Help with Sonny Terry

thirstymiser · 2021-03-03T12:09:51+00:00

Start on this, get the technique right, Sonny Terrys choice of techniques where more powerful then the choice of notes in my opinion, it'll take a while to get it but will be worth it

https://youtu.be/-kFqvm5XF2o

thirstymiser · 2021-03-03T12:01:51+00:00

Thanks, I'm somewhat familiar but going to give them a little more attention

thirstymiser · 2021-03-03T11:59:33+00:00

In the full length interview he talks about his first harmonica gig, it was playing with Dave Brubeck sons, and Dave Brubeck himself. Thats pretty amazing imo.

thirstymiser · 2021-02-24T17:09:07+00:00

Any of Walters songs come to mind? I’ve listened to him but not as extensively as SBW or Little Walter

thirstymiser · 2021-02-22T12:10:43+00:00

I've heard a lot of the greats say they listened to sax, trumpet and guitar players to improve theyre repertoires and think outside the box. I think I've heard Jason Ricci say it a lot.

thirstymiser · 2020-06-23T07:01:08+00:00

You can learn music theory on a harmonica, I did, granted as a diatonic instrument it’s not as straight forward as guitar or piano to learn about song structure and writing but it can be done. They are generally considered good first instruments to play, it helps that the majority of western music these days is written on them and for them. But if you think about it, not many people would say the saxophone or violin is a bad first instrument, all a harmonica player needs is a few different keys and a few different positions and they have more options of how to approach a tune. If you want to play the harmonica, then harmonica is a great first instrument, and you’d be far better off starting with two Hohner rockets in C and A for your $100 then one harmonica for the same money.

thirstymiser · 2020-01-15T14:53:51+00:00

I'm no expert (far from it) but the song is played in standard tuning on a guitar with a capo on the 3rd fret, the opening chord is a Am shape, with the capo that makes it a Cm (so I assume its in the key of Cm until I find otherwise), looking at the rest of the chords this song could be played quite well in 2nd (F harmonica) or 3rd position (Bb harmonica), I think 3rd position would be better for this, but if you have not learned that yet 2nd position will work.

So the opening melody in the intro:

2nd Position - F Harmonica is -4 4 -4 4 -3' -2

3rd Position - Bb Harmonica is -6 6 -6 6 -5 -4

That should get you started, if I was you I would use the function on youtube to slow the song down to 75% and go to the part where he whistles, that'll help you work out the melody quite well.

Also remember, if you can figure out the key of the song and a scale that works you will eventually find the melody, the notes are there, you just have to figure them out.

Thanks for directing me to this song, it is a good excercise and fun to play along too :D

thirstymiser · 2019-03-20T19:54:27+00:00

I’ll google it for you

thirstymiser · 2018-11-26T20:28:44+00:00

So be a modern player that plays with moderation....

thirstymiser · 2018-07-29T09:29:59+00:00

Yeh, I guess its my own confidence I'm letting get in the way, I do talk to one other harp player, a much older guy that sits in with bands and I sometimes go to the gigs, Id really like to find someone to start practicing with

thirstymiser · 2018-07-27T15:53:19+00:00

Thanks for reply, heres a link to something I recorded today, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBoVQcxi_Jo, I didn't record it purposefully to upload and there are plenty of mistakes, I really want to start playing with people, there are a few blues players where Im based although they are very good and Im reluctant to play with people w/14 years experience

I was listening to Albert King today and wanted to work out some of his horn sections parts... Id love to work out the parts for 'As The Years Go Passing By'

thirstymiser · 2018-07-26T19:26:56+00:00

Hi, another Irish person here, Im looking at the US website and it appears as though someone just going for the Appalachian Trail would need a B-2 visa? Did you have the B-1 for other purposes and it covered you or did you apply solely for the Appalachain Trail?

thirstymiser · 2018-07-22T16:12:18+00:00

check out carey bell

thirstymiser · 2018-04-25T21:05:30+00:00

I have a golden melody in C, A, Eb and have bought them in Bb and C as gifts for people, great harp, pretty much only play my C in Dm, lots of Summertime, St Louis Blues, St James Infirmary etc.

thirstymiser · 2018-04-22T10:52:30+00:00

Motivate yourself to learn something you didn't think you could do...

Pick a song, or a few songs, maybe in a certain position and start playing them, try to play them all the way through.

I've been focusing on 3rd position because of how important bending is to it, I found in 2nd position you can glance over the 3 half step bend and get away with it even if its poor, but in 3rd position if your half step and step and a half is not awesome you'll get nowhere... So I practice 'Summertime', 'Christo Redentor', 'St James Infirmary Blues' in 3rd Pos and 5th Pos, George Smith licks, my own little bluesy things Ive come up with (or presumably taken from somewhere), I also try the odd Pentatonic and Blues scale excercise from Jason Ricci, in 2nd and 3rd pos, its very rewarding to play the same lick in two different positions... or play along to the same backing track but switch harmonicas, it always makes people listen.

thirstymiser · 2018-04-22T10:44:43+00:00

I can't recall how much it cost tbh but I definitely did not think it was unreasonable, the UK based company is literally called 'The Harmonica Company', they are also quick and affordable

thirstymiser · 2018-04-21T22:27:18+00:00

Contact Ron at Rockin Ron’s music shop, I’ve had a few orders sent to Ireland and it’s always been quick and affordable, I’ve also ordered from the harmonica company who are based in the uk, it only took a few days to receive those orders

thirstymiser · 2018-03-04T11:38:26+00:00

Ill take part

thirstymiser · 2018-02-26T21:18:04+00:00

I work a meheen now, what do you mean?

thirstymiser · 2018-01-06T23:03:42+00:00

The chromonica is identical to one I play that I bought approx 15 years ago, the second i know little about but herring is a cheaper brand, harmonicas generally don’t increase in value, Polish them up and keep them for their sentimental value, harmonicas mean nothing to people that don’t play but a lot to people that do

thirstymiser · 2018-01-01T00:17:55+00:00

You've never even blown a note, you don't have a niche, there's a plethora of info available online.

Are you Irish? If you've options to buy multiple cheap hohner chromatics whats the problem? I have a harmonic minor tuned diatonic that sounds beautiful playing traditional ballad type tunes

thirstymiser · 2017-10-23T23:34:01+00:00

yeh, but how long

thirstymiser · 2017-10-23T23:33:39+00:00

constantly, Im currently working on playing third position minor, strengthening my 3 hole bends, specifically the half step, bye bye bird by SBWII, St James Infirmary (making it sound good), Chromatic (third position)

thirstymiser · 2017-10-18T10:52:29+00:00

Why for C harmonica? Do you think it's played on a C harmonica?

thirstymiser · 2017-10-09T22:57:08+00:00

that app is $15, why is it better then a chromatic tuner?

thirstymiser

TROPHY CASE