Re: [Harp-L] Re: Scary Fast Playing

[Steve Shriver <steveshriver@xxxxxxx>]

Very nice metaphor for a good solo. I like having images in my head when I¹m
soloing- a bird, a tiger, a frog, depending on the mood of the song. I¹ve
noticed that some of my best solos have been during a particularly emotional
mood- technique falls away and the spirit comes through (if I¹m lucky). One
thing I¹ve learned through sobriety is that no matter what I¹ve got to say,
if I say it honestly, there¹s someone who¹s ready to hear it. Money talks,
bull___ walks.


on 2/9/09 6:36 AM, IcemanLE@xxxxxxx at IcemanLE@xxxxxxx wrote:

> Most harmonica players I've heard don't effectively bridge the gap  between
> scaryfast and everythingelse.
> It's an either/or.
>  
> Scaryfast is most effective when used within a building a solo framework -
> building a solo is a very musical skill that takes the listener on a journey,
> like a walk in the woods.
>  
> You leave your house (a familiar place) and begin an adventure. Out the  door
> at a leisurely pace, down the street, perhaps picking up walking speed  until
> you are comfortable, and then into the woods. Once in the woods, you can
> pick a familiar trail or try for something new. The new trail twists and
> turns,  
> perhaps opening up into a field, where you are so inspired that  you jog a
> bit, even breaking into a run (if you are feeling joyous).
>  
> Coming to the end of the field, you may decide to slow down a bit rather
> than crashing willy nilly through the bushes and trees - scaring the beejesus
> out of all the woodland creatures - eventually heading home through familiar
> territory. You eventually arrive safely, having had a varied and  memorable
> experience during your trip.
>  
> What I've heard harmonica players do is - Front door of the house crashes
> open and harmonica player flies out running at full speed, mowing down the
> mail  
> man (letters flying in the air) which doesn't even phase the harmonica player
> as  off he goes. Since he has spent a lot of time building up his  stamina,
> he keeps up the tempo into the woods, sticking to very familiar paths  in
> which 
> all the stones and branch placements are memorized so he can zip  through and
> around them without looking or slowing down, out across the field,  back to
> the street and back home moving at a blur, door slamming behind him  signaling
> the end of the adventure.
>  
> Impressive in the fact that the stop watch shows how fast the trip was, but
> ask him to remember what he encountered on the trip that was new and
> unique....what did he see that was new and inspiring.....which new flowers did
> he 
> stop to smell?.....what unusual birds or animals did he see on this
> trip?...which new paths did he explore?.....what can he share with others
> rather  than 
> showing them the stop watch and bragging on how the speed was  increased?
>  
> I'm more inspired when given a journey that opens up my imagination. I'm
> less inspired when the speed of the tour guide is all I remember.
>  
> The Iceman
>  
>  
> In a message dated 2/9/2009 1:29:01 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> dmf273@xxxxxxxxx writes:
> 
> Even  Charlie Parker used doubletime with restraint.   But "restraint" is  a
> word rarely associated with most modern harp  players.
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-- Steve