RE: [Harp-L] OB, CX or XB?



Hey Chris,

--- Chris Michalek <Chris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
> The argument about the overblows not sounding as
> good as the other notes is what I like to 
> call "abunchofhooey"  as I mentioned before
> it's only other harmonica players that mention
> the issues with overblows. What really matters
> is what the audience thinks...
<<snip>>

I quite agree. I've played in clubs where the
audience thought I was the greatest harp player
they'd ever heard, and not a harp player in the
crowd. Hard to argue when the tip jar is full. But
I know better. Most audiences are rather forgiving
for harp players because they don't know a good one
from a mediocre one. 

But regarding OB play play, you really should take
~context~ into consideration. In certain contexts
those OBs ~do~ stick out like a sore bupkis. 

If a guy (elite, superdooper OB-club senior) is
playing a 10-hole harp (rife with Overblows,
because he can), but is murdering a beautiful,
(albeit difficult) piece, the audience shouldn't
have to pretend it's great just because the guy has
a big reputation and is doing it on a 10-hole harp.


Truth to tell, I thought Sandy Weltman's work at
the SPAH show in St. Louis was really, really hard
to listen to, mainly because there were so many
"near-misses" intonation-wise. Dare I say it? I
secretly thought it sucked.  

Could I play it? Not in a million years. Not in a
trillion. In another context (another song) those
same notes would have sounded perfect... but not
that tune. Not that night. Not even the esteemed
Mr. Weltman (who I hold in very high regard). I
would have much rather heard the same tune played
well on a chromatic, or on an altered tuning
harp... if it was played well.

But I literally had to leave the room because the
sensation of nails on blackboard was so strong.
Very impressive feat, yes. But it really didn't cut
it (for me) on the piece he was playing. 

Oh, but I'm a harp player, so my opinion doesn't
count... Perhaps the opinions of the other 25
people who joined me in the hall during that
performance didn't count either, seeing as they
were also harp players. 

> and I've never had a person come up to me and 
> say "hey that sounded great except for those 
> funky sounding notes that you hit every other
> second...." 
<<snip>>

That's great news! Obviously, you're choosing tunes
that you can really control. You are about best at
this OB stuff that I've ever heard. You play
beautifully... stunningly. 

> I've had this very discussion with other members 
> of our super duper elitest overblow club and 
> they concur.

Oh, but their opinions don't count, because they're
harp players. Elitest OB-harp players, to boot.
Audiences are not always the best judges of musical
quality... I know. I've been praised more than my
worth on more than three occasions. 

Okay, I'm not trying to poo-pooh the OB technique.
Heck, I'm trying to learn it!! But, I do think it
is a "bunchofhooey" that OB diatonic play is the
best choice for all pieces of music... even when
played by Levy, Weltman, you, or Rosco, or Ricci or
whatever other OB master you might name.

Bonfiglio's point is extremely valid. Chromatic is
a much better choice for a lot of music. In his
hands, it has a ton of power, grace and beauty...
without a propensity for near-miss intonation in
tricky passages. I'm sure that if Robert were to
choose to play a gut-bucket Muddy Waters blues
number, he'd do it with a diatonic (with or without
the OBs).

Clint Hoover is another example of a guy who
chooses the right axe for the right job. He uses a
chromatic beautifully... then pulls out the
diatonic and plays other stuff (rife with OBs) on
other songs. Why? Because it's a better fit. 

Different harps have different strengths...and
weaknesses. OB is NOT the best approach for all
music. Either is chromatic. Either is the XB.
Harmonica itself is not the best instrument for all
music. 

Just my 2 cents.

Harpin' in Colorado,
--Ken M.


		
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