Re: [Harp-L] bluegrass chop?

[David Payne <dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Tony sez:
"If you're playing with a group, or in a jam, the idea is for your chop to blend perfectly with the mandolin, so that you more or less disappear, all the while adding to the sound. Try this with you backing tracks, also at your next jam. In particular, keep your backing volume low, concentrate on blending."

That link I posted with me playing the 48 chord is a really good example of that. When we start there is no mandolin, then the mandolin comes in later, so you can hear how that changes when you are with the mandolin and hear how they blend. You can also see how we build the chordal backing as the song progress (the beat gets stronger, which was intentional).
It took me a long time to get a constant mandolin chop (I'm also a bit of a mandolin player). The problem is air. Your lung capacity is finite. What I used to do was play a certain pattern. Say 1 and a half measures of chop, then two beats breath rest - or whatever fit that song. What changed was I figured out how to breath between beats by opening my mouth wide and expelling air around the harmonica. You can also pull the harmonica slightly away and expel air between beats. You don't empty your lungs. There is no time.  Get as much out as you can to make room for the next breath.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErqlTrMj3Lc


David