Re: [Harp-L] Gettiing back to harmonica

[Jp Pagán <jplpagan@xxxxxxx>]

--- In harp-l-archives@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, chuck maguire <ctm_v@...> wrote:
>
> Why am I finding it so hard to solo and improvise? Even my fillers sound similiar too often.
>  

Hey Chuck,

Been there. Heck... I am there. ;) You've been given a lot of good advice so far, so I apologize for piling on even further. I'll try to keep it brief and to the point. (Ha! yeah...)

> 1. What is best way to be able to learn to improvise? There are no teachers where I am so would phone or skype lessons go much further than just CD/DVDs. The problem with DVD is you cannot ask questions.
>

My single best piece of advice for learning to improvise is this: learn to play the blues scale all the way up and down the harp. At least for blues music (which it sounds like you are into), that scale is your vocabulary. Learn to play it really well, especially between holes 2 (draw) and 6 (blow) and you'll have a solid foundation for blues soloing. 

Once you can play it up and down, try making up your own riffs. Try listening to your favorite tunes again and see if you can hear how many riffs lay right on that scale. 

And as for asking questions... I do think that having a live person there to help you is best. But it's not completely necessary. The music you're listening to has all the answers. Just listen—listen often, listen intently. Not sure if that thing you just played sounded OK? Listen to it. Try playing it over a blues song you know. How does it sound? Your ears can answer most of your questions.
  
> 2. How do I learn to put different licks together for solo's? How many licks do you need to have to know in order to be effective player?
>  

I'd argue the most effective players don't just string together licks: they make up their own music. How many licks or riffs do you need to be an effective player? All of them. None of them. Just learn the vocabulary and speak your mind. 

Learning the music of your forebears is of course important. Understanding what they play will help you. But you don't have to be a slave to it. Jr. Wells didn't stop when he could play Sonny Boy. Paul Butterfield didn't stop when he could play Big Walter. Jason Ricci didn't stop when he could play Little Walter. They kept going and made up their own music.

Now, if you really really want to be one of those guys who can play back all the licks, that's OK. Still start with learning the blues scale. It contains almost all the notes you'll ever hear in standard blues licks, and once your ear and your mouth are trained to that scale, you'll be able to pick them out and play them that much faster.

> Am I too hard on myself and just need to keep focused on what I am doing or is there a mistake(s) you can see in my approach I need to fix or adjust.

Yes you're being too hard on yourself, but not really. Learning takes dedication, but if dedication becomes a chore, you're doing something wrong. I would though suggest that you at least try to focus. Pick one short term goal (like learning the blues scale) and try to work on that as much as possible. It's OK to get distracted now and then, but keep that goal in front of you so you can come back to it. When you're satisfied with your progress on that, pick a new goal (learning a bunch of licks from records or practicing breathing patterns or learning rhythms or learning a new scale, etc). But do try to focus without beating yourself up. You'll get there. Keep playing.

JP