Re: [Harp-L] Practice material (blues) for intermediate level students (harmonica, guitar, vocals)

["Docta Funk" <dustin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

these are some songs I learned to play first:

Mojo working
goodmornin little school girl(sonny boy or junior wells)
red rooster
help me
they want money(rod piazza)
one way out(jimmy reed or the allmans)
bad moon rising(creedence)
spoonful
juke
rattlesnake
Anything off of hoodooman blues(buddy and junior)
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jervis Groeneveld" <harmonica@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, July 08, 2006 10:50 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] Practice material (blues) for intermediate level students 
(harmonica, guitar, vocals)


Hello list,

Here in Holland, I am working with a local music school on an initiative, 
and I am a request to all experienced teachers on this list for feedback, 
especially suggestions for songs. Thanks in advance!

Background: for the past year-and-half I have been teaching short courses 
(10 weekly 1-hour sessions) for harmonica students. This developed into 3 
levels of courses (for absolute beginners, an introduction to 
bluesharmonica, and an "intermediate" bluesharmonica-course). Some students 
keep repeating the third course as a weekly practice session.

After doing all three courses, most students need a little extra push and 
some support in playing with other musicians. They want to, but they do not 
know how to take the initiative. For some of them, going to jamsessions is a 
big step.

To support them in this, and to create a mixed learning/playing-arena, I am 
working together with other teachers at this music school. Weâre starting 
with harmonica/guitar/vocal teachers, but I expect and aim to also get the 
bass&drums-guyus involved. The overall concept is to have a year-course with 
bi-weekly sessions of 2 hours. Session 1 would be separate 
(guitar/harmonica/vocal) classes, analyzing a specific song, and Session 2 
would be one big classroom with bandcoaching by the teachers.

Session 2 (on a monthly basis) starts out as a bandcoaching-session with all 
instruments, and it is open for audience. In a few months it becomes a 
masterclass and weâll probably do this in a venue where there is also room 
for a jam session afterwards. It might develop into something big that will 
boost the blues-awareness in Holland!

I am looking for suggestions for songs to work on.

In the first year weâll have to have about 10 songs that are fun and 
challenging but do-able for intermediate students. Those songs have to have 
a certain own identity (I donât want to do 10 standard shuffles). These 
songs have to be interesting for harmonica, guitar and vocals! And the song 
has to have some backbone to it, so that without a rhythm section it keeps 
standing out (bass&drum-teachers will participate later)

Some examples of famous bluesharp-classics that will probably NOT work:
Whammer Jammer (too complex for these harmonica-students, not interesting 
for guitar, and instrumental)
Easy (how will we tell the guitar-students not to mess this one up...)
Mellow Down Easy (I do not see that working without bass&drums)
Etcetera
I am thinking of songs like:
(Little Walter) Blues With A Feeling (nice lick for harmonica and guitar, 
nice vocals)
(Slim Harpo) Shake Your Hips (great training for rhythmic guitar to 
compensate for the missing bass&drums)
(BB Arnold/Red Devils) Wish You Would (nice lick for harmonica and guitar, 
nice vocals)
Strong melody in both guitar and harmonica, that's what I'm looking for. And 
I know that advanced players could make ANY song interesting, but these are 
students with "limited" skills.

Your suggestions and feedback are more than welcome. Thanks once again!


Jervis Groeneveld
www.business-harmonics.nl
www.harmonicainstituut.nl
tel 0031 20 774 8657
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