Its not forbidden.We listen music where can musicians experiment every musical

instruments what ever they like.

 Cowbell ,Harmonica,Ukulele what ever.

 There are no rules what musical instruments has to been used.

 I know metal band that uses pagpipes....

 

Ah, I shall google it Syzygy!

Thanks for the ideas guys, I'll have a look out for some of them.

Ah, I do remember a Supertramp track with harp on, it gets played on Planet Rock on Digital Radio sometimes...

And Cowbells remind me of Ski Sunday...

Is any of this avant-garde type playing?  I'm after weirdness with my harp playing, if that is possible?

I may have to download that Area Code 615 track, as it sounds like a one-hit wonder type band to me and sort after... I remember the harp playing, but not much else.  My father has it on a cassette tape somewhere.

If Duster Bennett is your thing, listen to "Fresh Country Jam", it's amazing.  He plays harp whilst playing guitar and high-hat, it's a little thought provoking how he could do all that at once!  Also listen out for his versions of "Summertime" by George Gershwin.

The Finnish jazz/rock band "Wigwam" has some nice/romantic harmonica playing on their record "Tombstone Valentine" (1970) in the beginning track of the record "Tombstone Valentine". Not too progressive though.

from the early 70's Switzerlands KROKODIL
produced one of the best fusions of progressive rock
and blues based rock with the album An Invisible
World Revealed. Harpheads should try that one,
pretty much a classic!

Curiously Krokodil is still not in the
PROGARCHIVES.

Edited by DallasBryan

It's not about the harmonica, it's not even about prog.
I just have to say it again...

THE COWBELL IS UNDERRATED!

Captain Beefheart is an amazing harmonica player, although he mostly used the instrument on his more blues based albums. Try Safe as Milk or Strictly Personal. He can also be heard on a blistering live version of The Torture Never Stops on You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore vol 4.

Peter Hope-Evans was one half of eccentric British duo Medicine Head, who weren't exactly prog but who were around during the glory years 1969-76. He has also worked with Pete Townshend, and occasionally acts as Mark Feltham's stand-in with Robbie McIntosh's band. He has his own bizarre website, which includes some strange sound samples - click on the blurry shapes www.peterhope-evans.co.uk .

Can used harmonica on Outside My Door (Monster Movie) and Edgar Froese plays a blast of harp on one of the tracks on Stratosfear. One of Kraftwerk's early albums featured a track called Harmonika, but it was just a scale blown on a diatonic recorded at half speed.

 

 

some ELP song has harmonica in it... i dont remember which one but it was on the late ELP album... and it is on the Original Bootleg Series From The Manticore Vaults pt3.

 

Hehe, yes, hang on, I'll try and get it to work, I've not used it in ages.

Right people, back to prog... I'm still open to ideas about harps (not the string instrument) in prog though.

Erm, I'm not sure, as I've said, I've taught myself...

I have the same issues with getting out of breath.  I've been told to learn circular breathing (if you can play a didgeridoo, then you can do this) but I'm not sure how to.

And yes, I can do the rolling R effect, but I don't use it all that often, because it makes the jaw ache.

Could you explain what you mean by overblows and downbends?  I'm just a bit braindead this morning.

I just wish I was as good as Duster Bennett was.  I can play the beginning of Christo Redemptor by Charlie Musslewhite (if anyone knows that), but get a bit lost later on when the harp comes back in and I can play Chain Gang by Paul Jones (of the Blues Band) and the Old Gray Whistle Test theme (the band who did that has escaped me).

One more thing: I can kind of play blow notes in a different way..., it's hard to explain, but I'm not breathing in and out like one would when normally playing, it's like playing whilst breathing through the nose I think.  I'm kind of using my top lip and not doing the whistling type mouth position.


Edited by Geck0

Ah yes, I made a glaring error..., of course I meant the Mandolin player from Lindisfarne played Harmonica on Fool's Mate by Peter Hammill and not with VdGG.

Thanks for the tips guys.

Erm, I can bend notes, but it's not all about that, I find blow notes can be used effectively too.  I've taught myself mind (initially had a book, but left it behind ages ago), so I maybe do it completely wrong.  I play on the top half of the harp, so I get a single note, but of course, using a variety is good too.  Plus I can make a clicking noise with my tongue, that has an interesting affect too.

I think some cool sounds could be used in prog, if one was to put their mind to it

Are there any harmonica players in this forum that supply tips on playing?  I know it's a tad off topic...