[Harp-L] Importance of listening (about blues jams)

[gorky <gorky@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi All
Tim Dougherty formulates the "extreme importance" of listening.I think 
you' re absolutely right Tim. This is the most important to me. There 
is something with harp playing that is very practical but may become 
dangerous when you' re a begginner: once you' ve got the  key for 
jaming and you' ve got the good harp( for example a F harp for a C 
key), you can blow and draw and let it go. There are only a few 
probabilities to be out ot tone. But it usually encourages harp players 
to let it go too much as it seems so easy. Instead of other instuments 
you don't feel it's useful to learn chords (taking the good harp is 
sufficient).BUT THAT'S WRONG!!!Working  and understanding rythm and 
chords gives a high sens to Listening. So when you' re listening to 
what's happening, you know what you can play, make musical choices .I 
think that's much more interesting than playing all the holes of the 
harp in an anarchic way. I 've been doing that but not anymore.And i 
know many musicians who can't stand harmonica because of that.