|
|
Nope, not just another "Harp" site - this is SLIDEMEISTER!
Welcome Home Weary Pilgrim!
SlideMeister forum is the world's most popular, multi-cultural,
multi-ethnic Chromatic "Sandbox" whose members are,
just like a bunch of happy of kids, sharing toys and ideas.
Welcome Home Weary Pilgrim!
SlideMeister forum is the world's most popular, multi-cultural,
multi-ethnic Chromatic "Sandbox" whose members are,
just like a bunch of happy of kids, sharing toys and ideas.
|
TONE!
I know folks who've been playing for decades, and although their speed and articulation have improved immensely, their sound/tone is pretty much the same as when they started playing. Harking back to my railroad days, (I love harking back to my railroad days. :o)) I remember handing my 64 to another engineer and told him to try it. He stuck the thing in his face and played a few notes. It totally blew my mind. This guy had no idea what he was doing but he had a tone I could only dream about. I remember trying to talk him in to playing the harmonica, but he couldn't care less. So, natural good tone? Some got it; some (most, actually) don't got it, AND more importantly, will probably never have it, unless they P-U-R-S-U-E it. ;o) Tone is its own animal. It doesn't just jump into your playing one day and say: "Hey, I'm here!" but rather, is illusive. If we really want something, NOTHING ever keeps us from pursuing it. ("Better better best, never let it rest, yada yada yada) We all "know the thing," and we also know it's true, don't we? Man will always either give up, get what he wants, or die trying. Except for good tone, all that other stuff, by the way, DOES just kinda show up with practice. Unless you're born with it, I believe tone, and the pursuit thereof requires just that: Pursuit. There are more variations to how and where air and sound moves around in our mouths, heads, throat and lungs than most folks even want to consider. Learning and developing these variations is "the road," not "the trick" to better tone. I say that because it's a process, it takes time, and it will get better, as long as we pursue it. "Can someone actually help me with my tone?" Yes, in a limited way. Since it's such a personal thing, it's difficult for a teacher/coach to get inside your head and explain everything perfectly, but he/she can usually help you "get leg up" by sharing some of the dynamics, and you can just take it from there, with some solid principals to build on. There's a lot to learn, but that's okay, cuz it's all fun! :o) News SlideMeister is going to remain neutral on the "Corona Virus/Covid 19 handling, and Ukraine” subject, and SlideMeister (I guess that indirectly means me) will not be goaded or guilt-tripped into opening up this discussion on either. Nope! Ain't gunna happen! What did we talk about BEFORE these situations? Whatever it was; we'll just have to get back to it. I like to call politics: "show business for ugly people," and the “religion of the un-churched" Now, SlideMeister is not "political" and it's not “activist,” except for its attitude concerning the Chromatic harmonica, but I consider that “harmless activism.” Covid/Ukraine'ism OTOH, is a whole 'nother story. Not unlike politics and religion, many of us have “opinions” that are in diametric opposition to those of our “musical peers,” and providing a platform for that stuff not only can, but will divide us more effectively than anything else. Besides that, it's ugly, it's depressing, foments paranoia, and discussing either has a way of sucking the joy and even the very life out of everyone. My favorite book says: “Fear has torment” and, neither of those elements has any place here on SlideMeister. We are not going to be reduced to just another source nattering Nabobs and the daily cascade of mentally and emotionally, toxic rhetoric! Harrumph!! I learned, a long time ago: I am not all that unique! If I'm thinking or feeling it, so are others, and yes, it's getting harder for me to keep a lid on it, so I know what you're going through. Our PrayerMeister board is where “personal’ health talk belongs (and is even encouraged) but only in regard to actual prayer needs of all kinds, as in “Are there any sick among you?” (same favorite book) Please read THIS before posting there as well. The PrayerMeister board on the forum, shows other examples of how serious, life threatening everyday, non-political “stuff” continues to happen, and the board has dealt with that stuff on a daily basis for many years. That’s where we can deal with "people" (not geo-political aspects) Some of us are older and even fragile in many ways, and a lot of serious and even deadly things can happen to us that have nothing to do with "current events" Hey, people, by nature, are always gunna have needs; we're all "people," and that’s why the board was created, and hopefully will be here for years to come. With the obvious political weaponization of current events, discussing them on this forum must needs become as personal as ones religion, and we ain't gunna do it here, period, except to say “let every man work out his own 'solution” with fear and trembling,” and we're just going to leave it at that. Discussing the various aspects of the handling these situations will, by the subject’s very nature, have to turn political sooner than later, as anyone offering their “two cents” will draw from their own opinion (probably a bad idea ) or from their bank of accumulated “talking points” gleaned from the media or the “side of the political isle” they support, (another bad idea) but that’s the way we (people) are wired. When that happens, this harmless little “music” forum can be destroyed by innuendo, hurt and bad feelings. I spent over twenty years trying to build a place completely colorblind, culture-blind and basically blind to all the things that can divide us while embracing the one thing that unites us, and we don’t wanna risk throwing that away, do we? I wouldn't feel as bad if the posts were to drop off to nothing, than I would to hear regurgitated, Media's 24/7/365 doom and gloom. Let's just keep that stuff on Facebook or whatever, but not here, okay? This is a happy place! An escape! A "No Covid/WW3 talk Sanctuary." We should all be able to come here, lighten up, and get out from “under the negative faucet.” Further Covid virus, Ukraine invasion and even “veiled” political stuff will be deleted. Sorry, but even lighthearted related stuff on these subjects posted in “Banter” will be deleted. Let's just stick to the stuff that makes us all smile and continue to "make a joyful noise." (and oh yeah, don't mind the mess; we're STILL working, so there's always more good stuff on the way ;o) 
|
Check these out:
Click on
Our Favorite O.F.R.S. It works anywhere you are |