Re: [Harp-L] Deconstructing

[IronMan Mike Curtis <ironmanmc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

That's what I call "the comfort zone".  We find a place that's  
comfortable for us, and in time it becomes difficult to go  
elsewhere.  That old pair of comfortable shoes, that old easy chair,  
that same ol' brand of beer, or the same ol' song.  Boring, but safe.

Fortunately, when I play, I make misteaks.  (And yes my spell checker  
caught it.  It's intentional.)  I put my muffs to work for me.  I  
"justify" them (which has nothing to do with making excuses ;)  In  
jazz (and most improvisational musical forms), it's not where you  
start that counts.  It's where you end up.  During any chord or  
progression, you can start a phrase with any semitone, as long as you  
END it with a "proper" note.  For example, let's take a C7 chord, and  
let's pick a really weird note to begin - let's say, Db.  If we play  
only the Db, it sounds dissonant, perhaps even strident.  But if we  
add a few notes - let's say Db D Eb E Gb A G, it sounds very natural.

Another technique I like for rut busting is to use different  
positions.  While the same single notes can be played (assuming you  
either overblow or use partially valved diatonics), I find different  
positions gravitate toward different patterns and "feels".

It has been said that most blues harpers live on just 20% of the harp  
(2 draw, 3 draw, 4 draw, and 5 draw).  If this hits too close to  
home, try venturing outside this comfort zone.  Those high blow bends  
are great for both first and second positions.

Try copping licks from non-harmonica music.  Little Walter derived  
much of his style and feel from contemporary horn players.

The one common (ahem) chord I've noticed in all the replies I've read  
thus far is, do something different.  Try a different embouchure,  
play on different parts of the harp, try alternate tunings, listen to  
different music, different instruments, etc.  Just get out of that  
comfort zone.


--IronMan Mike Curtis
ironmanmc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx


On Jan 7, 2006, at 1:57 PM, mjmeadors@xxxxxxx wrote:

>  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