Tuesday, November 27, 2018

What Did You Miss This Week? (Week 547 #593)

Blues Horsepower.

Joe heard some things in peoples' playing that opened up a review of a couple things that players should focus on to improve their blues horsepower.

First off, "clean" notes are just not as bluesy as "dirty" notes. Letting just a little bit of the hole above the note you're playing come through is a "dirty" note and it's just a fatter, richer, bluesier sound. Learn to have control and mastery of this technique so that you can turn it on and off to control the intensity of the moment.

Similarly, things like vamping also add bluesy quality to your sound. Yet another reason to tongue block - it opens up vamping possibilities and you want this happening for more blues horsepower in your playing.

Class Notes

  • Hold the date - Joe's next Harlem Harp Party is December 18. 
- Grant Kessler, B1 Blues Crew