RE: [Harp-L] Visualizing the harp's layout

["Bill Hines" <billhines4@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

When I'm playing I'm usually visualizing myself with the best looking
woman in the joint. Ok, before anyone goes nuts on me, JUST KIDDING
(sort of).

Anyway, I digress. I'm still at the uphill part of the learning curve
but I'm trying to think about the harp and the holes in terms of scale
degrees when I play. That way it works on any harp/key in the same
tuning. Of course this changes with what position you are playing in
too, so that's a challenge.

Bill Hines
Hershey, PA

-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Mike Fugazzi
Sent: Friday, March 23, 2007 3:33 PM
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Harp-L] Visualizing the harp's layout

If I am trying to visualize the notes of a harmonica,
I think of the harp layout you find in the David
Barrett books.  Well sorta.  Its more complicated then
that, and I picture the overblows too, but an easy way
to put it is I see that picture in my mind's eye.

When I am playing at a gig...I tend to see the notes
as colors (I try to practice this now too instead of
worrying about a harp specific piece).  

At work, on my eMac, I have a screen saver that is
black.  There are these wavy colors that jump all over
the place and swirl around.  Some of you will get what
I mean, and probably have seen the screensaver. 
That's kind of what I see in my mind.

If things are going well, the notes in color form show
up and are played.  I don't really think about them or
playing them, they just are (sometimes it comes easy,
a lot of the time its hard).  Even when I listen to
music, I can "see" what I hear.  I don't know if
that's a good thing or not.  I don't know any better.

If things are going really really well, for a few
moments I'll feel like the images are no longer occupy
the small space in my head.  I'll feel like the images
are the universe and the music is all there is. 
Picture lots of bright light, or really vast dark
spaces.

I think that happens at least once a gig.  I wish it
was all the time.  It may last only a couple of notes,
or a whole solo.  Rarely does it last long since I
almost always start paying too much attention to it. 
Oh the Ego, how I loathe thee.

It it quite profound, and absolutely the most
spiritual experience I've ever had.  In fact, I've
been dedicating a lot of time to capturing the feeling
all the time.  I am no John Coltrane (nor do I plan to
be), but I understand why he said some of the things
he said.  I also understand why he played some of the
stuff he played.  In fact, in the last year, music has
taken on a whole new meaning and role in my life.

But back to the harp part...I find if very important
to visualize when I play.  I don't think it really
matters what you picture.  You just need to creat that
space in your own mind.