https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/inside-cabin-camp-exploring-harmony-intermediate
Join us in Texas at a Cabin Camp where we explore diatonic chords and harmony possibilities!
Discuss the lesson: Inside Cabin Camp: Exploring Harmony
4 Likes
A recorded version of these lessons after camp, might make a great add on. Just a thought.
What’s with we went to go wrabbit hunting?
WWHWWWH
We Went Hunting We Went Wabbit Hunting
Whole Whole Half Whole Whole Whole Half
It’s appears to be a way to remember the steps of a major scale.
I believe this lesson covers it in more detail:
1 Like
My first encounter with vocal harmonies was as a teenager in the 60’s. Back then the music that caught my ear was not The Beatles as you might imagine but that of The Beach Boy’s and in particular their album Pet Sounds see video clips below.
After taking up the banjo I became fascinated with how bluegrass instruments seem to blend so well together and this lesson goes some way to unlocking the mystery of that sound. I only wish @BanjoBen that you could have taken this lesson a little further by demonstrating the instrument harmony role of the band i.e banjo, guitar, mandolin and bass. And for some colour fiddle & dobro.
God Only Knows
Sloop John B
3 Likes
Not an American, yet I can’t but help becoming emotionally moved by the sweat vocal harmonies of this rendition of The Star Spangled Banner.
2 Likes
Really interesting and fun lesson, also because of the sibling dynamic. Now if only I could reliably land on even just those “vanilla” vocal harmonies when I’m singing with people.
1 Like
Hello everyone, hello Ben, Katy and Penny,
this is a great lesson, thanks for letting us all participate in what happened at camp! You have given us more than one example for great harmony singing in your recorded Purple Hulls albums! Harmony vocals is one of the fascinating landmark features of good bluegrass music for me, and I wish I could play the instruments as well as I can sing (not that I’m an exceptionally good singer…as some guy put it: “I’ve got it all in my head, but I can’t get it out”).
There are great multitrack recordings on YT, showing some of the best harmony singing I’ve heard, like this one:
Hoping to join you at camp some day!
Hermann
2 Likes
Yes, this is outstanding! Some editing going on in this video, but still very good!
To me, it’s not near as impressive as what happens here live with no editing:
1 Like
Man, Billy Joel was/is phenomenal. So at 5:37 is Billy signaling a “5” for the five chord or a “4” for “for the longest?”
I think “for the longest”
1 Like
Okay so once you have figured out your harmony part, and you can play it on your instrument or sing it, any tips for making your brain sing that part instead of reverting to the main melody?
I had a fellow musician friend in high school, and when we were in the car together, we pledged we would always try to sing a harmony with whatever was being sung — no matter what.
We did, and I still do it a lot to this day. Turned out to be one of the greatest lessons/trainings of my life!
2 Likes
Thanks
1 Like