[Harp-L] Less is more ... play better by playing less! (effortless harmonica)

[Wim Dijkgraaf <w.dijkgraaf@xxxxxx>]

In our aim to play as beautiful as we possibly can ... we often forget that not playing is as effective as playing!
Have you ever thought about why (in general) you thing something is beautiful and something else not? Well, I think something is beautiful because of the existence of other things that are less beautiful or even ugly ... . It's the variation that matters!

Because music is a very abstract art form, contrast & variation is an important ingredient to not lose the attention of the listener. Also too much contrast & variation without an obvious logic can also result in losing the attention of the listener. Applying the right timing in creating moments of tension and moments of release is what differentiates the master from the pupil.

What kind of contrast are we talking about? Contrast in elements like volume, in rhythmic density, sound versus silence, fast versus slow, large versus small intervals, melodic clarity versus fuzz, a round tone versus a "out of tune high pitches wispering sound", inside versus outside playing, on the beat versus rhythmically free, etc.

Whether you are an improvising musician, play classical music from a score or are a composer, it's in the mastery of these elements that makes your music interesting for the listener and interesting to be played.

So, with Summertime as the main vehicle let's have a look at three of those elements that are important ingredients to play an interesting solo:

pacing: Do you play all the time or do you also have the guts to stop playing for a couple of bars?
phrase length: are your melodic phrases all more or less of the same length, or do you also play short phrases, medium long phrases and sometimes even very long phrases?
rhythmic density: do you solo using 8th notes only are is there some variation in note length and rhythms that you apply?
Three important elements that are immediately obvious also to the untrained ears as many listeners have!

Here is the link: http://www.effortlessharmonica.com/harmonica-how-to-play/tunes/jazz-standards/summertime/

Have fun,

Wim

http://www.wimdijkgraaf.com
http://www.dumeedijkgraaf.com
http://www.effortlessharmonica.com