Improvisation on a harmonica / jamming on a harmonica

[Big Mamma Thornton]

#23558

I have recently joined two or three groups on Facebook having to do with playing and or learning to play the harmonica. I also watch a lot of YouTube listening to other harmonica players do their thing. I have noticed something and I thought it might be good for discussion? If nothing else I need to vent and get this out of my mind

I have noticed that there is a lot of ” non-professional”, that is folks like you and I not like Mitch who does the harmonica for a living, have no kind of musical tune to follow when they are so-called jamming or improvised playing. There is usually a lot of bending and wobbling and hand Wawa’s but no real tune to follow, no sequence of notes that seem to go together. Now I know that everyone is at a different learning and skill level. Even I, who has only been playing for six months or so post my music for others to listen to and I know I don’t play great. I am not trying to put anyone’s playing down. My problem is on these websites no one is giving an honest critique to the player and letting them know they are not following a comprehensive Musical progression and they are just making a bunch of random noises. These sites are supposed to be helping people get better at playing the harmonica but all I ever see is a bunch of thumbs up and then telling the person that they are doing a great job. How is that any help? These people are going to end up walking around screeching on their harmonica and thinking they’re doing a good job while honestly they sound like crap.
In my opinion, the only way you can get better is by Honest critique. I’m not saying put someone down so hard they never want to play again. But what I am saying is you can’t let someone go off the deep end playing the harmonica and not say something to them if you are trying to help them play better. A case in point: recently I posted an update to a song on the soundtracks and CC commented. In the comment she told me that my timing sounded off on parts of the song. I already knew this but if I wasn’t aware of that fact and thought that my timing was spot-on I would have continued to play the way I played and never try to improve the timing. That’s honest critique and everyone especially me needs it to improve!
I’m not sure what kind of discussion could follow from this post but this is something that has been on my mind and I needed to vent it out to people who might understand. Honestly, I feel sorry for these folks who think you’re doing a great job but really suck nobody wants to tell him because they don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. After listening to the professionals, I know that in order to jam and sound good you have to have some sort of musical progression that makes sense to the ear. To be honest I am kind of afraid I might end up one of those players who thinks they’re doing a good job but really suck and nobody ever tells me except maybe their family LOL. Just kidding I’m too much of a perfectionist just settle for second-rate.

[Rooftop Cat]

#23562

I say – Shake it if you got it!

I think musicianship, like any other field of study, has many levels of proficiency, each with increasingly difficult activation barriers. Pablo Casals, a cellist virtuoso, in his 80s, was asked “Why do you still practice?” and his response was something like “I feel like I’m finally making progress.”

I think the takeaway is – everyone has their preferences of music genres, subgenres, varying chord progression jazz, atonal melodic ideas… agree or disagree depends on your perspective really. I at least try to look for the positive. Sometimes it’s a very subtle thing that can really distinguish a sound/melody anyway. Music be like flavor – seek out different sounds, give it a few years, and you might be surprised where it takes you. Some extremely talented musicians are out there with cool innovative ideas. May have to parse through the newbies posts, but that’s the scroll life culture now lol. About a decade ago I thought Muddy Waters was too old-time style for my taste. Now, I not only listen to his music practically every day, I practice, striving toward that Chicago style. Besides beginners, I feel that the people that realllly want it will get there but only really by their own doing… flipside people could be less sensitive to criticism, especially when the motive is to be helpful. Unless a beginner, I feel that people know their own mistakes more than others may give them credit for. Now a hurdle that some people, myself included, have trouble getting over is performing live, professionally or just for fun even. Online, by posting videos, albeit typically distasteful, amateur-like licks, they stay positive, practice, post more videos, and eventually through their own realization or someone else’s, will want to improve, take that feedback, and some eventually will succeed. Sort of like simulating a live event I guess. Point is – they didn’t get discouraged, and that’s a big thing; some get it more than others. There’s a few people I’ve followed for about a year and it’s cool hearing their harmonica journey and what areas they become more proficient in. I personally haven’t sought out playing live yet because I know I need more woodshed time, but Ted, for a perfectionist, how much woodshed time is enough time? I’ll tell you – an infinite amount of time. “Don’t strive for perfection; strive for excellence” – paraphrase of David Barrett. Only those that persevere get a return on their investment, regardless of where you are currently on your journey. I think, ultimately, do what you like, support your musically inclined friends, whatever the level, and let music bring us together. I look forward to hearing where my harmonica buddies are in their studies and I know the only person that can really make my own sound sound better is myself.

I think, before the year is over, I’m going to try to find an open mic night at some local juke joint. Thanks for the inspiration! Can only play in the car alone over these same jam tracks for so long!! ;D

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