Modern Blues Harmonica - First Position 4 (Gussow.074)

The fourth and final installment. Adam Gussow (of Satan and Adam) blows some first position harp, including a high-note thing inspired by Cincinnati's Steve Tracy. Gussow also plays some of his own arrangement of Scott Joplin's ragtime classic, "The Entertainer." Once again, overblows rule!

If you'd like to purchase a copy of my new solo album, KICK AND STOMP (2010), please hit the following link. Only $10 for 14 tracks of harp-powered one-man band music, all for instant download. Liner notes included!:

http://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/kick_and_stomp.html


For a series of skill-graded video tutorials and tabs focusing on classic blues harmonica repertoire by Sonny Terry, Little Walter, Paul Butterfield, and others, please visit:

http://www.modernbluesharmonica.com

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• blues
• harmonica
• harp
• Adam
• Gussow

[Robbyzfly]

Adam,

Great series on first position. At times I hear you say "bend the nine blow," and at others Ive heard you say "use the overblow."

Are bending blow notes and overblowing the same thing or are they different?

[KudzuRunner]

They're very different. You can't overblow--i.e., raise the pitch--of the blow reed on holes 7-10.  You can only bend them--i.e., lower the pitch.

[ROCK5LIN]

Steve Tracy (the real one, I checked)is my second cousin. Being a musician in the family too, i realy respect him. He was also the only white head of african american studys at UC.

[KudzuRunner]

Yep. He's in Af-Am studies at UMass/Amherst now, and doing a terrific job.

[HarpLips]

Great stuff Adam.....gleaned a few new thangs today, some cool new riffs to hone, understanding those overblows a bit better and a new fear of giant butterfly things. Good 4 part lesson.

[KudzuRunner]

Thanks. A few new things, every now and then, is what I'm about as a teacher. Just keep feeding a new thing or two into the harp-mill and you'll keep on growing.

[clrn2mt]

At 5:03 YES THAT IS COOL!

[Ledvolta]

@devenator @kudzurunner I meant to ask about that, too. Did he use diatonic harps?

[devenator]

I didn't know stevie wonder played diatonic. Did he use them on many songs

[gussowclone]

adam, your my only friend this mornin.. thanks

[yaguarete167]

I have a hotmetal metal, i notest that the marine band have the holes a lot bigger than the hot metal, its that a big difference?? heeelp

[ilutzio]

'The Entertainer' performance was awesome!

I've been re-watching your videos straight through for the last couple of days. Some great stuff indeed.

[jfgoldstein]

you can play sicker blues in 1st position than most players can in 2nd position...it kind of makes me want to throw my harmonicas in the trash.