Re: [Harp-L] re: was timbre etc, now music theory

[Pierre <plavio@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Harri said:

In the end both approaches are cross-pollinated. I guess most harmonica 
players have a feeling for what they play and at least an elementary 
knowledge of musical theory. Weighting on theory or natural talent doesn't 
count, total sound does.

---

IMO:

Total sound takes you to second base, but you got to know what to play, 
where you can take the music. I think guys that don't know any theory today 
play in a small sandbox. Yes, they can play gut wrenching stuff that can 
make my jaw drop. But the repertoire is limited and it gets repetitive. It's 
all been done. The only way to get fresh sounding stuff is to enlarge the 
sandbox by learning more, new approaches. Not more Little Walter riffs but 
more routes.

Listen to jazz for a few years and you will probably get a whole new 
perspective on music and you may find that most blues start sounding boring, 
same with most rock and pop. This is not snobbery, once you get used to 
jazz, other music just starts to sounds too simple, too basic. Like rap to a 
blues listener. Well not quite, but same sort of thing. Not to say that 
there aren't any masterpieces in rock, blues or pop but the masterpieces are 
few and far between and they are getting harder and harder to come up with.

Jazz players are jaw dropping but in a different way. They are jaw dropping 
in what they can do on the spot, not just how they sound. Listen to the top 
jazz artist for a few years and you will be forever changed. Warning: It may 
take a while before you develop a taste for the music but there is no going 
back once you do. Trick is to find the right people to listen to.

Basically any of the local guys I pay $3.00 to see play at Upstairs Jazz bar 
on a Wenesday night can blow 99.99% of blues player away on any material 
except gut wrenching blues. They all know theory as they all have degrees in 
music and they don't suffer one bit.

Pierre.
































----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Haka Harri" <harri.haka@xxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, February 19, 2007 5:55 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] re: was timbre etc, now music theory


> Just a final note on this discussion on my part, just because I restarted 
> it. There seem to be two schools of listers. Theory (classical, acid jazz, 
> traditional songs etc.) and feeling (mainly blues).
>
> In the end both approaches are cross-pollinated. I guess most harmonica 
> players have a feeling for what they play and at least an elementary 
> knowledge of musical theory. Weighting on theory or natural talent doesn't 
> count, total sound does.
>
> Harri
>
>
>
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