Members steve mac Posted August 16, 2015 Members Share Posted August 16, 2015 Haven't been taking a harmonica along to gigs much this year, so decided to dust it off, attach the Harplock and give it an outing. I was wondering if anyone was gigging regularly with guitar/harmonica and performing any more modern tunes that the usual Piano Man, Heart of Gold etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted August 16, 2015 Moderators Share Posted August 16, 2015 Funny, I was looking at my harmonicas the other day thinking 'I never play these anymore...'Aside from 'What I Like About You', I don't cover many harmonica songs in the solo act anymore, and WILAY is low in the solo rotation. Plus, as I am a barely passable 'fat chord blower', harmonica gets very little time spent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bob Dey Posted August 16, 2015 Members Share Posted August 16, 2015 I pulled out the C harp for a couple of blues songs with a band I played with two weeks ago. Other than that, I haven't played it at all. There are more newer songs incorporating a ukelele than harrmonica. Also, I tried one of those harmonica holders (harplock?) long ago and didn't get the feel for it. Guess it takes practice… If I run into any new harp songs I'll report it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve mac Posted August 16, 2015 Author Members Share Posted August 16, 2015 Thanks guys, I am a great believer in a little harp goes a long way, so tend just to use it on maybe three songs in a full set but it defiantly does add another texture to my just being a guy with a guitar. I just wondered if it would work on something past the seventies. Maybe a Bruno Mars thing for example. I was hoping someone may have tried some out and save me the effort. Re the harplock, I think it's fine when playing, such a convenience not to have the neck harness on, but I do sing eating the mike and do have to adjust how I place my mouth. But the payoff of ease of switching the harmonicas in and out means I will be sticking with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bob Dey Posted August 17, 2015 Members Share Posted August 17, 2015 Never heard of the harplock until now. All I ever used was the Bob Dylan type. See, I'm learning stuff here! I might just get one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve mac Posted August 17, 2015 Author Members Share Posted August 17, 2015 Like all things Bob it's a compromise, it's two huge advantages are that you don't have to wear anything around your neck and you can switch harps in and out in a split second. The disadvantages are that you need a very sturdy stand, it is designed for use with a SM 58 (although I use it with a TCHelicon mp 75 after using a round file on it ) but worst of all for me is that I only use it for maybe three songs but it has to stay attached the whole set and it plain annoys me, you can see in the picture below me with just the Harplock without a harmonica on it and although hardly noticeable to the audience, I never forget it's there I wish it could just sort of snap on and off. Having said that in my opinion the advantages outway the negatives. A big plus is I never have a neck holster droop away mid song and find I can't reach it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pinkfloydcramer61 Posted August 17, 2015 Members Share Posted August 17, 2015 I joined a Willie Nelson tribute act, piano being my main instrument but the leader found out I play some harmonica and considers that to be more integral to the Willie sound. So I'm trying to get up to speed. It's a challenge to get the country sound ala Charlie McCoy and Mickey Raphael, fading notes in by working the mic and controlling slow bends. I had been mic'ing a small harp amp but due to feedback and volume issues, think I will go back to running harmonica through the mic input on my keyboard mixer, which works surprisingly well. I know the neck holder harping is an entirely different sound and style but still..hate those things, sorry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted August 17, 2015 Moderators Share Posted August 17, 2015 You could, of course, set up 2 mics, one with the harp lock, one without, on separate PA channels [or on an A-B Y box], since you probably do not sing as loud as you blow harmonica...I'm jus'sayin'... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted August 17, 2015 Moderators Share Posted August 17, 2015 No one really likes them, but they were a necessary evil, and for many, still are...but yeah, 'real' harmonica players laugh at us guys using the holders, but then I ask them if they can sing and play at the same time...usually shuts them up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve mac Posted August 18, 2015 Author Members Share Posted August 18, 2015 Daddymac, i have thought of using two mikes but just too much hassle carrying, setting up, tearing down, finding space on stage ( corner off the bar ) to say nothing of the expense. I have seen looper acts with two mikes, but that is such an integral part of what they do I guess they have no choice. Like you I am little more than a "chord" acompanyer, especially when it's in a rack. However I have missed the attention it gets part way through the set, especially as I don't now use an obvious neck holder so it comes as a bit of a surprise. As an aside I remember a couple of years ago when I first got the Harplock, I was doing a patio gig in front of maybe 50 or so folk. I played the first couple of guitar chords of Heart of Gold, leant in to start blowing the harmonica and realized I had forgotten to attach it so ended up blowing mid air. I was in hysterics and through tears explains that I had forgotten my harmonica, which brought the house down. It was singularly the funniest thing that has unintentionally happened to me live. I tried to repeat it the next time out as a joke, fell flat as a pancake. Can't beat spontenaity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted August 18, 2015 Moderators Share Posted August 18, 2015 I had mine flip out the neck holder once in the middle of a song...and said..." please imagine I am playing the greatest harmonica solo ever..