This page shows the documentation from the practice session which emanated from lick 5. Lick 5 is a compilation based on one of McCoy's strategies: when he plays over a dominant chord using the country tuned harmonica. Some of these licks are quite similar to lick 10 (pedal steel inspired licks), these have a circle shape. I use the tongue switching technique on many of these licks, this is denoted with the mauve color. Green circles represent pedal steel like licks where I do not use the tongue switching technique. The ginger color represents licks which sound like swing cliches. Blue represents uncategorized licks. Important to note here is that at the time of recording, I labeled this lick as "lick 20". During the continued coding process I re-labeled it to lick 5. Therefore all the graphics say "lick 5" while in the videos I am referring to "lick 20".
Some of these licks came to life after this practice session was over. These were not video recorded, hence they are represented with music notation. These licks are labled with an "X" after the original label, e.g., a later variation of 5K will be labled 5KX.
In what follows I will describe the licks and what generative strategy they belong to: Intuitive, derivative, theory driven, generic or musical saves.
Lick 5 Description of the original McCoy lick.
5A Intuitive
5B Intuitive and generic. The first of the swing cliche licks.
5C Derivative and generic. When I played 5B, I heard another swing cliche, i.e., 5C.
5D Intuitive. This is the first lick in this session where I use a tongue switch. This affect much of what happens later in this session.
5D.1 Derivative. Inverted version of 5D.
5D.1X Musical save. I made a mistake while practicing 5D.1 and accidentally switched to the left corner of my mouth instead of playing the B on bar three in the right corner of my mouth, I played an F# in the left corner. I continued the descending motion and the tongue switching pattern as seen in the notation.
5D.1X1 Derivative. Instead of descending both lines, I stay on the F# in the left corner of my mouth.
5D.1XY Musical save. This comes from a later practice session when I made a mistake while practicing 5D.1X. What I can best describe as a muscle spasm occurred and my tongue switched between the A and the E with a triplet rhythm. I returned to the intended eight note rhythm in the next bar and ended the lick as intended.
5E Intuitive. Based on a lick Mike Caldwell taught me which was inspired by a banjo roll. This version sounds more like a pedal steel lick than a banjo lick.
5E.1 Derivative. Alternating between a B and a D in the right corner of my mouth.
5E.2 Derivative. Very pedal steel like. No corner switching involved.
5E.3 Derivative. New ending.
5E.4 Derivative. Like 5E.3 but with a D instead of the B in the right corner of my mouth.
5F Derivative, spontaneous and generic. I initially play lick 5C, then a fruitless attempt at playing fiddle inspired double stops. Then I return to the swing style licks and I hear 5F.
5G Spontaneous.
5G.1 Derivative. Instead of tongue switching, I slide up to the high C.
5G.2 Derivative. I try to find a new lick, but realize that what I am doing is a variation of the previous lick with a different ending.
5G.3 Derivative. The rhythm of the previous lick invited me to repeat it, then a new ending came to me. After playing this lick I realize that the batteries of the camera needs changing.
5H Spontaneous. Using chromatic approach notes to outline the chord notes.
5I Derivative. Expanding the idea from 20H, using enclosure: scale note from above and chromatic note from below.
5J Spontaneous and derivative. First I play 5C, leading me to an inverted version of 5H.
5K Spontaneous and generic. A Western Swing cliche adapted to the harmonica, making good use of the available bends. This triplet lick is usually played alternating between the chord notes of a sixth chord. I use chromatic approach notes where bends are available.
5KX Derivative. The idea for this lick came to me while practicing 5K. The rhythm is changed from triplets to eight notes, but with an emphasis on every third eight note, giving the lick a three against four feel.
5KX.1 Derivative. Same as 5KX but with different ending.
5KX.2 Derivative. Another extended ending, including a tongue switched drill in the end.
5L Spontaneous. Using the first part of the lick as a sequence leading up to the chord notes of the dominant chord, landing on the flat seventh.
5M Spontaneous. I am trying to find something based on 5L, but something entirely different pops up.
5M.1 Derivative. Expanding the idea in lick 20M.
5N Spontaneous and derivative. Builds on 5M but alternates between the A and the B instead of repeating them. Induces a three against four polyrhythmic feel.
5N.1 Derivative. An inverted version of 5N.
5N.2 Derivative. New version with larger intervals.
5N.2X Derivative. A shorter version of 5N.2.
5N.3 Derivative. Inverted version of 5N.2.
5N.3X Derivative.
5O Spontaneous. Very pedal steel like.
5O.1 Expands the idea from 5O and involve tongue switching.
5O.2 Derivative. Further exploration with tongue switching.
5O.3 Derivative. Same as 5O.2 but with larger interval.
5P Derivative and spontaneous. A version of 20O with a more melodic ending.
5P.1 Derivative. Shorter version of 5P.
