Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast

Will Wilde interview

May 10, 2022 Neil Warren Season 1 Episode 61
Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast
Will Wilde interview
Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast +
Become a supporter of the show!
Starting at $3/month
Support
Show Notes Chapter Markers

Will Wilde joins me on episode 61.

A sixteen year old Will stole his first harmonica while at a party and proceeded to put the rock into the instrument. He first started performing with his sister, Dani, as the harmonica player in her band. But Will has always had ideas of his own and soon formed his own band, with elements of rock and a heavy, driving blues style.

Will has a very active YouTube channel, with lots of tuition videos and great performances, such as playing the Free Bird guitar solo on harmonica, as well as collaborations with other harmonica players.

Will has come up with his own Wilde tuned harmonicas, placing the second position root notes in the top two octaves as draw notes, which really opens up the  top end. Seydel manufacture these harmonicas.

Watch out for Will’s new album, with a new band, coming out later this year, which will see Will   move move towards the genre of rock.

(select the Chapter Markers to select different sections of the podcast)

Links:

Will's website:
https://www.willharmonicawilde.com

Wilde Tuned harmonica:
https://www.wildetuning.com
https://www.seydel1847.de/rockharmonica

EuroBlues week:
https://www.euroblues.co.uk/blues-week-2020/

Will’s online store:
https://www.willharmonicawilde.com/store


Videos:
Performing in a duo with sister Dani:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykL8FXME9sA

Lynyrd Skynryd’s Free Bird solo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtXP2-5IC2E

YouTube tuition videos:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmVJfqqiy8uDgmhZT0oI7zbBP6Hua_pDi

Parisienne Walkways video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPPGv5hBE0Y

YouTube collaboration with Erin Oberg:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dl4E1aqmgs

Pet Got The Blues Advert:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPzEWd079Lo&t=30s

Wilde Tuning Introductory lessons for standard and minor tuned:
https://www.wildetuning.com/lessons

Progressive Metal - Phrygian Dominant scale:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tAH3p8IjRs



Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com  or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
and Blows

Support the show

Will lives in the UK, and was born in the same town as John Mayall
Moved to Brighton to take part in a drumming music course, but was more interested in harmonica by then
First harmonica he owned was a novelty one he picked up at a party
Felt really comfortable with the harmonica as soon as he started playing it and aptitude to playing harmonica
Will was brought up listening to blues records, with Help Me a big favourite
Learnt by playing along with records, especially Muddy Waters King Bee and Hard Again albums
Started out playing with his sister Dani, touring Europe and recording some albums
Will started his own band
Does sometimes still perform with sister Dani as a duo
Will plays a style of rock blues, although release later this year will focus more on rock
Had a motorcycle accident where he broke his neck a few years ago
Will now moving into more of the genre of rock, but with plenty of harmonica still
John Popper is probably only other harmonica player to play rock
Rock image cultivated by Will
How he approaches playing rock on the harmonica and emulating electric guitars
YouTube video where Will plays the Free Bird guitar solo note for note
Rock playing is about the intensity, delivery and vibrato is key
How the harmonica received by a rock audience
Been called the Hendrix of the harmonica
Has done a lot of touring in Europe
First album was released in 2010: Unleashed
Raw Blues album released three years later
Hamburg Live album released in 2015
Will doesn’t use that many effects with the harmonica
Jason Ricci commented that Will sounds like he’s playing amplified when he’s playing acoustically
Usually has some revere and delay
Parisienne Walkways released as a single
Bring It On Home album from 2018, which has lots of rock covers
Has a very active YouTube channel, including collaborations with other artists
YouTube teaching channel
Will soon be releasing a new set of video instructional material
Singing
TV advert playing as a bluesy cat and appeared on children’s tv music show
Teaching at EuroBlues week
Gives Skype lessons
10 minute question
Does play some chromatic harmonica, in the right setting
Wilde Tuned harmonicas
Layout of notes on Wilde tuning
Minor tuned version
Seydel manufacture the Wilde tuned harps
How much he uses the Wilde tunings and usefulness in rock playing
Is a Seydel endorser
Different tunings
Overblows: can play them but most of those notes available via Wilde tuning
Embouchre
Amps and mics: mesa boogie (studio) and Fender Vibrolux (live) amp and Beyerdynamic M88 mic
Small amp: did use Honeyboy amp and turntable speaker
New album out later this year
Doing a tour in Germany later this year and then planning more to promote new album