Fwd: [Harp-L] Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson's timed vibrato

[David Fairweather <dmf273@xxxxxxxxx>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Fairweather <dmf273@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, Feb 10, 2013 at 4:39 PM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson's timed vibrato
To: Eric Neumann <special20@xxxxxxxxx>


Eric, I don't consider it stealing to try to emulate a technique.   Given
the countless discussions on harp-l about all sorts of other techniques,
ranging from tongue switching to overbending to circular breathing to
u-blocking etc. etc.  why would you pick on timed vibrato as being too
personal to steal?   And by the way "retarded" is an insensitive word to
rebuke someone who might not agree with you.


On Sun, Feb 10, 2013 at 4:18 PM, Eric Neumann <special20@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> To me, it's more important to find your own voice rather than try to steal
> another. Even when it's as a study - the effort spent seems to be fruitless
> be aide you'll never be that person. Ever. It's great to do that stuff for
> another purpose, such as tabbing or to teach, or to have insight - but good
> lord - you're wasting you're time trying to sound like, or master some
> oxygen else's natural born style. Even if you think it's a journey, or
> however you rationalize it, it's retarded to spend a whole lot of time
> doing it. Oh, but have fun. Whatever
>
> On Feb 10, 2013, at 5:11 PM, Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > I think it'a a (clarinet) tongue vibrato. He may be pulsing his tongue
> forward and backward at the throat. As for perfect timing? Could be
> genetic. Like wiggling ones ears.
> > smo-joe
> >
> > On Feb 10, 2013, at 4:53 PM, David Fairweather wrote:
> >
> >> I'm about half way though reading Rebecca Winters' biography of Alan
> >> Wilson, "Blind Owl Blues".   I've just finished a chapter devoted to his
> >> harmonica playing.  Although it contains some new, to me information -
> like
> >> his doing the bullfrog thing with his cheeks when he played a la Dizzy
> >> Gillespie, so far I'm disappointed to find no mention of his superb
> timed
> >> vibrato.   To me that vibrato is unique and I've been trying to emulate
> it
> >> ever since I picked up a harp, with only limited success.
> >>
> >> So I think its time once again to turn to the experts here on Harp-L.
>  How
> >> do you think he did it?   Listen, for example, to Canned Heat's "Goin'
> Down
> >> Slow".   http://youtu.be/lRPcxbagJ-U
> >>
> >> How do you think he's doing it?  I always thought it was a diaphragm or
> >> throat vibrato or a combination of the two, but Jason Ricci told me
> that he
> >> thinks its tongue vibrato!  The tongue would certainly allow for the
> >> perfect timing, but I can't get that fullness of tone with just my
> tongue.
> >> Can you? On the other hand, even after years of practice I can't quite
> get
> >> that perfect timing with my diaphragm or throat..
> >
> >
>