Re: [Harp-L] Fills, not stepping on others

[rojam@xxxxxxxxxx]

----- Original Message -----
From: akc <meadow.sweet@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sunday, October 16, 2005 4:21 pm
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Fills, not stepping on others

> What Chris Michalek says is correct. Also, keep in mind what is 
> the purpose 
> of doing fills.... i.e. to complement, represent, and reinforce, 
> in sound 
> alone, what the vocalist has sung in words - you're there to make 
> the 
> performance rounded and complete. Stay consistent over the course 
> of the 
> song... your fills can vary somewhat from verse to verse but don't 
> confuse 
> the audience with over-elaboration. And a blues is often a little 
> 'story'... 
> the sentiment changes over the course of it.... the guy who 'woke 
> up one 
> morning and found his baby gone', might be going after the man who 
> done him 
> wrong with his big 44 by the end... (from misery to defiance). So 
> watch how 
> the vocalist is telling it and stay in tune with that and play to 
> suit the 
> mood.
> 
> Best way to learn, in my opinion, is to listen to your heroes and 
> play along 
> with CDs of them until it's second nature. Others may disagree.
> 
> Regards, A.

I have been playing harp for 25 years and there is more power picking 
the right spots to play and how you emote .I have never practiced and 
play when I play,I play with my heart and not concerned with trills and 
over playing.I love playing and when I finish for the night I know I 
have given it my all.
Jim
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Dave Murray" <dlmurray@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Sunday, October 16, 2005 4:53 PM
> Subject: [Harp-L] Fills, not stepping on others
> 
> 
> > Most instructional material for the harp seems to be very solo 
> or melody 
> > oriented, but so much of what I hear in music that doesn't have 
> a lead 
> > harmonica player is riffs and fills. I would like to be able to 
> play those 
> > supporting fills and riffs so I can jump in with mixed 
> instruments. Not 
> > just blues, but country, bluegrass, rock, etc. The book "Mel Bay 
> presents 
> > Blues Harp for Diatonic and Chromatic Harmonica" covers it, but 
> the tape 
> > give incomplete coverage of the licks and tunes. I've got to 
> hear it, and 
> > I'd like some coverage of the "theory" of what, why, when. What 
> is the 
> > best way to learn this style of playing; general purpose riffs 
> and fills 
> > for various genres, and how to decide which one is appropriate 
> at a given 
> > time?
> >
> > Peace and music,
> > Dave
> >
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> 
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