Happy Holidays to all Sonic Junctionites!

This time out we've got a relatively simple sounding, slow/medium shuffle. It's in the key of E, on an A harmonica. The song sounds simple on the surface, but there're a lot of little supportive devices in play, keeping the groove afloat. With the current pandemic situation in mind, given that many of us are practicing strict social distancing, I created a piece with enough groove defining components that it can either stand on it's own as a solo piece, or work well with an accompanist. With that in mind, we'll call it "The Lockdown Shuffle".

The piece is very loosely based on an old boogie woogie theme that may have been created by Pinetop Smith in the late 1920s and was later adapted by scores of artists - people all the way from Tommy Dorsey to Big Walter Horton. In this series we'll work on different tonguing techniques and effects, along with some precision bending - especially between holes 2 and 3. We'll also work on implementing some contrasting tones and textures, and as usual, I'll tie everything together with some personal opinions on strategy and musical architecture.

As always, keep the groove front and center, and make sure to have fun with it!

Rick Estrin

 

 

Topics and/or subjects covered in this lesson:
Chicago Blues