Re: [Harp-L] Sans drummer

["Tim Moyer" <wmharps@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ansel Barnum wrote:
> But an even bigger problem has emerged: We--harp, guitar, 
> and keyboard--are drummerless. Presuming we remain so until 
> showtime, are there any songs or techniques which compensate 
> for missing percussion?

Depending on the kind of material you're trying to do, this could be 
a blessing!  You won't be able to do things like Mustang Sally 
unless your keyboard player has a decent rhythm section on his rig, 
but you could change the mood a little and go a little more "Robert 
Johnson", with acoustic numbers that rely heavily on steady bass 
(keys) lines for rhythm.  

We played a gig last night that was supposed to be a six-piece band: 
two guitars, bass, drums/vocals, clarinet and harmonica.  Only three 
of us showed up; guitar, bass and harmonica.  Turns out, that was 
about all we needed.  There are a few numbers we do that follow a 
sort of formula: harmonica plays the head, vocal verse(s), harmonica 
solo to the bridge, vocals return with harmonica fills to the end.  
Without a vocalist, that formula morphed into: harmonica plays the 
head, harmonica solo to the bridge, harmonica returns to the melody 
at the bridge to the end.  In some cases guitar does the head, and 
there's a harmonica solo followed by a guitar solo before returning 
to the head.  The point is, there are creative ways to do just about 
any song with limited instrumentation.  You just need to get people 
to focus on the basics.  

-tim