Re: [Harp-L] Re:Questions for Chromatic Players

["Bill" <bill.eborn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

i was thinking about jazz really and the Parker maxim, play blues and rhythm 
changes in all keys.  I think I'd like to get to the point where I can play 
other things in all keys too, things with changes over tricky intervals like 
All the Things You Are, or the bridge of Have You Met Miss Jones or Cherokee 
for example, just because it's a great technical exercise.  Anyway, sooner 
of later a singer's going to call out Have You Met Miss Jones or whatever in 
a girl's key and it'll ber nice to be prepared.

I spent about six months playing the aebersold dominant 7th workout in all 
keys on a diatonic more or less every day - usually a Bb and still do that 
now and again.  I've also worked out a melody which I play on the track that 
goes round the cycle with 2 bars for each 7th chord.  I'm a bit less 
ambitious on diatonic now, mainly because I started playing chromatic and 
fell in love with it and also because the more I understood jazz as a 
player, the more it became about the music, rather than the instrument.

Diatonic's become more about blues for me again, although I really like the 
way that because of the work I've done it means that i have more options. 
So for example, I can play a harp that will give me access to 3 full octaves 
if I'm playing in a key like Bb or C for example and the instrument isn't 
dictating to me how that will sound. i can also use an F or low F or Eb harp 
because I want the sound they give me, rather because that's the only option 
I have available.  It's also nice to be able to pull a nice ballad with 
complex harmony out of the bag at a blues gig sometimes.

Bill


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jérôme P." <peyrelevade@xxxxxxx>
To: <mundharp@xxxxxxx>; <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, January 17, 2010 2:19 PM
Subject: RE: [Harp-L] Re:Questions for Chromatic Players


> I agree with you John, it all depends on what you want to play and where 
> you
> want to go.
> If you want to play Blues exactly like SBWII for example, you don't need 
> any
> of these tools.
> If you want to include more modern licks, let's say with a G alt resolving
> on a C7, even on standard 12 bar blues, you much more need that kind of
> practice to make it sound correctly.
> If you want to play some kind of Fusion music, where there are usually a 
> lot
> of tone changes in the same tune, whatever it is, you don't have the 
> choice:
> you have to practice scales.
> Etc.
> In a certain way, it less depends on the music you want to play than on 
> the
> way you want to play this music.
>
> Jerome
> www.youtube.com/JersiMuse
>
>
> -----Message d'origine-----
> De : harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] De la 
> part
> de mundharp@xxxxxxx
> Envoyé : dimanche 17 janvier 2010 13:31
> À : harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Objet : Re: [Harp-L] Re:Questions for Chromatic Players
>
>
>
> In a message dated 17/01/2010 19:17:52 Malay Peninsula Standard Time,
> bill.eborn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
>
> <<Would anyone else agree that whilst playing different key  chromatics 
> has
> it's place, it's important to be able to play evenly in all  12 keys.>>
>
>
> Quite honestly, I don't think it matters.
>
> YES IT IS a worthwhile skill, but it is a skill you need only if you need
> it!
>
> Depends on what you want to do with your music. It's also a great skill to
> play in each and every key on a diatonic... Like Howard Levy and Iron Man
> Mike  Curtis. They play most everything on  one diatonic. Mostly a  "c".
>
> But If you simply want to play blues in 2nd position on your short harp...
> Why bother?
>
> In an ideal world, all chromatic harmonica players should be able to play
> EVERYTHING in every key, on their "C" chromatic. I ADVISE ALL CHROM 
> PLAYERS
> TO  LEARN THIS SKILL. It will improve their playing!
>
> But to my mind the secret of great music is the music. It really doesn't
> matter how you get there.
> "There are many roads to Jerusalem"
>
> I cheat! I simply obtain the best tool for the job I am trying to  do...
>
> Best wishes,
>
> John "Whiteboy" Walden
> Cebu City
> Philippines
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