blues

Anyone working on tongue blocking techniques will benefit from the use of the Tongue Block Trainer. I use the TBT in my lesson videos at BluesHarmonica.com so that students can see what I'm trying to get them to do. I also give the TBT to each of my private students at School of the Blues so that I can ensure that their tongue is doing the techniques properly. You can see more details about the TBT at the Filisko Store here: http://www.filiskostore.com/page/480389598

Let's get back to the School of the Blues House Band Standards List. Rock Me Baby is our next song listed and is a good example of a standard shuffle (bordering on slow blues) made cool with the simple addition of a hook. The hook on the harmonica is below.

2nd Position (F Harmonica)
I7 = 2 2" 2 or 6+ 5 6+
IV7 = 4+ 3' 4+
V7 = 4 4+ 4

3rd Position
I7 = 4 4+ 4
IV7 = 2 2" 2 or 6+ 5 6+
V7 = 3" 2 3" or 6 6+ 6

This song is in the School of the Blues House Band Standards list because it shows the typical approach to breaks in a slow blues. Note that this is not a twelve bar progression, but a sixteen bar. What makes it sixteen is the fact that the first line is doubled (8 bars of the I Chord instead of 4). This is a typical treatment for a song with breaks, and a player should listen carefully in bar 4 for any movement to a IV chord or if it stays static... this is an easy place to make an error if you're not aware of the fact that breaks in the beginning of a song could indicate a 16 bar form. continue reading...

It's important to spend time on this standard due to the fact that it's commonly called as the last number of the night. I can't tell you how many times this song was called at the end of a harmonica blowout.

There are two common approaches harmonica players can take...

The easiest is the call and response horn line that James Cotton uses, which is 2 2 2 (2 draw... the root note played three times) after each vocal line of Muddy. This is simple, but catchy and effective. When on the V Chord (bar 9) improvise a V-IV-I lick and turnaround. continue reading...

When a song is hook-driven like this one is, your first approach to accompaniment is to play the hook as well.

The hook on the i7 Chord is 2 2 2 3' 4+ (Root, Root, Root, flat-3rd, 4th). Though he's playing on a Bb Harmonica in 2nd Position, let's reference the C Harmonica in 2nd Position to make talking about the music theory easier. The notes would be G G G Bb C. continue reading...

This looks like a fun new tuning https://youtu.be/ZbPqiaWYe7E

For more information visit: http://www.harpelite.com/catalog/it/customizzate/382-blueharp-blues-chor...

Our next song on the School of the Blues House Band Standards list is "T-Bone Shuffle." We use the Boz Scaggs version in G (from the Come On Home album), with the harp player commonly using a C Harp. continue reading...

Most examples of this song start from the V (last four bars of the 12 Bar Blues Progression... V IV I V), contains the classic Root 3rd 5th 6th Octave bass line (2 3 4 5+ 6+ 5+ 4 3 on the harmonica... 1+ 2+ 3+ 3" 3' 3" 3+ 2+ for the IV Chord and 1 2' 3" 3 for the V Chord) and the classic mid-song break on the I (with the harmonica lick of 2 3 4 5+ 6+ in 2nd Position and 1 2' 3" 3 4 in 3rd Position).

The version the house band uses is in C and from the CD Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live (Legacy Edition). Jerry Portnoy blows harp in 3rd Position (Bb Harmonica).

Jimmy Reed's "Baby What You Want Me To Do" is the first song on the School of the Blues House Band Standards List. This laid back shuffle is the most common shuffle chosen by harmonica players due to its relaxed feel. It's a really easy groove to play to, so if you're new to soiling, choose this groove! To generically call for this feel say "Jimmy Reed Shuffle."

The song opens with two bars of the I Chord (one chord) to establish the feel (some musicians say "two for nothing"). The 12 Bar Blues form start with the vocals.

This song teaches two things to the house band... continue reading...

Here's the School of the Blues standards list that each of the student house bands learn. The first 9 songs represent the common grooves in the blues (as well as song 12 for a swing). Songs 10 and 11 are common 8 bar blues progressions and songs 13 through 20 are famous songs that have specific elements that need to be learned to be played well. There are various elements in these songs (breaks for example and errors in timing/form) that also help a new blues band learn their trade. You can see this list at https://www.facebook.com/bluesharmonica