[Harp-L] Re : Breaking Out of a Rut

["Hurricane Ramón" <party_man1@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Excerpt .

Bobby Blackhat axes :

So I'm listening to a recording of myself and realize that I'm sounding pretty sad. I flashback to my early days of learning to play harp when no matter what song I tried to play it always came out sounding like Home On The Range. CAN I GET A WITNESS? So anyway ,I realize I'm in a rut. A bad one that I can't seem to break out of. Now of course I have some signature licks that are just me and I don't want to loose my identity. Sonny Boy had licks that were the essence of Sonny Boy and with just a few notes you know who it is. 

Bobby
http://bobbyblackhat.com


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Hurricane sez :

Hello Bobby ,

Hitting the proverbial wall huh brother ...........I can relate too . 

Your are at the cross road , which way to go and is no clear to you because your in an unlit intersection it seems .

- - -But - - -

Be happy , it means ( if you hit it and not quit ) your about to reach a new level of performance skill , you should be excited too as well as frustrated blood . Recognize this each and every time you feel it because a new horizon is about to come into view , believe this whole heartedly . 

Since you mentioned you have achieved some success it is within your grasp if you keep doing what you have been doinf and maybe add another thing like using ( assuming you have a windows OS )media player to slow down songs and cop new licks .I didn't have such a luxury in the 50's , 60's & 70's . If your a Mac man  tghere are other software programs to be had for about $20.00 . I use mine for my guitar learning chops since I don't worry anymore about playing my harps in any venue any more with 53 years at it I better be able to jump on anything just about :)

Also get out to more jam sessions and they should not be only Blues jams , go Country Western  , Rock and stretch ! Find another harp man close to you who is superior to you , get to know guitar players who are harp friendly ( yep there are some out there with out being a terminally hip syndrome case ) , piano men as well will give you loads of info too  .

And listen man , listen to everything , the best musicians are the best listeners bare none as far as retention of what the heard and being able to reproduce it whether it's a harp or a kazoo . 

I would be excited if I were you , because I feel you do want 

- - - " It " - - - 

 and want it

- - - " badly " - - -

enough to do the wood shedding it takes , .........

Like all of us who have been where you are just beginning , have been and done that . 

Sincerely :

Hurricane Ramon 
Aka :

Party_Man1@xxxxxxxxxx

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