Re: [Harp-L] Anyone else give bass harp a real try? My bass story.

["Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

Like my golf clubs, I also belong to the "owner" category. 
After a minimum of practice, I find the layout very 
intuitive and feel that I could become marginally competent 
if the need arose.

I worked up a 1-verse bass break for our band's steel-guitar 
"Sleepwalk" instrumental.  I thought that it was an 
interesting contrast to the steel guitar sound.  However, 
the rest of the band...and especially the steel 
guitarist....gave it an enthusiastic "thumbs down" so it 
didn't happen.   I said that their retirement-community 
thinking was rigid.  They said that it sounded like 
growling...and they didn't like it.   Guess I can't win 'em 
all!   ;o)

I flat-pick a guitar in a bass-strum style and so am 
familiar with the notes for a basic bass accompaniment.  I 
find that the following simple rules allow me to fake it 
pretty well:
- Play the name of the chord (or the note after the  / in 
the chord name ) on the 1 beat.
- Play the fifth on the 3 beat.
- "Walk" up or down the scale to the next chord on beats 
2,3,4, arriving at the name of the chord on beat 1 of the 
following measure. Example:  from E7 chord to Am chord, play 
E, F#, G# | A

In music, all rules have exceptions.  However, the above 
won't lead you far astray. I don't kid myself that this 
makes me a bass musician.

A bass must be amplified a lot to be heard over even 
acoustic instruments.  On the rear of mine, I attached a 
"cup" made from a sector of 4" plastic drainpipe.  Inside is 
a little $25 electret lapel mic from Radio Shack.  It gives 
me plenty or "zorch" before feedback sets in.  My amp has a 
pair of 6" speakers.  I believe that it would sound better 
on an amp with bigger speakers.

Vern

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "fjm" <bad_hat@xxxxxxxx>
To: "h-l" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 10:53 AM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Anyone else give bass harp a real try? 
My bass story.


> I'd fall into the bass owner category.  Tough instrument. 
> Danny has my respect.  I picked mine up just yesterday. 
> good tone is so far still eluding me.  Danny's tone is 
> simply awesome.  Thinking like a bass player is also hard 
> for me.  Layout?  Still struggling with that too.  fjm
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