Dave Gage from Harmonicastore.com offered that it is not a special tuning, but it requires the ability to play to the country scale. Shouldn't be impossible for me, but it will require some work. I was originally concerned with the question of which harp to use. Sounds like a standard tuning will do. Thanks.
I apologize. I didn't mean to overwhelm you with all that info. You're on way to solving a good mystery!
I would recommend you try to get diagrams of which harp can accomodate what you're trying to do (it could be a custom tuning made by "XYZ Harmonica Company" out there).
My fav rave is listening to Roger Daltry of the Who playing the violin part on the Who's live version of "Baba O'Reilly".
I forgot to mention this. Find out what tuning the fiddle player is playing in on the Original Sound Recording.
If you've got a Fiddle player in your own band, ask him what his tuning is and ask him to play the riff in front of you note-for-note.
If not, and you don't have a Fiddle player in your band, ask a Fiddle Player if he'd analysis the original Sound Recording and then have him play it note-for-note for you and go from there.
Then, consult with the guitar player in your own band. If both you guys can cover each other's part upon demand, then I'd say you guys have got a nice "ace-in-the-hole" going should you guys want to improvise on the fly.
I would recommend you talk with all the people in your own band no matter what instrument: vocalist, drummer, bass player, keyboard, guitar one or guitar two.
The idea is to put on a good show.
When I pay money to see a show, my heart is with whoever it up there to "wow" me and knock my socks off.
I don't walk in with a bag of old fruit and veggies, like in the old Vaudeville days, with the intention of hurling them at the stage; I want them to put on a good show!
Stay at it Busyflyin, and I hope you to hear you guys kick some arse at yer next live show!
The guy you ought to be consulting with is with the guitar player in your own band.
Next, I would suggest as a handy tip, listen to the actual Sound Recording itself to get the melody and riff down in your own head (a few dozen or so times until you can happily hum it to yourself as your walking or driving down the street headed down to the local Supermarket to pick up a loaf of bread or something).
Remember, the guitar happens to be a versitile instrument in that it contains:
* 2 sets of treble strings
* 2 sets of mid-range strings
* 2 sets of bass strings
I would recommend you try to identify the 1st and the last note played this should or would be yer root note.
If the 1st note of this mysterious riff starts on G, then this will help identify where it should play out and end (mind you, this mysterious riff could be playing in the multitude of modes out there, this is where your knowledge fellow bandmate guitar player will help you solve the mystery).
If alls you can do is play the first and last note of this riff and improvise according to the rhythm or your vocalist, drummer and bass player, you ain't doing too bad.
Lots of Jazz Greats used to improvise on old standards and guys like the Allman Brothers would start out on a theme or well-known song and change the rhythm and take you out as far as the rings of Saturn, then bring you back to the starting point and/or staring/ending note which started the riff to begin with.
When it comes to improvisation, you'll be in the shadows of the all the greats looking down on you, who played jazz, blues, and rock 'n roll and whatever thing the Marketing Department of some Label puts on you, as you start and end on the same note.
I liked this phrase I read, which was: Regardless of style or period of music we play, we play the same notes.
I have to say: Jon Gindick is the man. After reading, listening to his book "Country and Blues Harmonica for the Musically Hopeless", Jon opened the world to me.
Simply put: He is the man! Jon is the man!
I was jamming with bands of various styles months later, because of his book. If you get the chance to hear his tone live, do so.
Jon's got tone and style like no one else.
However, I would recommend you become fast buddies with the guitar player of your band and ask him to help you figure out the riff.
You're both there to compliment each other and jump in at any time and cover each other's spot should one of you drop out. (You never know, one of you could trip on a cable, spill a drink or just miss a spot while you're playing.)
If you ever listen to the old live Sound Recording of the band "Mountain", you'll hear guitar player Leslie West laying down guitar riffs that are rhythmically in sync with their drummer and bass player.
If you guys can do that, then I'd say you guys were not only functioning and playing as a Unit, but kickin' some major butt too, musically.
There's nothing better than being so rhythmically, harmonically in sync (like the Grateful Dead was shown to do on an old "60 Minutes" episode years ago, and other bands of the period used to do) that you can finish each other's riff, whether it's on percussion and/or stringed, keyboard or vocal instrument.
The main idea here is: yer own guitar player is your go-to-guy and you should make friends with him real fast.
I heard old working Pros who worked Live Music who told me when they had some technical difficulty or problem, the guy next to him covered his spot until he came back and made his recovery.
The guys in your own band should know how to improvise and carry the rhythm should the drummer drop out for a few seconds, until he comes back on top of where he left off.
This is only a tip or suggestion. Give it some thought. Weigh it and see if it works for you.
As the old saying goes, "Chew the meat and spit out the bones."
I guarantee you Busyflyin, this question, once answered may open other answers for you down the road musically speaking; you won't forget the answer once you find it.
Stay at it until you find the answer, even if it might take you longer than expected.
No amount of money or fame can make up for that "aha!" moment when it comes!
Keep on playing and keep on smiling while you're playing!
Our band is working on Marshall Tucker Band "Desert Skies". I'm using an A harp in standard tuning and it's a struggle at best. I'm trying to play some of the fiddle parts. Do I need to consider a Country Tuning or maybe a Lee Oskar Melody Maker? Any help would be appreciated. Brad
