Re: [Harp-L] Rick Davis : Sonny Terry

[Rick Davis <bluesharpamps@xxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks, Sonny, that is fascinating.  I thought I could hear a tongue
pull-off in his signature rhythm fill riff.  More woodshedding for me...

-Rick Davis


On Sun, Jan 18, 2009 at 7:53 PM, <SONNYTONE@xxxxxxx> wrote:

> Well, since I was there in his face for two years, I think I have a better
> handle on it than anyone guessing. Sonny was a purely lip pursing player,
> however in his early years with Blind Boy Fuller you have hear him doing
> some
> intensely fast chording, which could have even been TB and fluttering. But
> as he
> progressed it was purely lips, and all diaphram vibrato. Sonny's harps were
> worn  to the very back of the Golden Melody, very large mouth cavity , big
> lips, and  strong lungs. He never really took him mouth off the harp when
> doing
> runs. He  could pull it away, do a Whoop, then hit the exact note he
> wanted.
> This is what  I teach in my seminars, the basics of his breathing and
> signature
> phrases. Much  yes, being done by playing the first 3 notes of the harp,
> but
> the key is to play  the 2 and 3 blow so that if you do it right, it slides
> across so fast that  number one you get rid of your inward air, and two, it
> sounds
> just like the  rhythm you were percussively playing. In playing his Hootin
> the
> Blues, this is  key to being able to play it and then alter the pattern
> with
> all ya ya - ya ya  ya ya ya ya fi di dum, all ins, a change you can make at
> any time during  the pattern. Initially with BBF he was extremely nasal,
> and
> always did hit notes  nasally , just not as shrill as in his early days.
> Hope that answers you Rick.
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-- 
-Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
http://www.bluesharpamps.blogspot.com/