[Harp-L] Swingin' sixteenths

[Tom Richardson <drtrichardson@xxxxxxxxx>]

I'm primarily a drummer, doing so since 1963.  I started in drum line and took lessons for two years on the Swiss twenty-six rudiments (rolls, ruff, flamacue, paradiddle, etc.).  I got chops in those two years and fifty years later still have them.  Then to turned to orchestra and garage rock-n-roll band while taking jazz lessons on the set for another two years.  I

I supported myself through college playing jazz in the animal-war circuit (Elks, Moose, VFW, etc.).  That jazz band taught me to play softly until loud was needed, to listen intently to the other players, to read fake charts, to play with brushes (a skill the few young bucks had then and even fewer now) and to swing (that took a while to get).  After graduating in 1972, I toured in a country-rock band that did a lot of bluegrass type songs.  That band required to use brushes on several songs such as Orange Blossom Special.  

The brush technique in blue grass is nothing like the "stirring the soup" technique in jazz bands.  For six months I couldn't get the bounce sound on the bluegrass brushes.  The same thing happened to me with playing sticks on the Eagle's "Peaceful Easy Feeling."  I just couldn't get the "lift."  My technique was exact on both of these.  I listened to many recordings, watched & questioned studio musicians during recording sessions in Nashville (where the band lived) and practiced at least an hour a day whether on tour and home from tour.  Couldn't get it.  How frustrating!!!

Then without a discernible change on my part, in 1974 I got both the bounce and the lift, at the same time.  My band mates and the studio musicians stated that I had "gotten it."  Since then, I still have it.  They are just part of me, forever.

The concepts of bounce, lift and swing have a tremendous amount of overlap between them.  Having perfectly articulate and fast technique is always important.  Being a musician first and a harmonica plater second is also very important.  But none of that produces bounce, lift or swing.  I practiced an hour a day for six months.  I suspect that practice helped as well as listening to other drummers and bands.  But when it came to me, there was no obvious explanation.

I started to play the harmonic in my Nashville-based band in 1973, just a little before getting the bounce and lift on the drums.  By the way, those Nashville cats could swing it for sure back then.  Getting the swing into your harmonica playing will be close to my experience with drums.  My drumming experiences put the bounce, lift and swing into my harmonica playing too.

Forget about all of the mathematical and technique stuff, like ta-ka-da or whatever for swing but do that for technique.  Listen to recordings and keep playing with good swingers.  Practice, practice, practice.  Keep it simple.

Bless you all for trying to go beyond the norm to swing it.

Tom Richardson, Ed.D.
Bakersfield, CA.