[Harp-L] re: reconstruction/reconstruction

[rainbowjimmy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

The best way out of a rut is to take a little time off, then woodshed with some
new music. It doesn't have to be harp related. Spend some time with your major
pentatonic scale and jam with Jerry on Live Dead. Listen to Maceo and the boys
on Live From the Planet Groove. Sing. Learn another instrument. The Space
Animals guitarist went to a weekly drumming circle for years. It really
improved his playing.If you're influenced by Butterfield, think of how Sonny
Boy would play the same riff. Or Albert King. Or Jimi.

Also--I used to play harp through out the whole song, every song with the band.
That gets old fast. Now I play verse and a chorus, maybe a couple of verse, per
song. I don't play on every song either. I'm working on getting my licks Sonny
Boy level simple. It's really hard to put the soul and the energy into a basic
riff. Keeps me thinking. Forces me to pay attention to my tone.

Find some people you can play with regularly. As they grow and progress, you'll
pick up stuff. The guitarist I jam with has been really getting into 70s power
chord stuff mixed into the blues and I'm having a blast tongue slapping along
with power chords. Try playing really cheesy unison rock riffs with the
guitarist.

Have fun.
Rainbow Jimmy
http://www.spaceanimals.com
http://www.soundclick.com/theelectricstarlightspaceanimals.htm