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07 May 09 - 08:30 PM (#2626752) Subject: BS: Advice Requested: Musical,,,Kinda??? From: Bobert Here's the situation: For the last 3 years I have performed with a harp (harmonica player) at just about every event I been booked to play... Last year we played at a "blues challenge" at a blues festival here in Virginia and came in 2nd... I would loved to have taken 1st becuade it would mean being sponsored to represent this blues society at the IBC (International Blues Challenge) in Memphis next February... I've just gotten an invite to play again this summer at their festival in the "challenge"... If I ask this harp player to play with me I will do no better than 2nd.... I know of another harp player who has better stage presence and will give us a better chance of winning... I really would like to go to the IBC as a winner of a challenge... I mean, I can go any way representing another society that I'm in with but they don't usually sponsor anyone and won't but in any bucks... But bucks ain't them problem here... I'd like to win a challenge and I can't do it with my old harp player... What to do??? BTW, I coul;d probably do this thing with the new harp player and the old one would never know but... ...he's also my friend... Toughie... Bobert |
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07 May 09 - 08:33 PM (#2626757) Subject: RE: BS: Advice Requested: Musical,,,Kinda??? From: Peace Ask him how he'd feel about it, Bobert. Hell, he'd likely agree with you and give his blessing. |
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07 May 09 - 08:33 PM (#2626758) Subject: RE: BS: Advice Requested: Musical,,,Kinda??? From: Stilly River Sage The longer you fuss about it, and talk about it here, the harder it will be to make the changeover. Excuses aren't any good, and you get trapped in lies. Ask the player you want, be kind to the friend who you aren't asking this time, and go for it. Good luck! SRS |
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07 May 09 - 08:40 PM (#2626764) Subject: RE: BS: Advice Requested: Musical,,,Kinda??? From: curmudgeon Go solo. A harp might be nice, but it will interfere with your performance - Tom |
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07 May 09 - 09:12 PM (#2626781) Subject: RE: BS: Advice Requested: Musical,,,Kinda??? From: Bobert Nah... This society only does a band sponsorshiip and the IBC defines a band as 3 members... I can get a 3rd easy... Drummer or bass player... They ain't hard to come by... Boils down to: 1. my friend, who is a fine harmonica player, and will guarentee us no better than 2nd place or... 2. a great harmonica player who I've jammed with going back 10 years or so and who I think can get us 1st place... B~ |
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07 May 09 - 10:02 PM (#2626812) Subject: RE: BS: Advice Requested: Musical,,,Kinda??? From: Bee-dubya-ell It don't matter much 'cause nobody likes a damned harmonica anyway. Harmonicas is just somethin' to make noise until the geetar player's turn comes back around. Ya need three people to call it a band? Git a bass player an' a washboard player an' screw a harmonica. |
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07 May 09 - 10:23 PM (#2626817) Subject: RE: BS: Advice Requested: Musical,,,Kinda??? From: wysiwyg Pour on the feedback on how well he has been progressing as a player, how you see his skills developing, how much fun he is to play with and how much you love him as a buddy. Then also start to work in the tactful assessment that someday you hope he'll be top billing, with you as his sideman trying to keep up. And then go on that you are planning to diversify the band a bit for various venues, and that you sure hope to keep working with him at many of these. Then ask him to listen to the harp dude you want, and if he thinks he can get that good, and how he will go about getting there, and whether he agrees that the other dude is ahead of him and more suited to some venues. Talk about how that other harp dude raises YOUR level of playing to degrees you had not known you might aspire to reach. Focus on the VENUE and the venue's expectations, not the "gig-worthiness" of the opportunities or the gig-worthiness of the two people. You do not play for each other. You play for audiences and serve their pleasure. And then-- if you do all that and feel wrong about it, knock it off and go with your buddy. He might not be the most sparkling tooter, but he might be the easiest to work with the the lowest-maintencance bandmate to sign up solid. He might could use a little challenge to raise his game. :~) Are your expectations high enough? And what does P-Vine say? You know she is always going to be right on matters of the heart. :~) ~S~ |
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07 May 09 - 10:56 PM (#2626829) Subject: RE: BS: Advice Requested: Musical,,,Kinda??? From: catspaw49 Make it a 4 piece band and let the harp players exchange some licks........ Or......... Just tell your friend to fuck-off cause as a harp player he makes a good butt-fuck and you don't wanna' see him in the vicinity. Then when Harp 2 turns you down for another picker because you suck and as a picker you make a good butt-fuck and he don't wanna' see you in the vicinity, you can go groveling back to Harp 1 who will happily kick you in the balls. Wear a cup. Spaw |
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07 May 09 - 11:24 PM (#2626835) Subject: RE: BS: Advice Requested: Musical,,,Kinda??? From: meself If it's worth it to you to lose the friendship of your old guy, go with the new guy. If it's not, don't. Unless your old guy has a lot thicker skin than most of the rest of us ... |
