[Harp-L] Visualizing the Harp Layout

[David Fertig <drfertig@xxxxxxxxx>]

Jazmaan,

You've heard me play enuff to know I'm not a musically-trained or technical player.  

I'm just a lazy old harpsucker seeking tone between the notes, rhythm between the beats, blues that soothes the soul and moves the feets. 

So when I'm wailin' I try to visualize, and internalize, the emotions and story of the song, the lyrics and feel.  

Like on Work Song, I think of Oscar Brown Jr's moving story of a grocery-robber's fate on the chain-gang, or with Stormy Monday  (hey hush!)   I think of working each week in an empty life and wishin' my baby'd come back.  

So, that's what I "visualize" and that drives my playing, which is at most semi-conscious.  And that's also (mostly) why I hate playing Mustang Sally.

On a slightly more technical note, I had the honor a couple years ago of  
  sitting down with the late great Dave McKelvey for a couple one-hour lessons.  

He got me to articulate finally my visual/practical perception of the harp mouthplate.  This revealed that I subconsciously perceived the higher the notes as being in smaller holes and closer together, thus I would alter my embroucher accordingly, and, McK say, appropriately. 

 But I don't know nothin' about notes and charts and parts, transposition, transubstantiation, keyboards, fretboards, draft boards, etc.  And such knowledge as you have (Jazmaan and I'm sure many others) does not lessen the soulfulness of your playing, as far as I've heard, au contraire, you bloody intellekshual show-offs! 

I really appreciate reading and hearing all the technical stuff, but for me, it's got to be simpler than that. At least I sure am!

Honk!

-Dave Fertig
From: "jazmaan@xxxxxxxxxxx" <dmf273@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Visualizing the Harp Layout
Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2007 17:50:44 -0700 (PDT)
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx

 What do you all "see" in your minds when you're playing?  Do you visualize the harp layout pretty
much the way it actually looks?  Do you see a piano keyboard?

I've been playing nothing but sax for a month.  I didn't even pick up a harp at all until today. 
Weirdly enough I was picturing my sax fingerings as I arpegiatted chords on the harp.  Never done
that before!