movement

Let's now take some familiar licks and move them up an octave. This is by far the easiest, and most enjoyable, way of getting to know the high end of the harmonica.

First lick of "Juke" by Little Walter (minus pulls and such, just the basic pitches)
3+ 3 4 5+ 6+ 6+ = 6+ 7 8 8+ 9+ 9+

First chorus of "Easy" Big Walter Horton
3 4+ 4, 4 5+ 4 4+ 3
5+ 5 6+, 6+ 6+ 5 5+ 4
4 5+ 4 5 5+ 4 4+, 6+ 5 5+ 4 3' 3" 2 2, 3 4 5+ 6+ slide-to-2 2 1 1

=

7 7+ 8, 8 8+ 8 7+ 7
8+ 9 9+, 9+ 9+ 9 8+ 8 continue reading...

Chico Hamilton in "The Checkout" podcast interview stresses the importance of movement, specifically to "dance when you play." He states, "No one knows which one came first, rhythm or movement."

The Checkout Interview Podcast
Drummer Chico Hamilton
http://www.wbgo.org/checkoutjazz/chico-hamilton-euphoric-rhythm

My music instructor in college would often say for us to move our bodies while playing music, it helps with the rhythm. I sure have found this to be true through my years of playing and teaching. Though tapping your foot is a valuable tool, it's a fast muscle structure and can easily rush or drag without much indication to you while playing. When moving your body, the pendulum effect of the bodies large mass makes rushing or dragging less likely. Instead of your foot being influenced by your playing (faster/slower tapping), your body is influencing your playing (more consistent rhythm). continue reading...

Our next step is to tip our hats to the V7 Chord in Bars 9 (the beginning of the V-IV-I lick) and 12 (the last piece of the turnaround). The V7 Chord is D F# A C, making 6 A, 8 D and 10 A from our scale available as notes of the V7 Chord. continue reading...

The passage I had you practicing Friday (6+ 6 7 8) contains the first four notes of the ascending G Major Pentatonic Scale. Those notes, in this order, represents one of the best licks to transition you into the high end of the harmonica.

Here's the complete scale...

6+ 6 7 8 8+ 9+

Add the 10 at the end and you get another usable note = 6+ 6 7 8 8+ 9+ 10

Practice this ascending and descending 100 times today and you'll be ready for our next step. continue reading...