Re: [Harp-L] re: groove

["Bob Maglinte" <bbqbob917@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mojo Red" <harplicks@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "Bob Maglinte" <bbqbob917@xxxxxxxxxxx>; <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 9:47 AM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] re: groove


> --- Bob Maglinte <bbqbob917@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > Look at their playing habits within the confines
> > of the groove they normally play. The country
> > player is going to playing on top or slightly
> > ahead of the beat, and play "smaller" notes (or
> > actually less legato with more seperation). The
> > rocker is going to play much further AHEAD of the
> > beat, giving an illusion of playing really fast
> > and rushed. The traditional blues player is
> > going to play it BEHIND the beat, giving it a
> > slower, relaxed feel...
>
> Bob points out something that really REALLY came
> home to me a few months ago when I was working with
> some guys on the great traditional slow blues
> number, "Trouble in Mind".
>
> I'd play the opening head and start to sing... and
> the guitar player started a-strummin' though the
> chords... Hmmm.. .not right. Try again... Something
> just not workin' here...
>
> By GOD it sounded like a country tune. I stopped
> him and asked what the heck chords he was
> playing... G, G7, C, C7, G, E7, A7, D7, G, C, D.
>
> Hmm... Them's the exact chords from the chart
> alrighty. Let's try again... This time I was
> listening with my "big ears" (thanks Bob), and
> immediately realized that he was playing nuts-on
> with the beat. Bingo!
>
> Once I got him to play a bit behind the beat (it
> took some work (and listening to Walter Horton's
> version), but soon it sounded "right". Same
> struming pattern, same chords... ~completely~
> different feel.
>
> Dad-bung-it! We found our groove!
>
> I know Bob hits on this again and again... but the
> guy knows what he's preachin'. It's subtle, but
> HUGE.
>
> Harpin' in Colorado,
> --Ken M.

Hi Ken,
Your post proved the point I keep trying to drive home to people that it
often is NOT the stuff smacking you upside the head that makes the real
difference, but the subtle little things most people DON'T pay enough
attention to that will often have the GREATEST impact. Another thing your
post points out VERY WELL is that the transition from playing one way to
another, in this case being from playing dead straight on top of the beat to
playing behind the beat, ESPECIALLY if you have never done something that
before, it is going to be difficult because of habits that have been
ingrained from the get go, as it involves learning an entirely different
mindset to make things work properly. Despite that it is hard work, and
sometimes it can be harder to learn than playing complex phrasings, it IS
well worth learning and it widens your scope playing wise, allowing you to
blend in PROPERLY with what's going around you so that you don't feel like
you've been "run over by a freaking bus on drugs!" What it comes down to is
that knowing the notes is only a part of the deal, and those who tend to
snub their noses at stuff they think is so easy, if they ever really sat
down with any genre and listen with bigger ears, the stuff they snicker at
in their belief od being so easy often times turns out to be a lot harder
than they'd think because of the all the subtle things going on that they've
NEVER paid any attention to.

Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
MP3's: http://music.mp3lizard.com/barbequebob/