[Harp-L] Re: Harp-L Digest, Vol 75, Issue 8 what goes through my head.................

[jkoryta@xxxxxxxxxxx]

You know I played in a band with exactly the same instructions from the lead singer/guitar player too! I saidÂlike wow? Okay, I can keep playing BUT it is going to get old! Shoot if nothing else for me. My instructor came to hearÂus play a few times and told me to lay off the chording which we had all agreed upon was a "good" thing to do under the rest of the folks. I then just tried comping some licks. It was a struggle.... now that it's just a guitar player and me.... its like very naked .............. might be why we don't play out very much. Ha. WIll look to follow this thred for sure. Thanks. 



Jim K 






Message: 6 
Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 22:04:06 -0800 
From: Glenn and Debbie Woodhouse <gwoodhouse40@xxxxxxx> 
Subject: RE: [Harp-L] what goes through my head? 
To: Harp-L Harp-L <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx> 
Message-ID: <BLU130-W108A1691A002B7B9BAB8D7D1B10@xxxxxxx> 
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"As a four piece (Drums, Bass, Electric Guitar, and Harp) our guitarist always wants me to play some kind of continuous accompaniment under her solos and vocals. ÂShe feels the sound drops out too much coming off of vocals and into her guitar solos if I am not playing something or that it helps her vocally be in key if I am playing under her vocals. ÂSometimes it works and sometimes it is clashing/competing with where the real focus belongs. ÂThe most successful approach for me is to quietly play octaves through the I IV V progression or just hang on the I, altering the volume and vibrato dynamics at selective points in the tune. ÂWhen performing, playing anywhere from 24 to 40 tunes with the above strategy can become monotonous pretty fast for the listener. ÂI think I am just going to defy my partner'! 
Âs better judgement at times, back off, and work on selective fills more as a means to mix up this comping strategy.ÂÂ 
I would really welcome some advice and examples of good comping and critique on the songs I have posted on the MySpace player at www.ColdRail.com . In the first three tunes at a minimum there is examples of it working and not working. 

 

Thanks, Glenn