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08 May 09 - 02:08 AM (#2626880) Subject: RE: BS: Advice Requested: Musical,,,Kinda??? From: Barry Finn In another forum that harp player is asking the same question about you bobert. He thiks that with a uitar player that's slight;y better he might get the 1st place slot Barry |
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08 May 09 - 02:31 AM (#2626886) Subject: RE: BS: Advice Requested: Musical,,,Kinda??? From: GUEST,Guest from Sanity I was going to suggest using both, but I saw, as I was scrolling that 'catspaw49' had it. Use both harp players, swapping licks, as in a duel, throw in some comedy, by having one, out of breath, and falling dead, with the one surviving 'smoking it' on the way out. Your friend might accommodate, not even knowing, other than his part in the piece, that he's being cast, as the lesser...so he may not even be offended...just so long as he gets a part. And besides the possibilities are open for some slick harmonizing that will smoke the competition to a crisp. Good luck..and break a leg! P.S. there was an old group called 'The Harmonicats' you might be able to find, maybe on 'youtube', or somewhere...a group comprised only of different harmonicas, for input! Ya' might just slay 'em!! |
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08 May 09 - 02:49 AM (#2626896) Subject: RE: BS: Advice Requested: Musical,,,Kinda??? From: GUEST,Guest from Sanity Hey, I don't know if you've seen this flick, a while back, but, as so far as mixing humor with the blues.....check it out! During the filming of this, Elizabeth Shue twice blows it, by cracking up, as you might be able to see, but it had such a charm, they left it in, and used this take!...enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0rY3dn5kos |
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08 May 09 - 03:26 AM (#2626909) Subject: RE: BS: Advice Requested: Musical,,,Kinda??? From: Neil D The Beatles had no qualms about replacing Pete Best with Ringo and musically and personality wise it was the right move. On the other hand none of them actually liked Pete. |
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08 May 09 - 07:22 AM (#2626990) Subject: RE: BS: Advice Requested: Musical,,,Kinda??? From: Bobert I allready mix in a lot of humor... Last year I stopped the band in the middle of a song and proposed to a foxy lady in the crowd who I didn't even know... Nevermind that... Think I'm gonna let friendship trump winning... Two harp players is like two wives... Not workable or sane, for that matter... B~ |
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08 May 09 - 08:34 AM (#2627017) Subject: RE: BS: Advice Requested: Musical,,,Kinda??? From: greg stephens Does harp-player 1 play bass or drums? |
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08 May 09 - 10:01 AM (#2627043) Subject: RE: BS: Advice Requested: Musical,,,Kinda??? From: Bobert Plays a little bass but not well enough ofr performin'... |
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08 May 09 - 10:05 AM (#2627045) Subject: RE: BS: Advice Requested: Musical,,,Kinda??? From: GUEST,Guest from Sanity Well, as Taj Mahal used to say, "If you can't get a band, get a wife"..or was it the other way around? |
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08 May 09 - 10:20 AM (#2627049) Subject: RE: BS: Advice Requested: Musical,,,Kinda??? From: Wesley S Whos to say you can't win with the old harp player? Could it be that y'all need to tighten up the arrangements? Could there be more interplay between the two of you - or is he just blowing while you sing a song? Sometimes the sum can be greater than the parts. Check out the arrangements before you dump the old guy. Make sure it's a better team effort first. |
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08 May 09 - 12:33 PM (#2627148) Subject: RE: BS: Advice Requested: Musical,,,Kinda??? From: Bobert Well, I'm sure we could play better... He wroks longs hours and so do I and we live about 40 miles from one another so we just don't get in any practicde time to work on arrangements... But we have played together for 3 years so we know what to expect from one another... He is a very adaquate harp player who has been playing for 40 years but he has kinda reached his limits... The other harp player, however, has very strong stage presence and is the best harp player I have played with, maybe with the exception of Phil Wiggins of Cephas & Wiggins... This guy also has a great blues voice which is a plus... I'm gonna keep and open mind 'cause my old harp player and I are supposed to play a festival tomorrow but I haven't heard if he can get off work... If he doesn't I'll just go solo which is okay 'cause solo allows me a little more freedom... We'll see... I haven't told my old harp player about the invite and maybe I'll just "buzz awile"... B~ |
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08 May 09 - 01:21 PM (#2627185) Subject: RE: BS: Advice Requested: Musical,,,Kinda??? From: Skivee Well, Bobert, ol' pal, I think I got yer solution. YOU play the harmonica and I'LL play the guitar. I'm sure I can play some of those seven miner chords* you blues folks is always talkin' about. That way you'll still have both of your friends, in spite of losing the contest. (*Can't them miners come up with more than seven?) |
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08 May 09 - 10:10 PM (#2627468) Subject: RE: BS: Advice Requested: Musical,,,Kinda??? From: Mrrzy This is a fascinating discussion of a moral/technological dilemma, which should be above the line, this is totally a mudcat issue. I have no advice, but am very interested in your decision! |