Re: [Harp-L] RE Little Walter's harmony/Let's all talk Little Walter!

[michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>]

Okay, Larry, how do you know what Bukka knew?  Other than that I agree
with Larry, and I am a big theory guy.  I think theory helps you
communicate and exponentialize ideas.  I was not a theory guy for the
first 15 years of playing and I still had a great time.

Also, Richard H., the sharp 7 is the root of the scale or the one.
Moving from the root, down a half step to the major seventh, down
another half step to the flat seventh is a very common sound in the
blues and jazz.  Try it.  Play a blues lick that ends on 2 draw.  Then
bend one half step lower to 2 draw single bend, then bend another to 2
draw double bend.  You have probably done that a million times without
knowing the theory.

On 7/1/09, IcemanLE@xxxxxxx <IcemanLE@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> We should remember that, in all cases, the music came first - then came the
>  theory to try to describe what just happened. This is why there are no
> fixed  rules in music - rules try to define what occurred organically.
>
> Follow the sound - follow the melody in your head. If it is a good one, you
>  will connect with your listeners.
>
> Bukka probably didn't know sharp, natural and flatted 7ths - he most likely
>  just SANG.
>
>
> In a message dated 7/1/2009 9:07:20 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> rhhammersley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
>
> It is a  bit over-rigid to believe that not flattening the 'blue' notes
> breaks any rules of the blues. Many players mess about with
> flattening/ not flattening, or slide or gliss from one to the other.
> For instance opening the "Country Blues Songbook" (transcriptions by
> Stephan Grossman, Steve Calt and Hal Grossman) at random. Bukka  White
> in 'My Mother Died' apparently sings the 7th note sharp,  natural and
> flat in a single triplet. It is much more common to use  the flattened
> note and natural note at different places in the  melody, or as
> variations from verse to verse.
>
> Some of the  charm of the blues is lost by over rigid adherence to the
> "blues  scale". It is also worth remembering that the "natural third"
> is  also the more harmonically complex 11th and Bop and post-bop Jazz
> permits this as harmonically advanced alternative to the more  familiar
> flattened 7th and 9th... which is where my understanding  kind of
> peters out.
>
> Richard
>
> On 1 Jul 2009, at 02:08,  Nicholas Lovett wrote:
>
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > The  insights were really helpful... the best piece of advice is how
> >  Little Walter leaves the three hole natural instead of flatting it,
> > breaking some rules.  This creates the "frothy effect" heard on  many
> > of his records.  Like in "Rocker" he uses the three  blow instead of
> > the two, then the three draw to set up his  swing like riff.  I think
> > he also uses the three draw  because it gives the riff a lighter
> > tone.  After the three  natural he does a little slide often to the
> > four draw?  Is  this correct?  Let's all pro it up an get together to
> > talk  some Little Walter, instead of Custom Harps and Jason Ricci!
> > (Nothing  wrong with either of these btw)
> >
> >
> >
> >
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> Richard  Hammersley
> Grantshouse, Scottish  Borders
> http://www.last.fm/music/Richard+Hammersley
> http://www.myspace.com/rhammersley
> http://www.myspace.com/magpiesittingdown
>
>
>
>
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