[Harp-L] The way I see it



I've learned a lot by playing in a trio where I am the main melodic
and lead force.  For those that don't know the instrumentation in my
band is Diatonic Harmonica, Electric and Upright Bass and Drums. 
There is no chordal instrument. I am forced to change up my sound on
nearly every song to avoid losing the attention of the audience. 

The most important thing I have learned is people react to emotion
and rhythm NOT note choice. Notes mean nothing and rhythm joined by
emotion is everything. Don't believe me?  Take a simple tune like
Jingle Bells, play any note other than the correct note BUT play the
rhythm and you along with everybody else will still be able to
identify the song. NOTES and Position do not matter.  

All wrong notes eventually become the right note through the course
of a song. An incorrect note is only a half step away from what you
are doing. Let your ear guide you. Thinking will only make you
hesitate.


A note can be played in several different ways harsh, thin, heavy,
strong, soft, quick, long, tapered, squeezed etc... this is shape and
texture. Learn to use it at will and you will be amazed at how easy
this little instrument really is. Technique doesn't matter it only
give you more color with paint with.


Learn to think and feel in color. We all know how to trigger our
emotions, associate a color with an emotion ie; Red = Anger Blue =
Distance  - whatever you choose doesn't matter in the grand scheme of
things. A square note can be short and curt. A rectangular note may
be held longer.

Then you can learn to think and feel in shape - a red square may make
you play with a forceful and edgy sound - a red triangle may make you
play with a forceful and angular sound/line.

When you can mix shape and color then you have texture, soft notes,
hard notes, mushy notes etc...

Once you have texture in mind start playing scenerios - falling off a
cliff, tumbling down a mountain side, flying, playing underwater all
of these things will affect your tone and your emotion.  Your sound
will be fresh!

All of us recognize shape and form and for harp players, this is
moreso than individual notes or positions.

These days I mostly channel guitar tone, violin tones, vocal tones,
saxaphone tones etc... I can sound like anyone of them when I want
to. This technique is used to such great effect in my trio that we
have absurd requests - play Jimi Hendrix, Play Bach, play Michael
Jackson, play some Coltrane....
I find this particularily strange because there is no guitar or
keyboards, there are no vocals, just harmonica, bass and drums. This
tells me above all that people listen to tone, shape and rhythm. 

There are plenty example of this in my playing - sample can be found
at http://www.michalekstrone.com/music.htm



Chris Michalek

www.michalekstrone.com
CD Available
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/michalekstrone






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