Tip of the Day

We can now mix bluesy and light notes together... making for a lot of options as a soloist. Check out the bass line to Little Walter's "Blue Midnight" below (note that the IV7 Chord is missing one note... the IV7 equivalent of the I7 3'... so hold the 2+ to make the timing work out)...

I7 = 2 (hold), 3' 3 5 5+ 4 = R (hold), Flat-3rd, 3rd, Flat-7th, 6th, 5th
IV7 = 1+ (hold), 2+ (hold) 3' 3" 2
V7 = 1 (hold), 2" 2' 4+ 3 3" continue reading...

Yesterday we looked at a bass line that used the Flat-7th as its primary color note, giving it a bluesy feel by omitting the Major 3rd and Major 6th of the previous bass line examples. If we use the Flat-3rd as well we really move towards a dark feel, making it debatable whether we're in minor at that point.

Here's a great example: 2 2 2 3' 4+ (think "Green Onions" by Booker T and the MG's for rhythm here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-7QSMyz5rg, they're in F by the way, B-flat harp)

You could also play a bass line like this in a shuffle rhythm...

2 2 3' 3' 2 2 2" 2"

When the Major 3rd (3 draw B) of the I7 Chord is omitted and the Flat-7th (5 draw F) is used in place of the Major 6th (5+ E) you get a very bluesy sounding bass line. Here are some examples (again, play in the shuffle rhythm).

Ascending Box
2 2 4 4 5 5 6+ 6+
R R 5th 5th Flat-7th Flat-7th R R

Descending Box
2 2 6+ 6+ 5 5 4 4
R R R R Flat-7th Flat-7th 5th 5th

Of course it's important to learn the IV7 and V7 equivalents to any bass line. Here's the Descending Box...

IV7 = 1+ 1+ 4+ 4+ 3' 3' 2 2

V7 = 1 1 4 4 4+ 4+ 3" 3"

Getting to know how a bass player arpeggiates chords is helpful in hearing chords as they happen while you play (especially for non-12 Bar Blues) and in general understanding how chords work and are used in music. Below are some simple shuffle bass lines.

1) 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 = R R R R R R R R

2) 2 2 3 3 2 2 3 3 = R R 3rd 3rd R R 3rd 3rd

3) 2 2 3 3 4 4 3 3 = R R 3rd 3rd 5th 5th 3rd 3rd

4) 2 2 3 3 4 4 5+ 5+ = R R 3rd 3rd 5th 5th 6th 6th (6th = Light Feel)

5) 2 2 3 3 4 4 5+ 5+ 6+ 6+ 5+ 5+ 4 4 3 3 = R R 3rd 3rd 5th 5th 6th 6th R R... and back down continue reading...

Whether you're presenting a new song to your band or getting ready to jam and "make it happen" at your local nightclub, it's a wise idea to learn the bass line to your song. Include playing a piece of it in your speech... "G"... "Shuffle"... look to the bass player and play "2 2 6+ 6+ 5 5 4 4" a couple of times... "From the V" and count them in. Below are some examples of bass lines from famous harmonica songs.

"Roller Coaster" Little Walter
1 2 1 2

"Easy" Big Walter Horton
2 2 3 3 4 4 5+ 5+ 5 5 5+ 5+ 4 4 3 3

"Blue Midnight" Little Walter
2 3' 3 5 5+ 4 2 continue reading...

Yesterday I stated that 2 draw is the home key of 2nd Position/Cross Harp. Listed below are the home base keys for all of the position. The C Harmonica pitches are referenced below in parenthesis.

1st - 1+ (C)
2nd - 2 (G)
3rd - 1 (D)
4th - 3" (A)
5th - 2+ (E)
6th - 3 (B)
7th - 2' (F#)
8th - 1' (C#)
9th - 3''' (Ab)
10th - 8'+ (Eb)
11th - 3' (Bb)
12th - 2" (F)

Did you know that some old-school professional harmonica players didn't know what key they were playing in? What they would do is play the 2 draw note (home base in 2nd Position) to one of the musicians in the band and that musician would find that note on their instrument and tell the rest of the band the key of the song and away they would go.

Louis Jordon's "Caldonia" is a great example of the 3 Draw rule over the 12 Bar Blues we spoke of last week. In the opening chorus you hear boogie woogie piano... then the first theme in Chorus 2... and then the 3rd Chorus line that changes only one note per chord change... the equivalent of our 3 draw rule. Here's the part...

I7 = 1 2+ 3+ 3 2 3, Repeat
IV7 = 1 2+ 3+ 3' 2 3'
I7 = 1 2+ 3+ 3 2 3
V7 = 1 2+ 3+ 3" 2 3"
(Turnaround 2 3" 3' 3' 3" 2, 1 2+ 2" 2" 2+ 1)

An NPR radio program from a couple of years ago came to mind today to share with you (I'm sorry that I can't find that segment online for you, but I'll do my best to recount what I heard). continue reading...

The 3 Draw rule for Blues harmonica playing is that on the I7 Chord (one chord) you play 3 draw (It's the B of this G B D F Chord)... the IV7 Chord you play 3' (the B-flat of this C E G B-flat Chord) and the V7 Chord you play 3" (A of this D F# A C Chord). Keep in mind that depending on the feel of the song, the 3 draw for the I7 chord can be played slightly flat (bluesy quarter tone) or at the half step B-flat if the song is really bluesy or minor. continue reading...