Using a looping pedal to play 12-bar blues
Hi All,
I want to play chords using the 12-bar blues form, record them using a loop pedal and then play solo over the top. The problem is that diatonic harps generally seem to have only 2 playable chords. For example, a harp in the key of C played in 2nd position has the I chord (G - draw first 3 holes) and the IV chord (C - blow first 3 holes) but no V chord (should be D chord).
Has anyone managed to do this? Using 2 harps would be solution but is it possible with just the one?
Thanks,
Mark.
Thanks for the above advice Rob.
I have printed out your response and will attempt to understand your thoughts about scales, arpeggios etc. I know basic music theory but I need to do more to understand the different options for playing a looped 12-bar backing track. This relates to another tip I got from 'The Practice of Practice': set long term goals but break them down into short-term goals which are achievable as steps towards the long term ones. Understanding your suggestions will be a short term goal towards playing blues with a loop pedal at an open mic event.
P.S. I love the Peter Madcat Ruth video with the 2 harps!
David's Accompaniment Studies will give you some simple and effective ideas for backing tracks to loop, e.g., re bass lines, https://www.bluesharmonica.com/lessons/accompaniment_study_7 . And don't involve a whole lot of music theory stuff. Enjoy!
Mark:
Musically (and using the C diatonic in 2nd position as reference) you can also play a version of a Bm7-5 and Dm, but those aren't really useful for any blues work, save that the Bm7-5 can work in a very few really old-timey jazz blues. So yes, you're correct that for chords you're pretty much stuck with the I, i.e., G (draw holes 1,2 and 3), G7 (draw holes 1, 2 3 and 4) and G9 (draw the first five holes), and the IV, i.e., C major (blowng any and all holes).
A solution? Don't worry about the chords. Play bass lines! David's lessons have a bunch of examples and useful information. Provided your bends are OK, you can do I, IV, V patterns either in traditional blues (minor 3rd in each arpeggio over the I) or jump (major 3rd over the I) styles, and even bass-line arpeggios for II-V7-I and ii-V7-I turnarounds. If you're playing 1/8th note rhythms for the backing track, it'll be a full enough sound.
But swapping harps could work, too, if you're quick enough. In this respect, check out videos of players like Peter "Madcat" Ruth and Joe Filisko holding two harps and alternating to get that V or V7 chord (drawing on a G harp if you're laying down backing in G on a C harp in 2nd position). E.g., for Madcat, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IstBC4SLn4k For the ultimate swapping, try to find a video of one of those 1920s harmonica orchestras where they played only diatonics, and each member of the orchestra had a small table and a tray with harps of all 12 keys. The way they switched them back and forth so quickly, it should have been an Olympic medal event!