David McKelvy's "Blues Harmonica Collection"
G'day, i'm wondering if anyone here has experience with playing from the transcriptions in this book. I've seen it in the background of some of the videos here. It has good reviews on Amazon, but i get the impression those reviews are from people who haven't actually used the book, i.e. they are super impressed with what it purports to be, but haven't played anything from it.
I've learned some songs with it. I think it's good but as with all transcriptions you have to listen carefully to the audio of the song.
I was a bit overwhelmed by it when I used it because it covers quite a few different styles - country, blues, traditional folk stuff and so on. It would have been better for me to stick with blues, work slowly through that and pick up some basic techniques first, then branch out into other styles. I guess that's my problem rather than the book's, though - I just wanted to learn blues.
As well as David's books (like the website, always accurate, systematic and reliable), I found Winslow Yerxa's "Harmonica For Dummies" useful as a reference manual as well as a playing guide and I like Tom Ball's Little Walter/Big Walter book, though the number-and-arrow transcriptions only give you a rough idea what he's playing and little idea of the timing - like JuniorWright said, you really have to listen carefully to the audio.
Thanks for your comments folks. Yep, i thought "great! lookee here at all these songs", but then, the 1st thing i tried to play didn't seem to resemble the recording i had...as in the notes seemed quite different...'checkin' up on my baby" i think...
yes i take the point about the need to listen very carefully...and also about staying focussed. i have an embarrassment of riches in terms of resources...but practice time is not unlimited...i think its important to stick with one thing for a while in order to progress.
i checked up on "checkin' up"...and i checked out Adam Gussow's lesson on the song. While Adam isn't doing a straight transposition of the Sonny Boy song, his opening is very similiar...and quite different to what is in the book...anyone know of a different sonny boy recording of this song than the 1 which is on 'the real folk blues' album? so far as i know this is on several albums but all the same cut.
Just did a quick search on ITunes and there's at least 9 recordings on different albums. I didn't listen to them and know that often they will take the same recording and use it on different albums. They all seem to be in the 1:55 - 1:59 range in length so .........??
OK so curiosity got the best of me - they all sound the same, same key, same opening licks and not one of them listed from the "Real Folk Blues" album. Don't know if this helps or not.
thanks hank, on the page at http://www.sonnyboy.com/index.php?p=songs it claims there is only 1 recording date, and only 1 take which has been released on multiple collections.
i think i will just have to scrutinise it very carefully. there do seem to be some areas which overlap, its just the start i cant follow in the book...no big deal as i have the starting lick pretty well sorted out now anyway. i thought the trans might help me fast-track it. i'm kinda new at picking things up off the record, but i think thats probably the future so i may as well get used to it
yes, i just checked the aussie store and its the same deal-o...9 albums include it.
anyway, DB says the book is fairly accurate so this may just be a bad start..there are a lot of great songs in it. i reckon i'll be able to dig out some which will accord with records i have...Help Me for 1..
thanks again for having a look
Dave
It's fairly accurate in it... he misses pulls and some subtle tongue block techniques, but overall a good value. It's a different notation system than I use but you'll get used to it after a while. Glenn Weiser's book is even a little better.