Nick Fermi

Nick Fermi
Nick Fermi commented on: The Lockdown Shuffle Intro Breakdown Jan 21, 2021

Ah,I just know I'm going to love getting into this thanks Rick.  And yes, as you said at the end, it's goina be alright! 

P.s.  love the sound of Ronnie's bass too. Sounds to me almost like an upright.  Any chance I could know the make and model please?

 

Rick Estrin
Rick Estrin Feb 03, 2021

I'll try and find out what that bass is - It's some type of ukelele bass. It's got surprisingly good tone, but then again, Ronnie's playing it, so I'm sure that's got a lot to do with how good it sounds.

Nick Fermi
Nick Fermi commented on: Blue Strollin' Performance Oct 29, 2020

My pleasure.... to have kicked your butt Andre!   😄 

It does take at least a little bit of nerve I guess, but I found even just basic comping a little, chugging chords along with the others playing in the jam, helped me to relax and feel the music more, and leave the thinking part of my brain out of it as much as possible.  Maybe I'll let the thinking part come out and play later in my journey, but for the time being it seems to be going better without it. 🙂.   Best of luck, and go for it!  I mean, what's the worst that can happen?  If you lose your way a bit, at a jam chances are that would have happened to most of the players there I reckon. So we can just laugh it off and trust the other players to bring the train back into the station.  And we live to play again another day.  Should we choose to of course!  😄

Nick Fermi
Nick Fermi commented on: Blue Strollin' Performance Oct 28, 2020

Just seen your vid Kosta.  Like what you did there with the looping and using the voice and harp together.  Takes great timing to do that I'm sure.

I'd just like to add to what Rick said about nerves.   I'm quite early on in my journey with the harmonica (about 5 years now), and in that time have really noticed the effects of nerves on my playing.  Practice has really helped I find, as has trying to learn more and more by ear and less by tab.   For me though it's a bit like when I did a parachute jump.  You can practice your drill all you want on the ground, but nothing much seemed to be able to prepare my body for the feeling of plummeting on jumping out of the plane.  The drills definitely helped immensely (the shock of the drop led me to black out briefly and I came round at saying two thousand, so I guess my subconscious had taken over!).

Well, it was a great experience though I've not been jumping out of any planes since. :-)   what I have done though over the past two years has been playing out in jams as regularly as I can, and at least once weekly.  That has really helped my nerves I feel, as well as brought lots of pleasure and connection with wonderful people of course. 

The key jams for me have been the all acoustic ones where we sit in a circle for a few hours, take turns to call songs, and join in as we feel.   Low pressure and high support combo.   Hope that's helpful.

All the best,

Nick

andre Loiselle
andre Loiselle Oct 29, 2020

Hi Nick !! Wow ... 5 years playing and 2 years regularly jamming ... you got a lot of nerves Nick !!  I m playing for let say 25 years ... and I can count on one hand how many jams I ve attended ... to shy ... and lately I took a lessons with Dennis and he sent me jams track ... and it s really "weird" to try to play something good on it ... but I realised that s the only way to get "there" .... so thank you Nick , you kicked my butt and it s Ok !!

André

Kosta
Kosta Oct 30, 2020

Thank you, Nick!  The Parachute jump is the good example ! Perfomances are realy like that  for me.( though I never tryed the parashute jumps)   I like jams and when got the opportunity try do not miss it. There are were so many of them in Moscow before I have to go from there in my native town in Belarus before summer. And here not so much oportunities but... recently  I performedmy own looping short program on dancing party. So it was like MANY parashute jumps at once - when you and only deside rithm, garmony, vocal and harp solo. It was COOL! Whant more!  BUT  So.. it seems the perfomances and live jams got a breake for a while because of you know what((
BUT we have so many time to improve ourselfs by learning  from the BEST masters and training to perform at list on video!!!

Nick Fermi
Nick Fermi commented on: Little Walter Style Slow Blues Playing Slow Blues May 25, 2020

Thanks very much for the insights, tips and  encouragement Jerry.   Really appreciate them.  Hope you and yours are keeping well. 

Nick Fermi
Nick Fermi commented on: Little Walter Style Slow Blues Playing Slow Blues May 15, 2020

Thanks for the pointers earlier in the year Jerry.  Have tried to take them on board in this next attempt.  All the best, Nick

Nick Fermi
Nick Fermi commented on: Little Walter Style Slow Blues Playing Slow Blues May 15, 2020

Nick Fermi
Nick Fermi commented on: Crawlin' Kingsnake 2nd Half of First Verse Breakdown Apr 17, 2020

Thanks very much for the encouraging feedback Rick.

