RE: [Harp-L] A Night In Tunisia

Will Vogtman <will_vogtman@xxxxxxxxx> · Sun, 14 Nov 2004 07:57:42 -0800 (PST)

An ode-to-joy style challenge for summer of 2005 sound like a great idea.  I learned a great deal from the ode challenge.  I have no time or webspace, but I'd be willing to donate some money to start a prize fund or pay for some webspace.  

As for the diatonic/chromatic argument, that's a matter of taste.  However, every time I learn the same tune on a different instrument, I learn something new about each instrument.  Try playing an easy line on a diatonic, then copying it on the sax and vice versa.  Now try to copy it on guitar or bass.  The process reveals much about how the instruments are related (or not related in some cases).  Not only that, but you can communicate to other musicians much more transperently after a series of such exercises with your axes of choice.

The Night in Tunisia on a Diatonic, Chromatic, or Sax is not the issue.  Growth on all three IS the issue.   Why play Tunisia on a diatonic?  Because it's there.  I'm gonna try it.  I'd like to see a challenge site so I can receive critiques.

Great Thread.

Will

Michael Peloquin <peloquinharp@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
sold!
in D minor on an Ab harp-
seventh position
the head:
lots of pesky bends in this key-work on this key-it will improve your bends 
in any position-
but only 1 evil OB (5OB)
(this could be overcome by playing it on Ab Country Tuned harp)

improv:
the vamp is really better in this position because the chords are Dmin7 and 
Eb7-
guess what Eb7 is our old and trusted friend-CROSS HARP

Michael Peloquin
http://www.globerecords.com/cgi-bin/db/search.cgi?specific=itemno&phrase=GLO-025

>From: George Brooks 
>To: Tom Albanese , Harp-L 
>Subject: [Harp-L] A Night In Tunisia
>Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2004 01:00:03 -0500
>
>Tom wrote:
>
> >Good evening. Is there anybody out there who's playing this tune on 
>diatonic?
> >I've been trying to work it out in 2nd and 3rd and can't get a handle on 
>it
> >yet. Maybe another postition would be better. 5th? Special tunings? I 
>dunno.
> >Any pointers would be most welcome. George...Chris...Michael P.? Anybody?
>
>I have been working on this tune with my acoustic trio for the past few 
>weeks. I think it's going to be tough no matter what position you do it 
>in. That has been my experience, anyway, but I'm going to keep at it.
>
>The tune is usually played in Dm. You could use an F harp in 4th position 
>(I would suggest a low F if you are going to go this route) or a C harp in 
>3rd position. Both 3rd and 4th positions are generally good for minor key 
>tunes. In 4th position, the first (pick-up) note is 2 blow. In 3rd 
>position, it's hole 3 draw bent down a whole tone. Of the two, I much 
>prefer 4th.
>
>I was working on these positions until Chris Michalek remembered 
>(amazingly) that Howard Levy had told us back in 1999 that he uses an Ab 
>harp to play this song. This puts it into 7th position (F# on a C harp), 
>but 7th position minor, which is much, much easier than major. Major is 
>six sharps (ouch!). But A Night In Tunisia is not only minor, but natural 
>minor (flatted sixth degree as well as third and seventh). This cancels 
>out three of the sharps, so it is like playing in 4th position major. You 
>need good control of your bends and overblows, but it's quite doable and 
>the arpeggios lay out really nicely. The lick in measure 7 lays out better 
>in this position than any other. In 4th position, the first (pick-up) note 
>is the hole 1 draw bend.
>
>I actually heard some guy play in 7th position minor at SPAH this year. To 
>Motown on a boombox, of all things. It sounded pretty good to me, but I 
>was in a generous and non-judgmental mood (SPAH!), and it might not have 
>met the exacting standards of some on this List.
>
>George
>
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