Nice, I normally don’t find themed harmonicas to be appealing, but that’s a pretty harp for sure!
that harmonica looks fast!
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It is! 
I think it’s my coolest looking harp and plays nicely too 
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Here’s my song which I call BELIEVE.
You gotta Believe baby 
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I think you are a cowboy at heart. I can see you riding a big old horse through the desert just playing your harp with the reins hanging loose. Lovely lilty tune.
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Thanks, it’s the pretty simple. Up. And down major pentatonic scale. Easy peasy…
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That sounds great! You are getting the rhythm down!
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currently working on a bluegrass tune recommended by toogdog (thanks btw- right up my alley!).
I’ve gotten it to the point where it sounds like “music” and apart from a few kinks I now enjoy listening to myself, which is always a good sign for me
However, the original still sounds totally different
Like even with the very beginning - I tried playing around with the rhythm/articulation/whatever but I think that here the harmonica does play a part - his is way more “raspy/metallic/warm”, whereas my golden melody (the only harp I have in D) sounds more flute/violin-like. Also, I can’t for the life of me match that fast tempo - he’s just flying!
= also, when playing the later “parts” it feels like I’m competing with the backing track - how do you folks troubleshoot that? Is there an easy way to “tell?” After all, there are different arrangements right? So even if a backing track is for a song, it never says for what arrangement - a bit confused on this.
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Hey Yuri, I can’t answer your questions, but you are sounding very good. Don’t be so hard on yourself, I actually think you sound more blue grass, and he sounds more sea shanty. You sure have come a long way since happy birthday.
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I listened to both versions. I think it might have to do with embouchre more than what harp is being used. He’s probably playing those single notes with the harmonica deep in his mouth, his jaw dropped down, his throat open, and using tall, rounded lips. I know this because I used to have a very squeezed tone when playing harmonica and I developed my embouchre using the same method. Don’t be afraid to have your lips touch the cover plate.
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KeroroRinChou You were totally right! After trying the “harmonica deep in mouth” embouchure I instantly got waay closer to the original video, even with lip pursing:
(first 5 seconds as a test)
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Thanks man! I focused so much on “happy brithday” since it contained the building blocks for the next steps. I actually often still use it (the first line, that is), to make sure I’m ACTUALLY playing hole 6 - I play the first line, if it sounds ‘off’ it’s probably 7. This is something KeroroRinChou thankfully pointed out back then (I was playing the wrong note and couldn’t understand why it sounded off) - glad I got that figured out.
For this song, I wanted to make sure I could play it the “original” way as was shown in the video also, since I’m super wary of the “nah man that’s just my style” excuse - I think, it’s only a “style” if you can play it both ways and choose your preferred way, otherwise it’s called “not being able to play it like the original.”
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Following all of your’s advice and suggestions (and lots more practice), I’ve now made a youtube-ready recording:
- I decided to go with the more ‘blue grassy’ sound as per PapaCurly’s advice
- As for “staying in sync with the backing track in the later parts”, I managed to fix that: the trick was playing specifically each of the troublesome parts over and over using the backing track, that way I literally had ‘no choice’
- right now this is just the ‘base’ version. Hope to make a second one sometime in the future where I’ll add some improvisations and cool stuff.
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Good job Yuri, you continue to improve, and I’m pleased for you. You play with feeling too. Just one thing though Mate, be careful taking advice from me; I’m barely a student, let alone a teacher. I hope I haven’t steered you the wrong way.
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You are ever improving. I can’t play that piece that fast. I think rhythm is still your issue. Whenever you listen to any music at all practice clapping out the beat. In the car tap the steering wheel. Whatever the instruments playing tap that. Full beats half beats quater beats etc. If you can find someone with good rhythm to clap with you would really help. I’mworkingso this is reallyrough but you get the idea. Tap the tune rather than the beat. .9001813709https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/2dvh3xf1j7id4fbukktll/RHB-tap-tap.m4a?rlkey=snld229r3fxhfh9lz71tscwwf&st=ydz0zwnm&dl=0
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thanks! You are right in regards to the rhythm - thanks for the audio, downloaded it and will practice to it later!
I also plan to go “back to basics” for a while and instead of learning new tunes to focus more on the stuff such as rhythm and finally finish that harmonica blues book with examples I had stored away where you play along to rhythmic stuff that gets ever more advanced - hopefully after that my current stuff will improve
Sounds like a sound plan. The audio is not for you to practice to I was simply tapping with my pencil on a tool box while listening to a tune. I was just trying to demonstrate what I think would help you Get Rhythm as Ry Cooder said. Tap or clap along to any tune you hear. I’m biased but I think you should try a dance class or two. Maybe even, heaven forbid, Zumba! Your playing is really great though. You hit those notes clean and clear. Here’s a tune for you. https://youtu.be/twFm98q4M3c?si=2OgBLZcbgyOIkip7
In regards to “playing with feeling,” I’ve now made this handy chart - the approach is quite systematic and reproducible
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Looks about right. While learning, you could add something about mindfully listening to the tune/song over and again if you don’t already have it indelibly etched in your memory.
The harmonica doesn’t sound loud to me while I’m playing, but It’s surprising how far the sound travels. People who were 40 meters away from me, saying they could hear the music.
‘If’ has worked out a treat, I got it bedded down pretty easily, and I love playing it.
Now I’m trying to learn ‘Both sides now’ I had always thought of it as a Glen Campbel song but it’s actually Joni Mitchell’s. Its proving to be far more difficult, and it’s not sticking in my memory yet. Sorry to impose on you again @toogdog or anyone else who might help but I’m not good with keys. Harp Tabs says a C harmonica but harp tabs says C for just about everything. C does sound nice, but the song has some 8s and 9s in it, so it’s getting up very high. I’ve mostly been practicing it with my Bb harp, which sounds Ok but may not be best. What do you think?