"sheet music" or by "ear"
Hi,
for a beginner player is better to study and learn classic blues songs (like Sonny Boy, Little Walter...)
by trying with ear or buy a book with sheet music......?
or when have more knowledge of harp techniques try by ear?
thanks,
best regards,
Marko
Absolutely learn to play by ear. That will help you in jam sessions and on the bandstand with your improvisation.
BUT...
Absolutely learn to read music. It will open up a whole new world to you, and maybe even lead toward experimentation with other instruments. And it's something you'll never regret taking the time to do.
Any tools you can use to help you play music use it, take advantage of it.
Ear, books or even playing with someone else, just do it.
good luck!
Sath
In the study of blues harmonica it's best to use both...
I make it easy for you by telling you what notes/hole numbers and techniques are used in each song... this saves you a huge amount of time and you also KNOW it's correct... saving you from going down the wrong track. This not really "reading" music... the combination of TAB and music notation helps you along. You NEED to use the recordings I provide as well... this IS the music and to play it well we need to use our ears as well... our ears the most.
Reading music... site reading music... like sitting down to read a sheet music you've never played... is not a skill that's needed in the blues harmonica world (only .01% of us out there can). It is good to know the notes of one harmonica (we use the C harmonica for theory on the site) so that you can get to know the notes and chords in one key. As you study accompaniment playing, this is when you start to become aware of how what you're playing affects the music... and this leads to better awareness in your improvising as well.
In the end, using your ear is very important... use the music notation to save you time... and when you're ready to do so... try transcribing on your own!
thanks for the answers ! :)
elucidated and helped me a lot !
thanks ,
Best regards,
Marko
you will find proponents of both schools.
i spend time trying to play songs by ear. i used simple songs, like nursery songs, as a way to learn my way around the harp. i have then begun to copy riffs the same way.
the other side says, and it sure makes sense, that learning to read music cant be a negative. with this skill you can play songs you have never heard before if given the sheet music.
why not work on both skills?