]

Scorcher sez:

"So how about it - are any of you list-members
"shit-hot" on the chromatic through an amp? Care to
give up any of your "tone secrets", practice
strategies, learning resources, etc.?"

My reply:

Hi, Scorcher. I'm not very good on the chro, but know
of a few resources that might help.

I assume you know about the chromatic web page by G
http://www.angelfire.com/music/HarpOn/index.html.  I
know there's a section in there on cupping and also
music theory and the chro that might help you move in
other directions.

Also Richard Hunter has a book called Jazz Harp that
works you through several styles of jazz pieces as
well as some blues and r&b and a section on Stevie
Wonder. He tabs things out for both chro and diatonic.
There are tunes in a number of keys by Miles Davis,
King Curtis, Louie Armstrong, and Charlie Christian
among others. Also a good section in the back with
exercises on scales and chords in all keys and some
chapters on techniques. He also has a cool web site
http://www.hunterharp.com/.

If you're interested in playing in keys other than D
another path might be to look for instruction books
for another instrument, like sax or trumpet, that are
general to the style you are interested in. It will be
more work as you need to learn to read music and/or
figure out your own tab to the pieces but who said
life is fair. :-)

Hope this helps, good luck!

Bill H

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