RE: [Harp-L] re: Improv in Blues

["MLeFree" <mlefree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Planet Harmonica wrote:
> ... (clip)
> Of course many a harp player grew up musically by listening to
> other harp players. Unfortunately, of that many, very very few
> have their own voice. I'm not going to name names, but I suspect
> those who have found a voice have had a wider range of influences
> than just other harp players.

Yeah, I'd agree with you there, Ben.

> This is what I tell to my students : listen to other instruments.
> Horn players, guitarists, whatever. Emulate.

Good, Good.  I'd add that it's good to listen closely to other genres as
well as the usual suspects.

> If you must listen to harp players, do not under any circumstance
> listen to the same player repeatedly.

Here I gotta amend what I think your point is.  If you mean that one should
broaden their play list to include many harpers, and even many other
instruments, that's good advice.  However, I believe that great benefit can
be derived from really "studying" a specific player for a period of a few
days or even weeks.  I'm talking about carefully dissecting their work by
playing it in a music editing program where you can isolate a segment and
play it over and over and slow it down so you can really hear and understand
all of what's going on.  I like to isolate a difficult lick or phrase and
immerse myself in it.  My chops have improved markedly from doing this.
(More below.)

> The issue with harp playing is everyone is listening to the same
> few masters. Little Big Sonny Boy Walter, as I call him.
> Guitarists have dozens of heroes to get influenced from. We have
> four. So if we listen to them only, we all sound more or less the same.

I take your point here.  I would never advise restricting one's listening
range to only a handful of players (or instruments or even genres).  But,
building on my point above about carefully dissecting a single player's
work, I have improved my skills markedly by ~judiciously~ copping some of
the master's licks as closely as I am able.  I'll cite one specific example.
Yes, I am deliberately choosing one from one of the players you mention,
Little Walter.  I find the opening bars of his "Mellow Down Easy" to be
absolutely spellbinding.  What I do is take a phrase like that and work it
by recording my playing in a separate channel while I listen to the
original.  Then I play both versions back so I can hear them both at once to
critique my version.  I note an area that needs improvement and repeat the
process until I get close enough for my own personal satisfaction.

Like many of LW's phrases, I find these opening bars of MDE irresistably
appealing for many differerent reasons.  I believe one can benefit by trying
to duplicate the techiques that support such stellar phrases ~exactly~.  The
accuracy and nuances of Walter's bending and phrasing are so precise and
delicate that emulating them increases my skills even if I never play that
phrase except in practice.  Recording my progress so that I can compare it
to the original eliminates any delusions I might have had about my ability
to play it "correctly."  It's easy to convince yourself you are great if you
don't record and critique your own playing.

So, I contend that having done the "calisthenics" of carefully emulating a
great player's licks opens technical doors and widens one's conceptual scope
in ways that enhance a player's ability to develop his/her own voice.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!  8^)

Michelle