Little Help with Improv over Harmonica Backing Track

1

Hi everyone!

I’m attempting to use Dan Kaplan’s Bluesy harmonica song “Vera Hall” as a backing track to improvise Blues with guitar.

The problem is that I have been using the A Minor Pentatonic scale that Justin teaches in Grade 2 in several places up & down the fretboard, but nothing sounds “right”.
I am pretty sure that this is a case of “I don’t know what I don’t know” but it’s getting frustrating…

Here’s the song:

https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&sca_esv=62d1c2127d43278b&sca_upv=1&hl=en-us&sxsrf=ADLYWILIJO_-ptkulDgsPI-jteHHBNvB3w:1727022782691&q=dan+kaplan+vera+hall&udm=7&fbs=AEQNm0DmfTgc7tU04ONiC4SZ2zg3EbKU0Gsmd2rgkfbVEgtmohrs70-DLxvepMcZE04DM3tQEqqUFgiRhePYqzli8Q8MeUXrZtbd-LI5nNdNJtp7iPiAJ9D2JYpxwu-Ac8PKFGAvMOUaCjMt94PraeFO-n0fMVrMFvPYzBUuyPElXETqCGdnz3pMut-qm6UKd8soLefofoA7GlE1en9PGETZhJyIqxYXbbGtGWmCX5TWK23Wg4Bzg3o&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi7zOyb_daIAxX_iO4BHal3LRMQtKgLegQIDxAB&biw=390&bih=616&dpr=3#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:ea1cbbf4,vid:pd6iS0VilkE,st:0

I don’t expect anything other than a little nudge in the right direction… should I be using a different scale? Maybe I just haven’t figured out the key?

I’m kinda stuck here, any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!
Thanks,

Tod

2

Here’s my thoughts … first 4 notes are g, c, e, g. That’s a C major chord right there. I tried with a C major pentatonic scale and that sounded ok over this.
I think one issue is that this is a just a (beautiful) melody, so improvising another melody over the top is going to be difficult to make it sound good.
I wait to be corrected by those who know better :slight_smile:

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3

Thanks Paul!

I’ll try a C major pentatonic when I’m home later! You may be right though… may not be a good track to try & improvise over.

Tod

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4

If your trying to play blues harp then the harp is usually in a different key to the song. No doubt someone will be along shortly to explain the theory as to why but if the song is in A then the harp used is D i.e. the IV. If the song is in E the harp is A etc…

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Hi again Paul,

I’ve tried C Major & it didn’t feel right. I’m still relatively new at improv, only the improv in Justin’s lessons done previously for the most part. Can you think of another harmonica tune that is good to improvise over with electric guitar? I love the sound of a solo over essentially harmonica rhythm playing.
Thanks in advance !

Tod

6

Hi Tod - perhaps something like this might work for you …

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7

Paul!
That was cool!!!
I had a blast initially playing along with the chords & then playing over the BT with the minor pentatonic pattern Justin teaches in Grade 2!!!
Thank you!
:grin: :grin: :grin:
Tod

8

Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it, playing with backing tracks is so much fun, and good practice too!

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