[Harp-L] Stevie Wonder FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE

[Slim Heilpern]

A couple of points:

1) Perhaps some were confused by the reference to a trill. The part that Robert was referring to is not trill-like, it's the lick that repeats 3 times effectively going from A to A# (played on hole 7 as Michael stated below) very near the end of the solo. (Sorry Robert, I'm just not hearing anything close to a whole step there.)

2) Getting this bend at the given tempo to be really precise is not hard on a modern chrom, but do try it on a 60's era stock 280 like (I assume) Stevie played on that cut. It's a bit more difficult and sounds different. On my old 280, on the other hand, the leaky slide smooths out the button push a bit. So there's that to consider as well, for anyone who really cares -- I actually don't. Love the solo and you can play it just fine either way :-).

- Slim


https://slimandpenny.com



> On Sep 22, 2020, at 6:17 PM, Michael Rubin <michaelrubinharmonica at xxxxx> wrote:
> 
> Correction:
> 
> Change: Work up a half step bend and release on 7 draw on a 12 hole.  To
> Work up a half step bend and release on 7 draw with the button on a 12 hole.
> 
> On Tue, Sep 22, 2020 at 7:46 PM Michael Rubin <
> michaelrubinharmonica at xxxxx> wrote:
> 
>> I am overthinking it.
>> 
>> It is tonally different to bend and release and rebend over and over than
>> to push and release a button over and over.
>> 
>> Do you think it is more difficult for Stevie Wonder to do the former as
>> opposed to the latter?
>> 
>> If it is more difficult, do you forsake tone due to difficulty, or do you
>> strive for tone?
>> 
>> Please experiment.  Work up a half step bend and release on 7 draw on a 12
>> hole.  Spend a half an hour doing it.  Get it as good as you can.  Then
>> imitate Stevie at 1:54 as well as you can.
>> 
>> Then do it with the slide from 7 draw to 7 draw button.
>> 
>> If you still think the slide is correct, that's your opinion.
>> 
>> The overthinker,
>> Michael Rubin
>> 
>> On Tue, Sep 22, 2020 at 7:27 PM Richard Hunter <rhunter377 at xxxxx>
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> Michael Peloquin wrote:.
>>> 
>>>> My vote is that standard 1/2 step slide movement occurred on this tune.
>>> 
>>> God damn right.  Anyone who thinks that little turn was done with anything
>>> besides a rapid slide movement, which is by far the easiest and simplest
>>> way to play it, is just way overthinking it.
>>> 
>>> thanks, Richard Hunter.
>>> --
>>> Check out Richard Hunter's new 21st Century blues release "Blue Future"
>>> and the 21st Century rock harmonica masterpiece "The Lucky One" at Amazon
>>> Music and iTunes!
>>> 
>>> Author, "Jazz Harp" (Oak Publications, NYC)
>>> Latest mp3s and harmonica blog at http://hunterharp.com
>>> Vids at http://www.youtube.com/user/lightninrick
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>>> 
>>