Re: [Harp-L] Getting back to harmonica (Rhythm harp playing from a drum primer)

David Michelsen Tuition <dmharpman@xxxxxxxxx> · Wed, 28 Sep 2011 18:45:34 +0100

 Hi

I have been recommending that students use the Buddy Rich's  'Snare Drum 
Rudiments' as a rhythm primer for the harp for some 18 years now.

Though I'm sure that other drum primers would be just as good.
However the relevance of keeping it all on one drum head, is that it 
stops one becoming entwined in areas of drumming technique that don't 
translate in to a binary (two part) rhythm generation, like when to hit 
what drums and hand/foot combination's.
To apply it to the mouth take the part of the front of the tongue that 
makes the 'Ti' sound as the right hand stick and the part of the tongue

 that makes the 'Ka', back of tongue, as the left hand stick.
Use the chord that is sounded when playing holes 1 to 4 inclusive for 
the basic start on these rhythm exercises as in this way you can get the 
tongue part of rhythm production squared away before you apply it to 
melody. As a moments thought will show if you try and incorporate melody 
right from the start you are giving your self too much to trip up on. 
Small sure steps make for easier learning.
 Now you divide all mouth sounds along the front of and back of tongue 
axis into a right stick  / left stick translation. this allows triple 
forms such as 'Di-ga-de', 'Ti-ka-ti'. This also allows you to give a 
natural placement of an accent by the use of capitalization within the 
phonetic rhythm patten.
Many folks don't understand that when you use a metronome you know that 
you are in time when you can't hear it, for this reason I encourage 
students to develop their own rhythm sense. If you hear the click, your 
sense is either behind or ahead of the beat. Though a metronome can be 
most useful for determining your beats per minute (BPM). Alexis Korner 
used to have a pocked metronome which looked like a pocket watch and it 
used to make a click that you could feel when you held it in your pocket.
I hope this sheds some light on this area .
yours - David

On 28/09/2011 16:43, philharpn@xxxxxxx wrote:

Does anybody know of a good video (DVD) that explains it all -- something on the order of explaining the beat for beginning drummers and non-drummers.
I don't want to learn to drum, I just want a quick and dirty rundown on the rudiments.

Also, anybody got a lead on a good drum machine with a variety of beats. I have metronomes -- but I would prefer some pre-set beats that go beyond clicking quarter notes.

-----Original Message-----
From: Elizabeth Hess<TrackHarpL@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l<harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wed, Sep 28, 2011 5:58 am
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Getting back to harmonica

I looked at a lot of books on drum rudiments last year when I was
working on rhythm stuff.  The classic one that everyone recommends is
"Stick Control for the Snare Drummer", by George Lawrence Stone.
For practicing harp, of course.  :-)
Elizabeth

On Sep 28, 2011, at 9:24 AM, harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:
From: "Rick Dempster"<rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: September 27, 2011 7:50:28 PM EDT
To:<ctm_v@xxxxxxxxx>
Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Getting back to harmonica

Chuck;
<snip>
         Grab a book on drum rudiments, and learn 'em with your bare
hands; then transfer to your breath/instrument.
Hope this helps,
RD

--
D Priestley AKA Dr Midnight.
England's first  harmonica Guru.
Please send some reply, so I know you got this E-mail.
I hope this info helps, do feel free get in touch.
Harmonica lessons are currently £25.00 per hour, discounts for bulk booking are available (bulk = 10 for a 20% discount, making study £20.00 a session&  20 lessons for a 25% discount = £18.75  a session).
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Email me or call me  on 0207 373 0295 to book lessons or get more info.
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