Will work on my relaxing!  😄

Hope you're managing to find silver linings amongst the virus lockdown clouds.  🙂

Rick Estrin
Rick Estrin Apr 17, 2020

Thanks Nick - The silver lining hasn't quite revealed itself yet, but I'm fine and having no problem staying busy. I'm fortunate to have a comfortable situation where "sheltering in place" isn't too stressful. Take care. Stay safe and healthy!

Nick Fermi
Nick Fermi commented on: Crawlin' Kingsnake 2nd Half of First Verse Breakdown Apr 08, 2020

Rick Estrin
Rick Estrin Apr 17, 2020

Hi Nick! Great job of absolutely nailing the breathing mechanics. Once you relax into the groove a little more, it'll be just about perfect! Keep up the excellent work!

Nick Fermi
Nick Fermi commented on: Little Walter Style Slow Blues Little Walter's Artistic Approach Jan 31, 2020

Yes, thanks Jerry,. Really great hearing you talk about this, and other things that seem useful to think about.     Ive been listening so much to Little Walter this past year now that I started thinking all the good players cook it up fresh every time.  Quite a high bar to be looking to!  Amazing to think about how much he'd picked up by a young age.  He must have really been going at it with playing and studying the music he loved I imagine.

Recently heard his daughter Marianne I think speak in London with Billy Branch about her memories of him.  Sounds like he was a really loving father and partner to his wife before his untimely loss of his life.

Nick Fermi
Nick Fermi commented on: Little Walter Style Slow Blues Playing Slow Blues Jan 31, 2020

Hi Jerry.  Thanks for this lesson. I've really loved getting into it.   Laptop is pretty old so not sure how the video quality will be.   Look forward to benefitting from your feedback.  All the best, Nick

Jerry Portnoy
Jerry Portnoy Jan 31, 2020

Good job on getting the right notes. Now,  pay attention to making each one of them sound right and playing them with a continuity that makes the musical lines expressive. You want  to play with emotion and conviction. You can hear it in Walters' playing . It should be your goal to make it come out in your own.  

Nick Fermi
Nick Fermi commented on: Little Walter Style Slow Blues Playing Slow Blues Jan 31, 2020

Nick Fermi
Nick Fermi commented on: Two Way Boogie Performance and Introduction Jan 06, 2020

Thanks Andre.  You're right, I'm using a phone so maybe that's why I can't see the tracks.   Will try on a computer when I get a chance.

Mike, any chance you could make them accessible.on phone.  I see for some of Jerry's you have separate links under lots of the pieces to the backing tracks.   I can get to those on my phone ok.  And I love Jerry's lessons, but would be great to be able  to go the whole journey on Dennis's too using the phone (I do most of my learning and practice out and about... in the interests of keeping a happy home :-D )

 

Nick Fermi
Nick Fermi commented on: Two Way Boogie Performance and Introduction Jan 03, 2020

Thanks Dennis and Mike.  Not sure why but I still can't seem to find my way to this backing track or any of the others.   They're not appearing in the menus that I'm seeing for the songs.   Is there another way I can get to them?

Nick Fermi
Nick Fermi commented on: Two Way Boogie Performance and Introduction Jan 03, 2020

Hey Dennis.   Great having these study pieces and finding it much easier to stay motivated and make progress by having whole song goals.  Am finding that I'm picking up techniques here and there along the way.  Not quite at the stage where those techniques are making it much through into jam playing, but trusting that will come in time.

One thing though is that I'm seeing mention of backing tracks, but can't seem to find them.   When I can get backing tracks im finding them so good for my learning though and essential for preparing to perform.  Is there somewhere I can find ones for your pieces please?  All the best, and thanks again. Nick

 

 

Dennis Gruenling
Dennis Gruenling Jan 03, 2020

Hi Nick - For every study piece on Sonic Junction, there is a guitar backing track from the same song. I believe these get posted after the original performance is posted and/or at the beginning of when each song starts to be broken down by the instructor. I think that is very important, and one of the many great things I like about presenting my stuff here on Sonic Junction.

I know there are plenty of jam tracks out there online, and I also have all kinds of acoustic guitar jam tracks available on my own badassharmonica website that I make specifically for harmonica practice. But for study pieces here on Sonic Junction, they are loaded  up here for each song...let me see if this one has been uploaded yet. Thanks!

Mike Caren
Mike Caren Jan 03, 2020

Hi Nick - backing track is now up.  It's floating "play" button on the upper right side of the screen.  Thanks for the reminder and enjoy Dennis!

 
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