Re: [Harp-L] Better Musician

[Mike Fugazzi <mfugazzi67@xxxxxxxxx>]

Add me to the list of guys who don't listen to much
harp.  I haven't "studied" a harp song in a long
while.  I think the last one was actually Michalek's
"Little Wing".  

Recently, I have been "studying" vocalists and
stealing their lines.  That's harder for me then
trying to take riffs from a harp or guitar player.

I have also noticed that I tend to absorb pieces of
what I casually listen to.  I enjoy listening to some
harp.  I am on a Kim Wilson kick.  I noticed at my
last gig I was definelty borrowing some of his
vocabulary although I never tried to learn any of his
riffs.

Just listening to music often does more for my harp
playing then sitting down and figuring stuff out.

The music that most inspires and influences me right
now are the following:

Derek Trucks....more then anybody.  Almost every lick
I have mastered in the last year has been something he
has played.

Miles Davis....I only know a couple of "riffs" and a
couple of solos, but his attack is where its at.

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan....PHRASING!!!!  I steal from
him, but then find it hard to use in a blues context.

Freddie King...one of the best soul singers ever!

David Barrett...I've used licks from all three of his
position books.  I tend to learn then in all three
octaves with overblows and in different keys.  So
that's one harmonica player.

A couple of years ago, I really tried to study Jason
Ricci's "Feel Good Funk".  I'd have to admit to only
learning one or two licks to mastery.  However, I've
heard his playing so much that bits and pieces have
seaped in.  I think I phrase differently, but I use a
lot of the same ornamentations.

***I've been playing about 4.5 years.  Even from day
one, I've always found myself spending more time
playing along with the vocals of a song rather then
the insturmental parts.  Whenever I hit the "zone", I
hear singing in my head...I never hear riffs.  Even
when I am sucking on stage, I try not to think of
lines.  I try to pick just the first note and then go
on auto-pilot.  Every time I think of a riff to play,
I play it wrong.

Mike

  


> --- In harp-l-archives@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Michael
> Peloquin"
> <peloquinharp@...> wrote:
> 
> >From: "Chris Michalek" <chris@...>
> ... I am however trying to help everybody be a
> better musician as an
> aside
> to being a harmonica player.
> 
> Whether or not you like the messenger, the message
> is a good
> one-strong and
> maybe even painful.
> I wholeheartedly concur.
> 
> Michael Peloquin
> http://www.harpsax.com
> Come check me out on MySpace at
> http://www.myspace.com/harpsax
> 
>
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> --- End forwarded message ---
> 
> 
> 


Mike Fugazzi
http://www.myspace.com/mikefugazzi
http://www.niterail.com

"Music should be healing; music should uplift the soul; music should inspire. There is no better way of getting closer to God, of rising higher towards the spirit, of attaining spiritual perfection than music, if only it is rightly understood."
-Hazrat Inayat Khan

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