Lip Blockin'

Ok - firstly apologies for posting another Share so soon, but I was encouraged by the positive feedback I received on the last one. I promise this will be the last one for a while!

This is another solo harmonica effort that started out with me practicing lip blocking on the 2 draw. By that I mean creating a rhythm by alternating between the G chord (this is played on a C harmonica in 2nd position) on holes 1,2 and 3 (I think that's referred to as the 2nd inversion of the G major chord) and the 2 draw using a kind of "HiToo" articulation (the "Hi" on the chord and "Too" on the 2 draw (pucker rather than tongue block - you can probably get the same kind of rhythm by tongue slaps but I'm not too good at it on the lower end of the harp).

So basically it's a straightforward 12 bar where I play 3 bars of this simple rhythm followed by a bluesy riff that ends on the root of the IV chord (so basically the riff lasts a bar and a beat and ends on the 1 hole blow). Both the riffs I play in the 4th bar are based on a blues scale pattern. The second one which starts on the 4 hole blow is basically descending the blues scale in triplets.

The only other thing of note is the riff on the IV chord at then end of the first verse. This basically starts on the 4 blow and slides up through 5 and 6 and then 6 overblow before coming back down. I've cheated here because I couldn't switch between the 6 blow and 6 overblow fast enough to keep time so I used a harp where the hole 7 draw is tuned down a half step (on the C harp this gives the Bb rather than a B and also allows you to bend the 7 blow down a half step to get the B. So basically you gain an extra note. It's an interesting adjustment which I'd recommend anyone to try on an old harp. It also gives you a nice sounding minor chord when you play a tongue split on holes 4 and 7 draw).

Anyway hope you like it.