Re: [Harp-L] RE: Harp keys cheat sheet - further uses of the Cycle of 5ths

[David Nalepinski <dnveloman@xxxxxxxxx>]

My two cents on the harp/guitar ethics...

Sounds like a classic case of a guitarist that has a bad history with harp
players.  Often times as a harp player is building their rep and building
chops, they get very rare opportunities to play with live bands.  Because of
this, they can try to hang out all their material to take advantage of the
opportunity and forget about the arrangements-- you should play some rhythm,
jam some leads, rhythm, skip the next lead for the guitar.... I think some
guitar players look at harps as competing for air time.  Lord knows these
guys are spending as much time working on their craft.  I sometimes run into
ones that have this bad taste in their mouths.  This problem can be
compounded if you are playing through the PA.  Then you are sharing speakers
with vocals-- and the two do not mix well on the same speaker cone.

With that said-- it seems Super Dave should relax a little if this is a true
open mic night.  Trying your hand is exactly what they are for.  So- be
confident... but be mindful of the situation you are in with other band
members.  Better to leave them begging you to play more, than thinking you
are playing to much.  Be very careful of playing more then quiet rhythm when
a vocalist is singing.  Be sure to share the leads... Next time-- Play a
couple bars of lead and say, "take it Dave!"  Then he'll know you share and
dig him (even if you don't).

On Thu, Jun 4, 2009 at 11:43 AM, Abner Galdos <cdgaldos@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:

> Bill thanks for the info.
> Last night I was at open mike and one of the guys ( Chris)gave me some
> songs to learn and what key the songs are played in.
> Chris wants me to be on stage with him.
> I did go up and play with a Suzuki Fire Breath in the key of A and played
> for songs with one great gal with a sweet southern accent. Playing and
> making eye contact was great...
> One guitarist (John) would play songs only in my harp range, John  knows
> for me to  change the harp I would have to go find it a different key
> He has no problem with me complimenting his singing and playing... the 2nd
> guitarist ( Super Dave ) did not... he wanted me to back off when the other
> guy was singing and would tell me to stop playing... So I would  back off
>  but  keep on playing but away from the mic..
>
> After I was done, several musician came up to me and told me I had improved
> in 3 month and were very proud of me.
> Richard ( from Harp L ) was also impressed..
> Here is the funny part...
> I was told buy Richard and a lot of other people at the bar, that when I
> back off they could not hear me... and some of them told me they motion to
> me to get closer to the mic.....
>
> so, here was my dilemma and the 2nd guitars was the one a few months ago
> that took the mic away from me  and gave me such a low sense of self esteem
> that it took me a very long time to go back up and play...Not this time...
>
> So this sucks, I know I'm not in their playing skills.  But if people like
> my playing why should I stop...
> Richard also played last night and I have seen him with other bands...
> Richard is a very good harp player and has given me a lot of good advise..
> Richard told me I have good tone and my bends are getting there....
>
> If it were not for Richard constant advice and encouragement I would have
> gone into that stupid low confidence mind set.
> Thank you Richard...
>
> abner (Blueyes, I will play next week )
>
>  ----- Original Message -----
>  From: Bill
>  To: Abner Galdos ; harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
>  Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 2009 2:13 PM
>  Subject: Re: [Harp-L] RE: Harp keys cheat sheet - further uses of the
> Cycle of 5ths
>
>
>  Sorry Abner, didn't mean to blind you with science!
>
>  Do your backing tracks come with chord charts - I should hope they do or
> they're doing you a dis-service!  If you cross reference the chord symbols
> on the chart to the cycle of fifths, you should be able to see what I was
> going on about.
>
>  Some friends of mine have got Iphones and have downloaded an app that
> gives them chord charts for the Real Book, it's called IReal Book (I think),
> it's only £4.99 sterling.  You can transpose the tunes on the phone as well
> - amazing stuff technology!
>
>  Bill
>
>
>
>    ----- Original Message -----
>    From: Abner Galdos
>    To: Bill ; harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
>    Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 2009 3:45 PM
>    Subject: Re: [Harp-L] RE: Harp keys cheat sheet - further uses of the
> Cycle of 5ths
>
>
>    I am understanding the circle of Fifth.
>    The rest you are trying to teach me is way over my head...
>    for now....
>
>
>    Thanks Bill for trying.
>
>
>    abner (Blueyes, as hard as a Diamond as dull as coal)
>      ----- Original Message -----
>      From: Bill
>      To: Abner Galdos ; harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
>      Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 2009 5:32 AM
>      Subject: Re: [Harp-L] RE: Harp keys cheat sheet - further uses of the
> Cycle of 5ths
>
>
>      "I was on stage with two guitarist and one of them kept showing me the
>      chords. Now I don't now music and I don't now how to play the guitar.
>  So I
>      had no idea what chord he was showing me other then the fact that I
> might
>      have been playing wrong"
>
>      You can also use the Cycle of Fifths to help you remember your common
> chord
>      sequences.  For example on a standard I, IV, V blues progression,
> imagine
>      that the key of the tune is your 1st position, then your IV chord will
> be in
>      12th position and your V chord will be in 2nd.  So for a blues in C
> you have
>      C7 for your I chord, F7 for your IV chord and G7 for the V chord.
>
>      It also works for the ii, V, I/i, progressions that you often find in
> jazz
>      and more sophisticated blues.  Here again if you imagine, the key as
> 1st
>      postion, the ii chord will be in 3rd position, the V chord in 2nd and
> the
>      I/i chord in 1st.   So in C major that gives you Dm7, G7 and Cmaj7 or
> in C
>      minor typically Dm7b5, G7b9 and CmMaj7.
>
>      Hope this is useful
>
>      Bill
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