Magic GarageBand Electronic Tuner

[rnav2174]

As  someone who mostly plays by ear and is just getting into music theory and tabs, I thought this electronic tuner in GarageBand was very cool in helping me see in real time what note I was playing while blowing or drawing from a certain hole on my harp. This is a very handy tool for figuring out those complicated areas of a song that I have to listen to over and over in order to learn it  . Normally , I can just hear a piece of music and go through it a few times to start learning it  but this  "Tuner"utility in the " Magic Garageband " is helping me cut to the chase .  If I seem way behind as far as Music Theory and Tabs are concerned , admittedly , I am. As I mentioned , up until now,  every thing I have learned has been by ear.  Here's an example of what I mean . On this and most of my pieces, I'm just playing what I hear. Which I guess is fine until someone hands you a piece of music. Ooops, better get back to learning some theory and notation. Different strokes I guess. Thanks again.

[Xcer]

As  someone who mostly plays by ear and is just getting into music theory and tabs, I thought this electronic tuner in GarageBand was very cool in helping me see in real time what note I was playing while blowing or drawing from a certain hole on my harp. This is a very handy tool for figuring out those complicated areas of a song that I have to listen to over and over in order to learn it  . Normally , I can just hear a piece of music and go through it a few times to start learning it  but this  "Tuner"utility in the " Magic Garageband " is helping me cut to the chase .  If I seem way behind as far as Music Theory and Tabs are concerned , admittedly , I am. As I mentioned , up until now,  every thing I have learned has been by ear.  Here's an example of what I mean . On this and most of my pieces, I'm just playing what I hear. Which I guess is fine until someone hands you a piece of music. Ooops, better get back to learning some theory and notation. Different strokes I guess. Thanks again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfD-n6ruvhU

Nice tone
I don't have an apple computer so I won't be able to use GB.
Just my opinion though: Don't overuse the slide where it shouldn't be used.

[landztranz]

I don't have the right computer for it either, but I enjoyed your clip. Tnx for posting the link!

A few questions:
1) How long have you been playing?
2) What harp are you using in the clip?
3) Did you learn it simply by trying over and over to, more or less, imitate what Stevie sings?
4) (this isn't really criticism!) Why did you use the slide so much, i.e. play so many grace notes? To sound like Stevie as much as possible? Because you thought it would sound impressive? Because it was fun ?

Barry

[rnav2174]

First and foremost, thank you for your comment. It's very much appreciated.
1) I've been playing on and off for almost 36 years. It all started when I saw this  :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZyB8PPDDAA
2) CX12 Gold
3) Yes , it's all by ear with some improv here and there. On my 1st  post of this song I tried following his harp and on the 2nd , his vocal. One of the first pieces I ever learned was the piece for this song. Now I'm trying to experiment with playing the song from start to finish.
4) I've been trying to capture Stevie's sound since I first started playing and now using the slide as much as I do is a habit I can't or even want to. When I first started to play, I would play every piece I could find of his note for note or at least try, it's what kept me interested in the Chrom and music in general. These days I still use his pieces and songs as the foundation for everything I do. On all my practice sessions I start with Stevie to warm me up before I move to anything else. When I was in the south stationed in Memphis, I would go down to Beal street every weekend and play with some really great diatonic Blues guys and they would call me Stevie junior because everything I played came out sounding in that style. Now more recently I'm focusing on a lot of Smooth Jazz and following all the Sax , Trumpet , Guitar and the rest of those types of artist. Playing a Chrom like Kenny G or Dave Koz and the rest of those guys is what I love next to playing like Stevie.  Stevie's stuff works great with that style of music. My hope is to become a Smooth Jazz Chromatic player some day and if I can get enough stuff out there on of the main things on my Bucket list is to duet with Stevie him self. That's what I'm really working toward . I know the slide isn't for everyone, and maybe I over do it a little but it's what I love to do and if I couldn't do it anymore then I would pick another instrument like the Sax or some other horn. I have tons of Diatonics and even a few Koch's and they are  all sitting in a drawer. Check this link out, it's the direction I'm headed in. Sorry for going on an on. Aren't you glad you asked. Once again thanks  a lot for the comment. Take care.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bodOObk5K00

[rnav2174]

Xcer, please, please do not take this wrong, but who's to say when is a right time to use a slide. You wouldn't tell a Sax or a Trumpet guy to not trill . And after all isn't the  Harmonica called a  Mississippi Sax . I feel a lot of the way one plays this instrument depends on the type of music they are playing and if you are going to play Stevie Wonder's stuff , you have to use the slide,  especially if your intention is to match him note for note. Beside's , Stevie's been using that slide for years and has had a pretty successful career doing it . I know it's very debatable and believe me I have debated over this but in my opinion he's probably the best Chrom player in the world or at least the most famous . And if I were going to pattern my style after any other player it would the best and that just happens to be him in my humble opinion . Every thing I've learned about playing the Chrom is because of his playing. To me,  he is and always will be at the top of the food chain when it comes to playing the Chromatic. Sorry if my slide work seems excessive and maybe irritating to some but after playing this way for so long it's something I can't or even want to help doing . It's the whole reason I'm still playing this instrument after 36 years. The Harmonica is a very individual instrument and as such , it  should be enjoyed by whomever and however an individual decides to play it. Isn't it all about free musical expression? Anyway, Thanks again for the comment and as mentioned before,  it is always appreciated. Here's some more slide take it or leave it. Just sharing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9puUmdlWcXI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHAaH-K8YrA