Tip of the Day

"What do you do about the iv7 Chord?"

Playing the same i7 chord lick over the iv7 chord is the answer. The i7 lick is G G G Bb C which are all notes of the iv7 chord (C Eb G Bb). Though the rest of the band moves away, you're still playing the same rhythm and contour as them. Though they're not the same notes, they are in harmony with what the band is playing.

We don't always get this lucky, but we'll take it when we can! Give this a try by playing along to the original track.

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...

Our next song on the School of the Blues House Band Standards list is "Help Me" by Rice Miller. This iconic tune is one of the rare tunes in minor, F Minor to specific. Miller uses the Bb Harmonica in 2nd Position, and although there are some rough areas of major against minor, he still makes it work.

Your homework this weekend is to listen to the song and try to copy what he plays in the opening chorus and solo. On Monday we'll discuss how to approach both accompaniment and improvising. continue reading...

Here's a new post by Jason Ricci on playing the Minor Pentatonic Scale. Soloing Scales are used to guarantee a quality. Use the Major Pentatonic Scale (2 3" 3 4 5+ 6+) to give your soloing a light quality (such as for Jump & Swing Blues and ballads) and use the Minor Pentatonic Scale (2 3' 4+ 4 5 6+) for a dark/bluesy/minor quality. This scale, as well as the Blues Scale (which just adds the flat-5... 2 3' 4+ 4' 4 5 6+), contains no notes that will clash with minor... they are the go-to scales for minor playing. 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

Nice list of "Essential Blues Standards" http://www.chicagoblueslessons.com/home/shoji-s-100-blues-songs-2