[Dixielandjazz] Harmony Singing

[Robert Ringwald]

Ken Gates asks about singing or playing harmony:

IMHO- Ken, singing or playing the 2nd (harmony) part is much easier than singing the 3rd part.  The 2nd part is sort of a natural feel.  

The 3rd part is not and takes much more skill.  

In OKOM, the 3rd part is usually the trombone's domain.  Often, or should I say, sometimes the trombonist doesn't get this and plays too much of the 2nd part which is really the job of the clarinet.  This results in the clarinet and trombone clashing notes i.e. getting in each other's way.  Or maybe a better way to say it would be, results in the trombone getting in the way of the clarinet.  

Even harder can be the addition of a tenor sax into the front line mix.  It takes some skilled musicians to be able to play in a 4-man front line without stumbling all over each other.  

Dig the World's greatest JB with Bud Freeman on tenor.  Also a lot of the Condon stuff.  

Just my 3-cents worth -- inflation, you know...  


--Bob Ringwald
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