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bob Dey Posted August 20, 2015 Members Share Posted August 20, 2015 I made a harp neck holder out of coathanger wire long ago. It was pretty funny because I made it wobble up and down when I walked out on the dancefloor. Plus, it was obviously a coathanger, but it worked! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bob Dey Posted August 20, 2015 Members Share Posted August 20, 2015 I was thinking about doing the gong show bit where the guy comes out with a trombone singing, "I'm gonna play my trombone… (whata gonna do?) "I'm gonna play my trombone… (whata gonna do?) and when he starts to play the slide flies off of the trombone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pinkfloydcramer61 Posted September 12, 2015 Members Share Posted September 12, 2015 Timber by Pit Bull/Rhianna is the last semi "modern" harp tune I know of, at least for top 40 (and probably not the style of anyone here, although Notes might be crazed enough to attempt it). Harmonica seems to make a comeback now and then for country, though. So that leaves you with 20 or so years ago and Mary Jane? Get a G harp and play 3rd (minor key) position for those 3 notes and you're gold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members STM86 Posted August 8, 2016 Members Share Posted August 8, 2016 I'm digging up old threads looking for the "new 'Brown Eyed Girl's" thread. I must have gone past it. How big was Alice in Chains in your neck of the woods? I have had great luck with "Don't Follow" sans harp. It's one of those unexpected songs that there's usually one person who is really excited to hear it. I think you would need to be able to play harmonica for real though, not just like a "Mary Jane's Last Dance" situation. It's still over 20 years old though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikeo Posted August 8, 2016 Members Share Posted August 8, 2016 Try some of these. I'll spare ya from anything else that comes to my head quickly. [video=youtube;kM0mjukDGRw] [video=youtube;SMSZALOGF_M] [video=youtube;A0-ve7ZRn9M] [video=youtube;9TlBTPITo1I] blues style with Charlie Musclewhite and Ben Harper [video=youtube;5kwioTiHh3A] [video=youtube;KY0C7rZeUew] [video=youtube;pdz5kCaCRFM] [video=youtube;4NhWzuDTD0A] [video=youtube;upcS9ZvcDLo] [video=youtube;JGBXnw86Mgc] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shaster Posted August 9, 2016 Members Share Posted August 9, 2016 I just wondered if it would work on something past the seventies. Maybe a Bruno Mars thing for example. . You mean like Uptown Funk; "Girls hit your hallelujah" (harmonica squeal) "Girls hit your hallelujah" (another harmonica squeal).,, Okay I'm losing it, it's official. Almost OT but not quite. I was at a Japanese restaurant the other day. Here in my parts, many of the Japanese restaurants are run by Koreans (odd considering their history). Anyway, they had a ton of K-pop playing. These were well written tunes and more than a few featured chromatic harp players. It was nice to hear harmonica being featured again. So Steve, if you've got a hankering to do some K-pop I'm sure you'll find some good harp vehicles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve mac Posted August 9, 2016 Author Members Share Posted August 9, 2016 I had forgotten this thread, it's like seeing an old friend again. Also thanks for the suggestions, however the Alice in Chains nor last Dance with MJ (come to that virtually all of the others) won't fly here as if I haven't heard them neither will my audience. Shaster you may be losing it but I lost it so long ago I am not sure I ever had it. Having said that I have been meaning to try and put Uptown F together as I think it's got that feel good vibe and everyone knows it. The two harmonica songs I have added since this post are, Champagne Supernova , which I do a simple loop and an even simpler harmonica in A over the top, I think Oasis use an accordion on the record but it sound surprisingly good. And finally Price Tag by Jesse J, which I have always done now and then as the crowd like the "stop" bit and the "everybody look to the left" but then I saw this cover and again with a bit of looping this is the version I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted August 9, 2016 Moderators Share Posted August 9, 2016 I was not familiar with Price Tag, but I believe it is just the same 4 chords repeated, so great a looper tune...[is that I V vi IV ? Llike a modified version of the 'ice cream' changes...with the V moved to the second change] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve mac Posted August 9, 2016 Author Members Share Posted August 9, 2016 Price Tag was a pop tune around 2010 and although a number one around the world barely scraped into the US Billboard top 20. I like it because there are two definite audience participation elements. I play it as I iii vi IV in G more a frozen yoghurt than ice cream 😀Put the chords into the looper, then add a percussive beat with a tambourine, harmonica in G (I use a diatonic but the guy in the vid is using a chromatic) as an intro and for a break similar to the timing in the vid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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