From The President's Desk 

Blues Harp Tip

 

Lip Pursers take note (ie those players who get their single notes in the centre of mouth, similar to a whistling embouchure):-

 

Many blues harmonica players wonder how to get that electric Chicago sound e.g. Little Walter and James Cotton. Up till a few years ago I wondered the same thing. I could never quite replicate that big thick tone, that swing attack or swoop, or that ‘chunky shuffle’ feel. I discovered the answer via a master class with David Barrett (www.harmonicamasterclass.com) who has an excellent series of instructional books. The two areas one needs to look at are the 1. equipment like mics and amps and 2. technique. In this article I will look at the technique issues (by next issue I should have some sound bite examples), and later issues look at equipment.

 

Before the David Barrett class I regarded myself as a reasonable player in the country style utilising hand vibrato (waa waa) etc. However when going to a cupped hand held microphone your availability of hand vibrato is very limited so to approximate this warm sound you need to develop a throat vibrato (little coughs). I will expand on this in later issues as I want to concentrate on the major technical aspect of Chicago playing in the style Little Walter etc. That is the use of Tongue Blocking for single notes and the use of slaps to get the swing and shuffle feel that’s almost impossible to get by the 'lip purse' or 'whistle' method. We achieve this by widening our lips and covering 4 holes then blocking the 3 left holes leaving the 4th hole as our single note, basically on the right side of our mouth. This method allows you to bring your tongue into play by giving chordal vamps under the single notes at will. Try it on hole 4 getting a clear single note then lift your tongue on and off the harp in a rhythmic fashion. It won’t be easy at first but persist and it will come. More next time. Good luck.

 

Mark (Merewether Fats) Salter 

 

 

Tutorials 

 

                                       Rollin' & Tumblin' 

 

 Mp3 Example

 

 'C' Harp 2nd pos. Key of G

 

 =  Blow          = Draw       j  = Draw 1st bend       k  = Draw 2nd bend        rip = quick run down      l = Bar divisions

Note - emphasis is on the 'UP' beat (&)

           {  intro }
                        G                                                                    G
Count- &  4  & l 1        &      2      &      3         &     4      &      l 1        &     2   &    3   &    4    &  l        

    1 2 2 l 3j 2  Chika  Chika  3j  2  Chika  Chika l 3j 2 2 2 -  1 2 2l

                 l                              Repeat 1st 2 bars                                  -  rest    l

                      C                                                       C
                    l     1       &          2      3              4    l   1      &       2      3     4                &  l 

           l   6    6         6     6 rip to  3   l    6     6       5       4    4j   rip to  2l

                     G                                                                    G
                   l  1       &      2      &      3         &      4      &    l  1        &     2   &    3   &    4    &  l

                  l 3j 2  Chika  Chika  3j  2  Chika  Chikal 3j   2  2 2 -   2 3 4l

                   C                                                        C
                  l   1       &        2       3               4      l  1        &       2      3    4                   &  l 

          l 6    6     6     6 rip to  3   l  6     6    5       4    4j  rip to  2 l

                      G                                                                   G
                 l  1       &      2      &      3         &      4      &    l  1        &     2   &    3   &    4    &  l

                  l 3j 2  Chika  Chika  3j  2  Chika  Chikal 3j   2  2 2 -   2 3 4l

                     D                                                            D
                 l   1        &     2     &         3       &           l    1         &          2       &          3         4 l       

                 l 4j 4  4j 4     4j 4 ……  l  4j 4j 4    4j 3   2l  

 

            * Repeat ?? times – Finish on repeated 1st 2 bars