RE: [Harp-L] Playing at Jam Sessions

["Robert Vivona" <ravivona@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Marvin,

I'm sure you'll get a lot of responses to this question (from people who
know a lot more than I), but I believe the main issue is that the harmonica
is in a similar register (I think that's the right term) as the human voice
and as such, can compete with the vocalist. Other instruments can play with
less chance of distracting the audience from the vocals.

That being said, I play in a band and often play behind our female lead
singer while she is singing. I am a huge fan of Big Walter's, and if you get
his sides from "Chicago, The Blues Today!" (playing behind Johnny Shines),
you will hear great examples of Walter playing behind the vocals. In my
opinion, the challenge is that you need to do something interesting,
complementary, and at all costs, not distracting from the vocals. You are
not soloing here, but adding to the song and complementing the vocalist.

I believe another issue at jams is that playing behind the vocals in a
constructive way is not simple to do and there have been plenty of harp
players who have tried and failed (probably most likely due to a lack of
experience, i.e., not knowing that they were on dangerous ground in the
first place), causing some resistance by other instrument players to the
attempt.

My recommendation: If you are unsure, either stop playing during the vocals
or play something very simple (chords, octaves, even root notes). I learned
what I know in a band situation, so it's a lot different than a jam, but I'd
probably try adding little riffs at first and see if that goes well. If it
did (i.e., no one blows up at you), then I'd expand from there.

Just my 2 cents. Hope it helps.

Bob

> -----Original Message-----
> From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of billhines4@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 8:57 PM
> To: harptalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; Harp - L
> Subject: [Harp-L] Re: [HarpTalk] Playing at Jam Sessions
> 
> I used to wonder the same thing! "hey the other instruments are all
> playing when the singer is singing!"  I think it's fine to play
> background/chords at *low* volume to provide the same type of backing that
> the other instruments do. I like using the opportunity to work on chords,
> split octaves when doing this. Sometimes I try to parallel what the person
> on the organ (hammond b3) is doing or compliment it (not during their solo
> of course).
> 
> Bill
> 
>  -------------- Original message ----------------------
> From: MARVIN Fleischman <m0flei01@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > When playing at certain types of jam sessions, why is it that guitars,
> etc., are
> > welcome to play while someone is singing, but not the harmonica, even if
> it is
> > being played softly? Regarding playing the harmonica during a blues jam
> and an
> > Americana jam, I have been told to play less and make it count. When it
> is an
> > unfamiliar song to me, I like to play very quietly to get the melody in
> my head.
> >
> > Marvin Fleischman
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>