Re: [Harp-L] Pattern players
Iceman,
I know you are not the one who iniated the "pattern player" post, but like
another poster, I too am curious: what does this phrase mean? If you repeat
a riff, you have created a pattern, right? My music and harmonica knowledge
is limited, though I know the most boring music is that which repeats
without ever changing the pattern, and some of the most interesting are
those which use patterns, but break them subtely or rearrange them in
interesting ways.
Also, I've only been on the list for 6 months or so, but I've heard you
mention a few times what sound like some very interesting approaches to
teaching--do you ever share specifics or are these trade secrets so to
speak?
-Marc Molino
From: icemanle@xxxxxxx
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Pattern players
Date: Tue, 06 Feb 2007 10:44:23 -0500
You may be limiting yourself and your creativity if you approach music and
improv with the "pattern player" mentality.
Patterns may be a good tool to help gain understanding into the language of
music, as scales do. Memorized patterns practiced and played over and over
can allow you to PLAY REALLY FAST STUFF - ooh, impressive. (I can bench lift
400 lb. Wanna feel my biceps?).
Some of the weirdest sounding patterns can be heard when harmonica players
solo over "Stormy Monday" changes without the knowledge that the language of
music over certain key centers tends to shift during the song.
Miles Davis was a supreme "pattern buster" in his personal and leadership
approach to his music. If you were a member of his band (from his 2nd Great
Quintet onwards) and he heard you playing licks/patterns on the bandstand
(memorized and repeated), you were fired. He was into creativity in the
moment, not something that actually anyone could do if given enough practice
time - Miles wanted a deeper commitment to the Muse of inspiration and
creativity, not the Charles Atlas pump you up with reps approach.
This is not to say that those pattern dudes don't have a listening and
appreciative audience (beer drinking bikers - just kidding). It just means
that there is something beyond pattern that is well worth seeking out.
As a teacher, I have the luxury of test driving a lot of different
approaches and philosophies on my guinea pi....oops, I mean students. In
developing a unique and faster approach at conveying musical concepts, I am
able to dispense with "transcribing and memorizing solo after solo after
solo" or "learn this pattern and repeat it over and over and over and over
until it is very fast" in order to entice a connection with the music in
students. The results are very positive, with more beginners able to feel
confident in their ability to make good musical choices on their own with
confidence within the first 6 months. They become the artist rather than
memorizing what another artist did in order to mimic talent. Very satisfying
for both student and teacher. Many is the time that a beginner student will
play something that I wouldn't have thought of in a particular situation,
eliciting excitement from me as a listener "Yeah, man, that's the stuff".
ah well, to each his own. I prefer the Miles Davis stuff myself.
The Iceman
-----Original Message-----
From: gonz1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 9:29 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] Pattern players
Is there such a thing as an original pattern player? I don't think so. I
know
of none since we
ALL have
influences that come from others we listen to. Jason, Howard, et al. Even
Mozart learned
from Haydn.
Regardless of the instrument we listen to, there are patterns we all adapt
as
our own They
don't have to be
harmonica patterns. Actually, it is probably better that you find patterns
that
are not
normally found on a
harmonica, from other instruments and other genres, Doing this will offer
more
"originalty"
to your patterns
and playing. The key is to emulate moreso than duplicate. There are far
too
many players
that duplicate much
more than they ever emulate. What was it that Paul delay said? Something
to
the effect; The
world needs
another Litttle Walter sound alike like we need another Elvis impersonator.
That pretty much
sums it up. Thank
you, thank you very much.
One of the keys to changing that is to apply what you have learned and are
learning to
genres that you don't
expect to hear the harmonica. I liked that non-harmonica songs thread.
That is
exactly the
idea. Regardless
of idiom, playing familiar patterns then takes on a different and a much
more
original sound.
That is what
many players ...like Popper...have done. Like it or not he is doing alot of
stuff in the Rock
genre that alot of
Rock harmonica players have never done. This is probably why the "slam
Popper
thread" has
again raised its
ugly head.
Roger Gonzales
Fresno, CA.
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