[Harp-L] Hook, groove, etc.

["Robert Laughlin" <harmonicaman1968@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I was woodshedding out in the van one recent night, and it dawned upon me just how important the concept, nay, the reality of "hook" is to how well-received, how "successful" a piece of music can be to the general public.

It has been said that a tempo of 90-120 bpm well suits the human psyche. You might say, within those parameters, the tempo works best to "grab" the listener, get the body moving, etc. Maybe that's just for particular musical styles, though. But that's not "hook". That's tempo.

Just what is it, and how important, to have a "hook" in any particular piece. I'm assuming that a lot of listeners don't even realize it when it's "happening" to them, being "hooked", any more than a fish would, until it happens. It just digs in deep, and impells the listener to continue. Seems rather important to a composition, for potential "success".

And I think "hook" is different than "flourish", though each is useful in it's own context for attracting the listener. To me, "flourish" is 'impressive', while "hook" moves a person in a deeper way. Maybe I'm being too specific, where in actual use it's not that specific, and the lines are not that clear. But "flourish", to me, just seems "busier" than what could be termed a "hook", right? "Flourish" usually seems to be used just for the sake of causing jaw-dropping, based on the skillset needed to perform, and perform it with consistency. But "hook", it's more of a kind of "mantra" within the piece that both makes it easily recognizable, but also somewhat unique. A "hook" doesn't even need to be "impressive", or even difficult. It just gets the attention of the listener, and keeps it, right?

What are some stellar examples of "hook" that are widely known (or not), for harp? What are the outstanding examples of this in harmonica performances? Anything come to mind, immediately?

My idea of "hook", is an easily (or not) repeated series of notes, with a recognizably unique "funkiness", or swing,, a phrase that just "catches" the listener, somewhat similar to, but not identical with, the concept of "page-turner" in literature. Something someone would not wish to put down,,right?

And then, following that, the idea of "groove", and how these two ideas relate. I can guess that "groove" has more to do with the general feel of the entire piece, rather than merely the shorter series of notes used as a "hook", right?

So, there are "hooks", and there is "groove".

Discuss (if yu wish,,)

RL

p.s., please forgive my pedantic and lengthy/wordy articulations, all in the name of clarity,,

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