Re: [Harp-L] My thoughts on harmonica tablature

[Michelle LeFree <mlefree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ken Deifik writes:
> Whenever I see a request for tablature on Harp-l the old fart in me kicks 
> in and I grouse to myself "Just pick up the damned instrument and work out 
> the tune." <clippage>
>
> Learning tunes you actually know on harp WITHOUT tab is a great skill, one 
> that broadens your playing in every way.  I don't know a single player that 
> I'd describe as intermediate who can't do this.  I can't recommend this 
> skill enough for newer players.  So here's my suggestion to newer players 
> when you realize that you want some tab to learn a tune on harp: give it at 
> least two to five hours of trying to figure out the piece on your own with 
> the harp in your mouth before you go searching for tab on the internet.
>
> For most players, after one or two tunes you'll never look for tab 
> again.  You'll hear a tune, you'll play it.
>
> Here are some extra benefits to working this way.
> 1. You'll probably work your first tunes out without the sneaky little 
> details that really bring the piece to life.  After you've worked out the 
> tune for yourself, THEN go get good, authoritative tab and learn the sneaky 
> bits, and you'll start learning the level of detail that really great 
> playing often entails.
>
> 2. While working tunes out you'll make mistakes.  Some of those mistakes, a 
> few of them, will sound really cool.  Those mistake licks belong to 
> you.  Learn them well and use them. <more clippage>
Interesting post and philosophy, Ken. For the most part I agree with 
you. However... you've compelled me to "open my kimono" a bit for the 
benefit of new players.

That very mode of thinking and Tom Ball have caused me some regrets. I 
should quickly clarify the Tom Ball part! Tom is one of my top favorite 
living harp players. And he's a great guy. I'm a huge fan to be sure, 
and I've told him so. What he doesn't know is that my discovery that he 
is an "ear" player early in my "formative years" through no fault of his 
set me upon a course of justifying/rationalizing not learning to read 
music with any degree of facility. I figured that if a player as good as 
Tom can play so well without sight reading, I don't (didn't) really need 
to learn to do it myself (not that I have any pretense of ~ever~ playing 
at his level!). As a result, I can only do what I call "deciphering" 
standard notation. Playing by ear has come so easily for me that it's 
even gotten to the point to where I can only "decipher" tab as well.

OK, I know it's not fair to blame a great player like Tom Ball for my 
own inadequacies. I use him only as a singular example to illustrate my 
point. (Sorry, Tom!) I also understand and have confronted the many 
difficulties with regard to reading standard notation vis-à-vis diatonic 
harps recently elucidated so well by Elizabeth.

Turns out I have pretty good ear for music myself, which is great, but 
it's made me quite lazy. I too am an ear player. I have done it so long 
now that it is difficult for me to pick up a tune from either standard 
notation or even harp tablature. Of course being able to play by ear is 
a very handy ability when it comes to improvising or playing in a jam 
circle, or when someone calls a tune I don't know. But don't even ask me 
how the notes lay out on any particular key of diatonic harmonica (other 
than root notes). And that's a bummer. I was sitting in a bluegrass jam 
circle just this weekend, something I enjoy and do pretty well at. But, 
the extent of my handicap with respect to not knowing where all the 
notes lie on a given diatonic struck home. Someone called a song, 
detailing the chord progression involved for the other players who 
weren't familiar with it. Complete Greek to me! After a few bars I could 
play along just fine, but if they'd have asked me to kick the song off 
I'd have made a complete fool of myself.

So the moral of my story is that if you can pick up a song by ear, more 
power to ya. But, even though it hasn't seemed to hamper Tom Ball in 
~any~ way, don't let that justify not learning to read music. 
Understanding and being facile with standard notation is the key that 
unlocks the door to a whole world of music theory. Being ignorant of 
music theory severely limits most mortal's ability to communicate with 
other musicians and that puts a very real lid on how far one is able to 
go in the world of music (please note that I am excluding Mr. Ball from 
this category). Sadly, that is the condition of a lot of harmonica 
players, and alas I am one. I believe that it is one of the major 
reasons why harmonica players are often looked down upon or even 
dismissed out of hand. And perhaps justifiably so. So if I have advise 
for newbie harpers, it's "don't take the easy way out just because you can!"

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Thanks,

Michelle

PS: Again my apologies to Tom Ball for using him as an example. I hope 
he doesn't hold it against me!

PS: Tom, if you happen to be reading this I'd be very interested in your 
thoughts on this very important topic (even off list).