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Date: Tue, 5 Mar 2002 09:09:30 -0800 (PST)
From: Mojo Red
Subject: Re: Timing question

Hi Mark,

First of all, I think that your timing is pretty
right-on in the rough track you linked me to. Even
if your guitarist is saying it's timing, I don't
really think that's the real issue.

I'll bet you even money he's really talking about
your basic approach to the song rather than your
actual timing. You've chosen to take a rather edgy
approach, quick short phrases, sometimes dissonant.
The quick notes (though well placed IMO) are at
odds with the slow, looping mellowness of the other
instruments.

His comment that you seem to be playing ~your~
song, as opposed to ~his~ song, is actually valid,
IMO. What he's looking for, I'll betcha, is really
mellow harp lines -- a call-and-response to his
lazy-sounding guitar. Listen closely to what he's
doing on guitar and try to reflect that with your
harp.

If I were playing on this one I would be using very
slow, spare, mellow phrasing (with lots of space)
and employing a lot of split intervals for
resolution. In other words a slow blues phrase
ending with long, mellow splits. A slow throat
vibrato will also help alot with creating the sense
of space that pervades the recording.

If I were you I'd try to emulate the ~phrasing~ of
the lead guitar -- this will instantly help create
the sense of continuity that is currently lacking.

Good Luck,
Hope this helps.

Harpin' in Colorado,
- --Ken M.

- --- mark wilson wrote:
> Quick question on timing. I'm working on a song
> with another guy over the net. He sent me the
> digital file and I recorded the harp along with
> the track and sent it back to him. This is the
> third song we've done together. Based on his
> emails he really is not happy with what I've done
> and it all boils down to timing. I feel like I'm
> doing everything right. Not playing too much,
> focusing on fills, and not walking over the
> guitar when it's playing. I sent him the most
> recent recording and he emailed me back saying
> that I needed to pay attention to the bass and
> drum beats. He said it was if I was playing MY
> song while everyone else was playing together.
> The real bi*ch is I felt like I had played it
> perfectly timing wise. I've uploaded a real
> rough mix here under week 21
> http://www.marksaudiofiles.com. I really can't
> grasp what he is talking about. Any help would
> be appreciated.
>
> Thanks
>
> Mark

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