The Cube Street is very versatile. If you want to use a microphone for vocals, then this is a good choice. The Crate Taxi series is less expensive and also has a mic channel. If you don't care about vocal amplification, there are a lot of choices. I still think Roland makes some of the most versatile, as long as you can handle the sticker price. The Microcube RX includes a simple beat box in addition to a good complement of guitar effects. I have used a Lectrosonics Mouse for more years than I care to admit, and it has been rock solid. You'd have to find one used.

A pignose will not compare in volume to the models listed above, but is relatively inexpensive.

Thanks, Jerry.  I see just what you mean.  I'll continue to work on this as I move on to your second "Mother in law Blues" lesson.

Thanks Jerry for those explanations.  I'll check on compression some time (or maybe ask my friend Brian Lee who is doing all of his own album production).  I am not that concerned about it if it has to do with in studio recording.  I was wondering if it was a playing technique I hadn't heard of.  Also, I am glad to hear I am on the right track with regard to using both tongue blocking and lip pursing.  With regard to cupping, I think I am doing ok, I was just wondering if there were some "magic bullet".  What you make say makes sense about achieving a comfortable way of managing the mic and harp.

I had a neat experience over the weekend.  My wife and I went to the Willamette Autoharp Gathering in Salem, OR (we both play a bit).  It was four days of classes, jams and performances by some really top musicians.  After the last performance on Saturday, I got to sit in with all the performers (and anyone else who wanted), and played harmonica. This was intimidating to begin with, especially since a fellow named Bryan Bowers was the headliner.  He is one of the original inductees to the autoharp hall of fame (along with Maybelle Carter and two or three others).  Not only is he incredible on the autoharp, but he plays mandolin and guitar, and sings superbly.  He is also a self-proclaimed tuning maniac but that's another story. Everyone was really nice (or maybe forgiving), and made me feel welcome. In general, they played bluegrass, old timey music, fiddle tunes and celtic type tunes.  Some of it I did okay at in first or second position, other songs I just played chords.  We were in a circle with each person in turn calling a song for the group.  When my turn came I led them in "Last Fair Deal Goin Down" which they all got into.  I don't know how well I played, but at least no one threw anything at me.  After a while, the song morphed into "When the Saints Go Marchin In."

Rich

Hi Rich,

Compression is something they do in the recording studio to a track after it is initially recorded - usually during the mix. I do know that it is not about acheiving distortion but more about limiting the very high and very low frequencies. However, being that I am the furthest thing from a tech or gear expert, I suggest you google "compression in recording" for a proper explanation.

As far as tongue blocking vs pursing, it's all a matter of ease of playing, phrasing, getting the sounds you want, percussive emphasis etc. Your explanation of when you use tongue blocking is the same as mine. I'll do it if I think a tongue slap is in order, or an octave or a slighly bassier tone to achieve the phrasing, attack, or flow I'm trying to get.

Regarding cupping the harp and mic, you just have to do it in a way that's comfortable for you. I remember reading in a harmonica blog somewhere that it took a year to develop good mic technique. Nonsense, I thought. My mic technique is simply hold on to the damn thing and don't drop it!

I don't know if anybody else could help me....I was lookin for a battery power amplifier...microphone and guitar...it's for buskin. I've read good recension about PIGNOSE in general and of ROLAND CUBE STREET too...what do you think about them? :) Any kind of alternatives? 

Thanks 

Alex

I think: What could I do to make the other person sound better than they already do?

And also I think about space - leaving space for the other cat playing

Or at least I try to :-)

The Land Where the Blues Began - www.Media-Generation.com

Enjoy

Hi Jerry,

I saw this term the other day, I think someone said that Sugar Blue plays with a lot of compression.  I did a little searching and got the impression that this is referring using pedals and/or amp effects to achieve a lot of distortion.  Is that correct, or are they referring to a playing technique?  I am not necessarily interested in doing this, just wondered what it meant.  Thanks.

Also, one thing you've said in a couple of lessons is that a part of a song will require tongue blocking (as opposed to all of the song?).  I would find it helpful if you could explain why at a certain point this is necessary, and what effect it might have on playing that part of the song.  I do tongue block, but, most of the time, only when I am trying to get a deeper tone, or to tongue slap or for split chords.  Learning about other reasons why I might want to tongue block would be useful.  Please forgive me if you have covered this elsewhere.

Another thing that would help me (and I presume others) would be instruction on gettting a good cup, with and without a mic.  I think I do an okay job of this, but certainly could do it better and be more consistent.  I also have fairly small hands so cupping the harmonica and mic together seems a bit difficult at times.  One thing that has helped me recently is acquiring a vintage Astatic 200 Brown Bullet (very cool!), which is a bit smaller than a JT-30 or Shure Green Bullet.  Even so, I am sure I could benefit from your suggestions.  

Good job Ben. At exactly 17 seconds on the time code you should roll off of the 4 draw with a bend, slide to the 3 draw then come back to the 4 blow. You leave out the bend and just go from the 4 draw to the 3 draw then back to 4 blow. Putting in that little bend will improve the continuity and phrasing. 

Duke, I would love to see a lesson or two about how you play a blues in A with the 6/8 feel and with the D7 chord shape at the sixth and seventh frets.....I wrote this to Corey as well. It would be intresting to see who does what. maybe you could share some of those Myers bros. Lockwood Tucker type lines ala the Little Walter sides.  thanks for your time.

Corey, I would love to see a lesson or two about how you play a 6/8 feel blues in A..the sort of thing where one plays the D7 shape atthe sixth and sevnth fret with the monotinic bass. thanks for looking at this. 

thanks mike!

