Tip of the Day

Mark Mumea of the Elgins has some two-guitar harmonica backing tracks available for download. Here's some samples. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRiK9UTyjFM

Here's the website: http://www.devilstalemusic.com/product-category/cds/

Thanks to fellow students Mike and Dan for sharing this.

Hal Leonard has a new and comprehensive (21 books/CDs in all) Blues Play-Along series. You can find out more information here: http://www.musicdispatch.com/search/search.do?menuid=8023&seriesfeature=...

Chico Hamilton in "The Checkout" podcast interview stresses the importance of movement, specifically to "dance when you play." He states, "No one knows which one came first, rhythm or movement."

The Checkout Interview Podcast
Drummer Chico Hamilton
http://www.wbgo.org/checkoutjazz/chico-hamilton-euphoric-rhythm

My music instructor in college would often say for us to move our bodies while playing music, it helps with the rhythm. I sure have found this to be true through my years of playing and teaching. Though tapping your foot is a valuable tool, it's a fast muscle structure and can easily rush or drag without much indication to you while playing. When moving your body, the pendulum effect of the bodies large mass makes rushing or dragging less likely. Instead of your foot being influenced by your playing (faster/slower tapping), your body is influencing your playing (more consistent rhythm). continue reading...

And finally here's the fist line of "Rocker" using standard music notation: https://www.facebook.com/bluesharmonica

In our last handwritten TAB example I add standard rhythm notation. Most of the time this isn’t needed while learning by ear, but if you’re having difficulty with the rhythm of a particular passage it’s beneficial to take the time to figure it out (better to spend the time to own a rhythm than cower from it when it comes up in the music). Note that I’ve also changed the 1 and 2 draw chords found on upbeats to a “P,” which indicates the technique Walter is using to sound those chords, the tongue block Pull.

Visit https://www.facebook.com/bluesharmonica for this handwritten transcription.

I've now added what I feel are two important elements to a basic hand transcription... bar lines and chord changes.

By placing a vertical line after the last note of a measure (which in turn is before the first note of the new measure) you're helping to give a basic visual reference of where you are in time. Though you're not providing standard rhythm notation, which would show you exactly where you are in time, this is a good intermediary step when playing by ear. continue reading...

Here's my basic handwritten TAB for the fist line of Little Walter's "Rocker." When a hole number stands by itself it's to be drawn (inhaled). When a hole number is followed by a plus it's to be blown (exhaled). Each slash that follows a hole number represents a half step of bend. If two notes are connected by a arched line, the bend is to be slurred (slides from one note to the next). I use a comma to separate phrases, making breaking down the phrase for study easier. This is also helpful for seeing how the phrasing works for dynamic presentation. continue reading...

This is good timing!... foreshadowing for our Recording Study video interview with Kid Anderson to release in a month's time. Kid will also be the guitarist and recording engineer for our new CD (Gary Smith, Aki Kumar and I). Congrats to Kid on this featured article!

The Art of Sound: A Conversation with Producer Christoffer “Kid” Andersen
http://thehub.musiciansfriend.com/art-of-sound/the-art-of-sound-a-conver...

I hope you enjoyed the challenge of the first part of our transcription process. Here are the answers to Friday's questions...

1) Harmonica Key: A

2) Key you and the band are playing in: E

3) Where he starts in time: The 2" is on the "and" of 4, with the 2 draw on the downbeat of the next bar. So, he's playing a 1/2 beat pickup to Bar 1. continue reading...