What song are you working on?

I took @Luke 's advice and posted the latest song I have been working on here :point_down: in YouTube.

Seems like I always have some song or another buzzing in my head.

What song do you have rolling around in yours?

How about sharing here?

10 Likes

Hello @HarpinBobbyMcB,
You are a showman :smiley:!
I have to admit, I didn’t know this song by Elton John before. I grew up with him, but more with the typical songs.
Rock on :metal:!

5 Likes

Amazing playing @HarpinBobbyMcB ! :smiley:

Like @AstridHandbikebee63 I did not now the song either, but I like your rendition of it

I have been playing Stand By Your Man a lot, but right now I’m too shy to post a video haha :sweat_smile:

5 Likes

Weenie!! :sweat_smile: If @HarpinBobbyMcB and I can do it, so can you!! :laughing:

Regards,
– Slim :sunglasses:

4 Likes

Haha, yeah you’re right @Slim :sweat_smile: I should stop beating around the bush

5 Likes

:joy:I know someone there :woman_in_lotus_position::arrow_left:…, @Vibe. But your ideas give me courage, @Slim and @HarpinBobbyMcB! Let’s see when autumn comes… :grin: :sunglasses:

5 Likes

@Vibe and @AstridHandbikebee63, the other option is that I play it so bad no one recognizes it :joy:.

I thought everyone who lived in the 70’s knew that song by Sir Elton John :smirk:.

Here are the lyrics to the part I play:

When I think of those east end lights
Muggy nights the curtains drawn
In the little room downstairs
Prima donna Lord you really should have been there
Sittin’ like a princess perched in her electric chair
And it’s one more beer and I don’t hear you anymore
We’ve all gone crazy lately
My friend’s out there rolling 'round the basement floor
(Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh…)

And someone saved my life tonight
Sugar bear (sugar bear…)

You almost had your hooks in me
Didn’t you dear
You nearly had me roped and tied
Altar bound hypnotized sweet freedom
Whispered in my ear
You’re a butterfly
And butterflies are free to fly
Fly away
High away
Bye bye
(Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh…)

The last part I do is just a little flourish to finish up, nothing to do with the original.

:sunglasses:

4 Likes

Dear @HarpinBobbyMcB,
on your sentence you get a clear NO!
But great respect and :+1: for your game and that in front of the camera!
I actually didn’t know the song. I immediately listened to the original and of course the lyrics to it. Maybe he used to be on the B side of a record? :smiley:
I enjoy watching your game. You not only play the harp, you also play the camera, you live the song. Overall, you let your charm play. I hope I can write this?
If a wrong note appears here and there, then I don’t give a damn! I know how fast it goes and we’ve only been playing for a short time.
The fun and joy, especially in this not so happy time, is in the foreground, whether player or audience.

4 Likes

I agree with Astrid @AstridHandbikebee63 !

And I too have never heard that song – but I must admit that I never listened to Elton John.

Regards,
– Slim :sunglasses:

3 Likes

I’m still in the “low rider” and “country road” phase, lol. But getting a lot of encouragement from this forum!

7 Likes

Hello @RollyJoe,
how far are you? I’m still in the middle group of kindergarten… :joy:
Sorry, just kidding!

3 Likes

@AstridHandbikebee63 LMAO! pre-preschool.

4 Likes

Im working on the theme from LOCAL HERO. Its called Going Home. Its one of my favourite movies. Music by Mark Knopfler. There’s no way I’m going on youtube. You are very brave and it is great to see and hear you!

7 Likes

Hello @toogdog,
Wow, this is a very soulful song that gets under your skin. Good luck studying!

4 Likes

Yes it is. Have you seen the movie? It is a lovely feel good film.

4 Likes

@toogdog,
I don’t think so, but just saw the video for the song, beautiful! Goose flesh!

1 Like

[Hey I’m watching Local Hero. Check it out now on Prime Video! Prime Video: Local Hero](Hey I’m watching Local Hero. Check it out now on Prime Video! Prime Video: Local Hero)

2 Likes

Hi @toogdog

I seldom go to see movies and do not follow film releases so I had not even heard about Local Hero :flushed: But I really like the theme that Mark Knopfler composed for it !! Thanks for the tip!!

As far as what song I am working on … I must admit that I seldom work on learning a song on the blues harp. What I mostly do is work on improvising and the techniques that I can apply to a variety of different songs or musical styles.

Having said that, I do work on learning specific songs using my chromatic harmonica (I just bought a Seydel Nonslider Chromatic De Luxe Steel that has solo-tuning and is in the key of C). I am not very proficient with the chromatic and learning specific songs is a great way to become more skilled with this instrument. By the way: I am very pleased with the Nonslider because of several design features it has. 1: no valves. 2: no slider; 3: stainless steel reeds; 4: bending just like on a blues harp is possible!!

The first and second points make this harp virtually maintenance free. However, point 2 (no slider) also comes with a disadvantage: when playing fast trills or upper mordents I believe that a slider permits faster and smoother transitions. Nevertheless, I really like this harp and doubt that my skill level will ever progress so far that this disadvantage will make me return to playing my chromatics that have a slider.

Regards,
– Slim :sunglasses:

5 Likes

Hello all!

I’ve just joined and would love to share my inspiration for picking up the harmonica.

When I was a kid, I’d stay up late and watch Adult Swim on cartoon network. There was a show called Cowboy Bebop by Shinichirō Watanabe that came on late - it played a huge part in not only my taste of music, but my taste in film (westerns and action flicks.) The show was a fantastic conglomeration of western themes and space; basically - bounty hunters with space ships.

The whole shows worth a watch, if only for the soundtrack, but a track called Spikey Dokey by the Seatbelt cemented in me the drive to learn harp.

I’m pretty bad at keeping up with practicing, but I hope that by joining a community of like minded, badass harp players will be the push I need to keep it up, and one day learn the song song that drive me to pick up this amazing instrument.

Much love

P.S.
Here a link to the song, sorry I’m on mobile;

7 Likes

That is a beautiful song, I wouldn’t even know where to start on learning it. Most of the songs I play on the harp are songs I can either hum to or whistle to.

Seems easier for me when the tune is known to me before so I can readily hear whether or not I’m on the right track.

How do you break this song down to start learning it @toogdog ? What key are you playing?

As for being brave for the YT video, I’m not sure about that but doing so certainly made me up my game a bit and I was more conscious of doing it as best as I could.

The song ringing around in my mind since yesterday is HELLO by Lionel Richie.

Anyone game to give it a go? :thinking:

2 Likes