Part 1 - Mood
Every song starts with a spark of an idea. Most of the time the spark is a cool lick that has a
catchy rhythm and/or note combination that you match to a groove after its creation. Sometimes
you sit down to write material for your band or a CD project and you think about exploring
different grooves (shuffle, swing, two-beat, rock-beat, rumba, etc.) to add variety and spark some
new directions. Sometimes you have a mood in mind.
Let's take some time and explore these different ideas this week. Listen to these three examples
for their mood and let's discuss their ideas tomorrow.
1) "Sad Hours" Little Walter
2) "Blues for Big Nate" Jerry Portnoy
3) "Skeet-a-Little Taste" James Harman
4) "Snake Oil" Steve Guyger
Part 2 - Groove/Hooks
For a groove to be special, it's generally based on a cool lick, played by the rhythm section and
sequenced throughout the chord changes (this is where the lick is moved up or down to be
played on the other chords)... this special lick is known as a Hook. Here is a list of cool hooks
that lay very well on the harmonica.
“Blue Midnight” Little Walter (Bass Line)
“I Found A New Love” Magic Sam
“Driving Wheel” Junior Parker
“Just to Be With You” Muddy Waters
“Deep Down in Florida [#2]” Muddy Waters
“Just A Dream” Kim WiIlson
“Born in Chicago” Paul Butterfield
“I’m Ready” Muddy Waters
“I Just Want A Little Bit” Magic Sam
“Walkin’ Blues” Paul Butterfield
“Got My Mojo Working” Muddy Waters
“Poor Boy” Big Al Blake
“Rock Me Baby” BB King
“Spoonful” Howlin’ Wolf
“Crosseyed Cat” Muddy Waters
“Trouble No More” Muddy Waters
“Wish You Would” Billy Boy Arnold
“Help Me” Rice Miller
“Green Onions” Booker T
Part 3 - Head
In Friday's tip I spoke of the hook, which is a catchy lick that's played by the rhythm section and
BECOMES the groove.
The other most common way to play a catchy lick is to use it as the main lick in a head. The
head is the same structurally as any other chorus in a song, it's just the BEST one. The lick is
repeated within that chorus, using one of the Chorus Form structures I teach in Improvising
Study 1 to make it memorable.
The head is the opening chorus and commonly the closing chorus, and becomes the main theme
of a song... the song is defined by that head (commonly the head is played and everything else is
improvised).
Here's a list of great classic blues harmonica heads to listen to and learn.
"Juke" Little Walter
"Off the Wall" Little Walter
"Rocker" Little Walter
"Juicy Harmonica" George Harmonica Smith
"Sharp Harp" George Harmonica Smith
"Easy" Big Walter Horton
"Walter’s Boogie" Big Walter Horton
"Chitlin Con Carne" Junior Wells
"The Creeper" James Cotton
"Bye Bye Bird" Rice Miller
To learn more about writing heads, check out my lesson on the subject:
Improvising Study 7 - Heads, Hooks, Bridges, Arrangement & Tribute Writing
and Soloing Themes.
