Posted Mon, 01/20/2014 - 09:26 by David Barrett Admin
Actively trying to play behind the beat is another great way to fix rushing. As you play each note, make a point to delay its delivery ever so slightly to help pull your playing behind the beat. If your tendency is to rush, then now you're not rushing… you're playing on the beat. Playing behind the beat for those that don't have a tendency to rush is also a cool effect… it's a way to make your music sound relaxed, but still swinging.
Posted Fri, 01/17/2014 - 11:06 by David Barrett Admin
Most players have the tendency to rush (playing faster than the tempo and then commonly adjusting back into time where there is rest or long holds). Where is the most common cause of this?... pickups. Players tend to start their pickups slightly too early and play it too fast. So... in most cases... rushing can be fixed by giving attention to slowing down when your start your pickups and the rhythm of the pickup itself.
Posted Thu, 01/16/2014 - 09:46 by David Barrett Admin
A large embouchure is required to play the chromatic harmonica (playing a standard single note has your mouth over four holes... just like the diatonic... but those holes are larger. To play an octave your lips are over five holes... now that's a stretch!). Those that play the chromatic find it easier to achieve big tone on the diatonic harmonica, since they're already used to playing with a wide-open, resonant mouth cavity. continue reading...
Posted Tue, 01/14/2014 - 09:31 by David Barrett Admin
When you move out of time it's usually for one reason... you're too focused on what you're playing. Relax... clear your mind... enjoy the music you're creating with the other musicians (live or on recording) and focus not on what you're playing, but the composite effect of what you and the band are playing together.
Posted Mon, 01/13/2014 - 09:04 by David Barrett Admin
It can be challenging at times to anticipate when chord change is going to happen in a song. Maybe the tune has very smooth transitions between chords (no telegraphing) or the volume mix of the instruments on stage is such that it makes it hard to hear the collective chord change. continue reading...
Posted Wed, 01/08/2014 - 09:39 by David Barrett Admin
Tone is created by the player... with their embouchure (for a harmonica player) or with their hands for guitar, bass, piano and drums. Good players can play at a whisper-quiet volume with huge tone. They can also use a rig (mic, amp, etc.) that the average player may feel is lacking and make it sound glorious. If your rig doesn't break up until you have it set real loud, then tame it with lower-gain tubes or use a smaller amp so that you can drive it harder. continue reading...
Posted Fri, 01/03/2014 - 10:22 by David Barrett Admin
I've never heard the comment... by anyone... ever... that a band was too quiet. The usual comment is "the band was so loud I couldn't hear myself at all." It's also common to hear from those in the audience, "I think you sounded good, but I couldn't really hear you."
So, our rule of thumb...
While playing on the bandstand, if you're not able to follow the story the soloist is crafting or the tale the vocalist is weaving, you're playing too loud. The vocalist/soloist has to at all times be heard well enough that not only their strong notes come out, but the subtleties as well. continue reading...
Posted Wed, 01/01/2014 - 09:15 by David Barrett Admin
This is the #1 challenge for new bands. At School of the Blues we CONSTANTLY work on this with our house bands.
The most common ending for blues is where the ending lick happens in Bar 11. There are two common ways to approach this ending:
1) If the leader (singer or last person to solo) looks back to the band at Bar 10 (the IV Chord) and nods there head or says "here we go," or saying something of that nature, then EVERYONE should play an ending lick. continue reading...