Hi and welcome to Sonic Junction!  Very cool jam!  It's very reflective to me. 

The best way to get feedback is to post your link in one of the three Artist sections of the Forum:  Ask Duke, Ask Corey or Ask Jerry ... and they will listen and give you feedback.

Thanks and great playing.

Hey guys, I'm new here and I would like some feedback from the experts. These is a jam I would like you to hear: http://soundcloud.com/kukukachu/guitar-jam

Hi Jerry,

Interesting that I didn’t hear those 4 bends when I was first learning the song on my own  -- perhaps growing up listening mostly to folk, pop and some rock (and only the past few years venturing into the blues as I’ve been focusing on learning harp) keeps me from hearing those blue notes as easily as I otherwise might.  I also found it challenging at those places where I dig into the 4 draw, quickly let it up, then go into a full 4 bend and quickly move to the 3 draw and back to 4 blow.  That 3 draw keeps wanting to bend.  To address that challenge I did find  your masterclass CDs helpful, which have some exercises moving quickly in and out of bends around adjacent holes (not sure if those exercises are here in the sonic-junction site masterclass lessons).  At any rate, here’s a second attempt.  Let me know what you think.  Thanks. – Ben.

hey cool, I will see you at Viper Alley....if you need anything I am at your service (I know where the real food is, etc).. The venue is really nice with really good sound..among the best in chicago land. 

Hi Ben,

Your time and rhythm is spot on and in general it's pretty good but there are a couple of essential things that need to be addressed. In the first phrase I hear you play 3 blow, 3 draw, 4 blow, 4 draw, 4 draw, 4 blow, 3 draw, 4 blow. The 4 blow in boldface should be a bend on the 4 draw instead of the blow note you're playing. The bend should just roll down from the 4 draw you play on the previous note. You do the same thing in the second phrase just before you do the triple tounguing lick. Whenever you hit the 4 draw in this you should start it with a little dig into it like a bend and let it up very quickly instead of just hitting it as a straight note. You also use the 4 blow instead of the 4 draw bend in the middle of the "fanning" part. You should hit that 4 draw bend at the start of the fanning section as well. It starts with a 4 draw bend and then you let it up as you start fanning. I'd like for you to work on this. Listen to me do it on the lesson and you'll hear it and understand what I'm pointing out. If you make these corrections you'll really have it down. I'd like for you to re-post this when you polish it up so I can see how you've done. Good work!

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Hi Jerry,

Here is my attempt at playing the beginning of Junior Parker’s Mother in Law Blues from your first lesson on that song.  I found that singing the parts around the intro and fills helped me keep to the rhythm, so the video includes my singing (btw I took your advice from an earlier lesson and began singing lessons a while back – and things I’m learning around pitch, rhythm, tone and breath seem useful for my harmonica development as well).   Seems like when I listen and compare my playing to you or Junior Parker, my tone seems breathy (less clean and sharp), and I’d like to work on that.  I also feel I need to work on my fanning technique which seems a bit sloppy (FYI... I switched to holding the harp in my right hand after banging up my left elbow when I fell a while back – I may switch back when it heals).  Anyway, I welcome any feedback you may have – note selection, tone, rhythm, flow, etc. – on my harp playing on this video.

Thanks.

Ben.

Hi Jerry and thanks for the reply.  I guess I complicated what I was trying to say.

Basically, I would like to get a sense of what each key of harp sounds like.  (On each harp do 123 Blow, 123 Draw,  234 Blow, 234 Draw, etc. all the way to about 567 Draw, and pure notes for the first 7 holes.)  I have no idea what, for example, a low F sounds like, or even why someone would play it.

Thanks again.

Hey B-K,

If I play the same riff in different key harps they should sound the same except the pitch will be higher or lower depending on the key of the harp. If you're talking about playing the same riff on the same harp but in different positions (keys) then there will genarally be a different effect because the note choices may not be the same or, even if all the notes are there, they may have a different sound - for instance, a note may be a natural note in one position but a bent note in another, which will give it a different character. 

Hello Jerry.

Would it be possible for you to do a lesson that presents all the different keys (key of the first position), in which you play the same riff, so that we can get a sense of what they all sound like?

Also a list of a few of the classics that are played in each of the keys.  Maybe with a brief explanation of why those keys were appropriate?

Your lessons are very good, and you are right about listen to it, get the sound down, and then it will eventually come automatically.

Thanks very much.

I always say that the cat who is consistent, easy to work with, mature and on time will beat the prima-donna musician who may play better but who is always late, immature, diffifuclt to work with.  Music is a business like any other...it requires team players.

@Jerry .. yes, you're exactly right about beginners and even intermediates.  I struggled with exactly the issue you mention ... i.e. being able to free my mind from my own playing enough to truly listen and respond to others.  

I bet this wraps back to your earlier points on how one learns to play music ... i.e. if you're focused on the music you hear your bandmates playing ... and your own ideas / intentions in your mind ... and have the muscle memory to push it out, it's easier to play generously with people and really create somthing.

@Corey .. very true. It's similar to creating software and other complex creative tasks.  If you have someone on your team (or band) that makes everyone 25% better ... it can be as important as having a star individual.  Although I haven't read much about it, I imagine Duke Ellington must have been this way.  The talent he assembled through the years was incredible ... so he must have been able to create a band where people felt they could bring forth their best music.

Will do! Doing a gig tonight with Bryan Lee, you produced some of his earlier stuff didn't you? The last few years I have been rubbing elbows with some great players many you know from the mid west and I always tell them as well as all the local players about the site. Sometime next week I will send a video so we can benchmark now vs. a year from now. Thanks again Duke!

Dave Potter

www.davepottermusic.net