[Harp-L] Deconstructing

[icemanle@xxxxxxx]

This is a great way to build your harmonica awareness and new ideas will unfold for you.
 
I've started changing my orientation to the harmonica every 9 - 12 months or so, trying to learn a new way to sound/play. (All pucker to all TB, acoustic to amplified, etc). It does feel like starting over, but each time you try this discipline, the starting over feels easier and comes faster. 
 
This is also a great way to bust up your old habits, which do die hard.
 
The Iceman
 
-----Original Message-----
From: mjmeadors@xxxxxxx
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sat, 07 Jan 2006 16:57:51 -0500
Subject: [Harp-L] Deconstructing 


 I'm wondering if any of you have ever been in my position, and if so, how the 
situation went for you.
 
After many years of playing harp, in and out of bands, I finally got to the 
point where I was boring myself nightly.  I said everything I had to say in 3 
songs and then just repeated the rest of the night.  The audience, of course, 
always responded positively regardless.  Yet, I knew, as an advanced player, 
that while I sounded great to the audience, I wasn't getting the thrill of 
playing like when I was first starting out.  So I quit.
 
It's now about 6 years later and I've picked up a new 410 from Sonny, got my mic 
and harps back in order, and am ready to play again.  But this time I don't want 
to rely on just the same old licks and technique.  I was always a BField fan so 
I always justified puckering instead of blocking (except for some chording), yet 
I was never TRULY happy with my tone.  I am in the process, consequently, of 
learning to play harp all over again, but this time with tongue blocking ala 
Wilson, Piazza, etc.  Its so very hard to stop falling back into old patterns 
because the muscle memory is still there.  Anybody else ever try just learning 
an entirely new style/technique after years of playing a certain way?  It truly 
feels like I'm just starting over.  Did any of you try to change but realize 
that old habits never go away, or have you made the change and never looked 
back?
 
m
_______________________________________________
Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l