[Harp-L] Staring a number "naked"

[Jim Crutchfield <jdcrutch@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

It all depends on who you're playing with.  I guess it's obvious that 
performing with a band you haven't practiced with is fraught with peril 
at the best of times, and I'd say it's to be avoided if possible--but 
who can resist the invitation to sit in with a band he likes?

Even if you haven't practiced with them, *musicians*--good players who 
know their stuff, practice together a lot, perform together a lot, 
etc.--can pick up a groove from the harp, as long as the harper also 
knows his stuff, so that the groove he lays down is tight and they have 
something to pick up.

I suspect a lot of harpers (like a lot of guitarists) practice by 
themselves too much.  Lord knows I do, when I practice at all.  That 
tends to result in idiosyncratic playing and sloppy rhythm, which a band 
finds hard to follow.  Nothing takes the place of playing together with 
other people on a regular, frequent basis, if you want to develop tight 
rhythm and intonation.  It's what makes the difference between a good, 
technically accurate performance and a thrilling, wonderful performance.

It's hard for me to understand why Bill's pro friend would recommend 
starting out naked as a general rule (even "on some songs") for playing 
with an unfamiliar band, but maybe it made more sense in the context of 
their conversation.  Did he explain why he thought that was a good idea?

Cheers,

Crutch


> Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2010 09:26:15 -0500
> From: "Bill Kumpe"<bkumpe@xxxxxxx>
> Subject: [Harp-L] Staring a number "naked"
> To:<harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Message-ID:<3A18ED6B10504FB8A57EB17697FAF8DD@BKALPC>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"
>
>
> A while back, a pro player that I really respect suggested that when playing
> with a band or accompanist you have not practiced with it is better on some
> numbers to ask them to let you play a few bars "naked" with no accompaniment
> and then let them come in as they catch the groove.  Every time I have tried
> this it has not worked out well.  I really like this sound when this is done
> right and the guy I got the tip from pulls it off flawlessly every time.
> Does anybody else do this? Suggestions? Comments?
>
> Bill Kumpe
> Tulsa, OK