Re: Fwd: [Harp-L] What to play off the cuff

[Michael Fugazzi <mfugazzi67@xxxxxxxxx>]

It depends on where I am.

Blues fan, something really slow and blusey...maybe
starting on the bottom octave of the blues scale and
then taking it way up to the top.

Rocker/guitar player...Top Gun Theme.

Somebody who doesn't know any better....bend warble on
4 and 5 to the upper octave.  Then I'd just play
really fast.(I do this with my fifth grade
students...just to sound cool)

I think knowing a melody with a couple of bends is
about all you need.  Doesn't need to be tough.

Mike


> --- In harp-l-archives@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, martin
> oldsberg
> <martinoldsberg@xxxx> wrote:
> 
> This isn´t something that keeps me awake at night,
> but occasionally I
> reflect upon what is the best thing to play when
> asked to perform
> something impromptu, just a bar or two in case you
> have a harmonica at
> hand and someone ask you for a sample of how it
> sounds. (Generally I
> do not recommend carrying around a harmonica at all
> times, that seems
> just to encourage abuse and further confirm the
> publics low estimate
> of the instrument. The  portability of the thing is
> too often confused
> with some supposed widely felt need to listen to a
> harmonica every now
> and then. You never see tuba players terrorizing pub
> crowds with
> recently acquired skills.)
> 
>   As a diatonic player I use to opt for a blues riff
> of sorts. Many
> would settle for a scale, but that´s a bit dry.
> (Howard Levy had an
> interesting take on the scale theme when he
> performed on the Garrison
> Keillor show (who said he couldn´t play octaves?).
> I´ve also seen
> Toots on a TV-show when asked to play something on
> his "odd"
> instrument just rush through all three octaves
> chromatically at
> lightning speed. He had heard that question many
> times.)
> 
>   Your national anthem could be something, but they
> are generally
> rather boring (envy the French with that great song;
> works reasonably
> well in 2 pos). A Beatles tune ?? but which one?
> "Stardust"? ? one of
> the ten most recorded songs of the last century I
> read someplace. (But
> tricky: starting the refrain in 1 pos you have to
> pull off an overdraw
> on 7D; probably the most difficult note on the
> diatonic. To risky.
> Starting an octave lower it tends to get a bit
> mushy.)
> 
>   The point is not to show off ? but still somehow
> show you can play.
> 
>   Nowadays I tend to pull off something jazzy/bluesy
> in 12 pos, going
> through first two octaves in major pentatonic and
> wailing a bit on 6D
> - but I think a recognizable tune is to be
> preferred.
> 
>  As I said, no big thing but it would be interesting
> to see some
> suggestions. What do you chose? "Oh Susannah"? "Love
> me do" intro?
> "Eine kleine Nachtmusik"? "Rule Britannia"?
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Martin
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 

Mike Fugazzi
Harmonica/Vocals
http://www.niterail.com

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