RE: [Harp-L] playing along

[Patrick Killeen <patrickkilleen@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello Chris
 
Adding harp parts to songs that don't have them yet is all I every seem to do, quite often on stage with songs I've never heard before :-0  
 
Focus on listening to the song, the three key things I listen out for are the harmonic structure of the song, it's dynamics and the instrumental arrangement.
 
I usually try to reinforce the harmonic structure of the song by switching what I'm playing as the song switches between verse, chorus bridge etc.  So I might chug on the beat during the chorus and play refrains during the verse or vice versa.
 
I also follow (and sometimes lead) changes in the dynamics of the song, so if the song intensifies or goes quiet then so does my playing.
 
Normally when your adding your own harmonica part the music your playing along to is strongly layered, so for a small band it might be something like this:
 
Melodic layer: Singer, lead instruments.
Chordal rhythm: Rhythm guitar.
Bass line: Bass guitar.
Rhythm: Drums, percussion.
Pulse: Bass drum.
 
and for a solo performer you might get something like
 
Melodic line: Voice.
Chordal rhythm: guitar. 
 
What I really like about harmonica is that you can move between these layers, so you can hang out in the background with the bass and rhythm guitarists by playing simply and repetitively with the beat, and then when there's space seamlessly slip into the melodic layer with your solo.    
 
Here are my some of my stock tricks:
 
Silence: The more you don't play the more impact it has when you do.
 
Drone notes and dynamics: As instruments go harmonicas give you incredable controll of the shape of your notes, you can construct a varried harmonica part with just one note (though normally I use at least two).  
 
Repeated riffs (1): If you repeatedly play the same riff (rather like a bass line) then you quickly slip into the backgound. You can hear an example of this at http://www.snakelegs.org.uk/ and click on "You Give Me More".
 
Repeated riffs (2): If you play the same riff (either exactly or with some variation) at the same point during each chourus or verse then it helps gives the song structure.
 
First position blow notes: These will fit in unobtrusively most of the time, chords and tounge block octave are particualry useful.
 
Above all, keep it simple.
 
Patrick

----------------------------------------
> Date: Thu, 15 Jul 2010 10:50:56 -0700
> From: c_reynolds2571@xxxxxxxxx
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [Harp-L] playing along
>
> So I have a question about how some of you folks approach playing along with
> songs that don't necessarily have a harp part in them. I'm in my shop listening
> to Lynyrd Skynyrd today and there are songs that would just be fun to play along
> with. So I'm curious about how others approach playing along with songs. Do you
> play the melody or prefer to play a background rhythm?
>
> Chris 		 	   		  
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