[Harp-L] My SPAH 2011

[michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>]

I enjoyed it immensely.  I love seeing all my friends and that is the
main thing for sure.

I learned that except during the I chord, it is not necessary to play
the chord's root note on the bar's first downbeat while playing bass
harp.  I also learned it is better form not to start a bar with with
same note played at the end of the previous bar.  So for example, if
it goes from a C chord to a G chord in the key of C, it is better to
play C G, D G than C G, G D.  Thanks to George Miklas, Judy Smith and
the other two instructors in Bass X 4.

Thanks to George Miklas for fixing my bass harp and chromatic.

Thanks to Slim, Joe, Bob, George, Grant and Sam, "the Harp-l Players"
who joined me on Have You Met Miss Jones, I feel like the performance
went well and was fun.

Thanks to Todd Parrott for explaining one way he sustains overdraws is
by nail polish on the reeds close to the rivet.  I would like to come
up with a price offlist to soup up a Bb Golden Melody harp for
overblows, right now in richter tuning.  Also, Todd, it was great to
get to know you better.

Thanks to Jellyroll for giving me first refusal on my new harmonetta.
Apparently, the master harmonetta technician souped this one up for
Jellyroll and liked it so much he tried to buy it from him.  Jellyroll
didn't but over the years realized harmonetta was not for him and sold
it to me.  It is in incredible condition.

Thanks to PT Gazell for souping up my new Seydel half valved diatonic
in Bb.  I still do not like the sound of the valve bends in general,
but I have already heard some cool possibilities while jamming with
it.  To anyone who can play overblows, this harp is very instinctual
for me.

Thanks to Elizabeth Hess for putting on a great metronome seminar and
being my friend, of course!

Thanks to Slim, Charles, Chris, Pat, Will, Tom, Diggs and anyone else
who jammed jazz while I played rhythm on the harmonetta in the halls.
It was the culmination of a dream.

Thanks to Buddy Greene for finding 10 minutes to instruct me.  We
weren't sure what sound he was doing that I got excited about.  He
played until I said "That's it!"  It turned out to be a triplet tongue
articulation, I say Ta ke ta, that I had been doing for years but
never thought about doing it the WAY he did it, as an imitation of a
fiddle sound during a non bent note in a fiddle tune.

Thanks to Ronnie for making me jealous of your diatonic blues skills.
It makes me want to practice.

I really liked the performances by Steve Guyger and Buddy Greene.
Everyone else did wonderfully, but they were my favorites.  I vought
their CD's and have listened to some of Buddy's.  Very good.  Thanks
to Paul Messinger for his new CD.

Thanks to the beginner blues jammers for going for it!

Thanks to my Joe Filisko Teach-in students, most of whom stayed with
me for 3 straight days!

Thanks to the hosts and the board for your hard work, and the sponsors
for making it possible.

Thanks to everyone for the jams and talks and friendship.

If I left anyone out, my apologies.
Michael Rubin
Michaelrubinharmonica.com