[Harp-L] horn line question

["Jonathan R. Ross" <jross38@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Rainbow Jimmy wrote:

>The main notes are G, A,C, and D. All of them are right there on a G
>harp. I also need a an F, E, and Eb. I should be able to get those on
the 3
>draw. They're eighth note passing tones so my intonation doesn't have
to be
>perfect. That leaves one damn C#. I play Lee Oskars.

Perhaps the easiest way to do this would be to retune a G harp to
Country tuning--this will give you the C# without loosing anything else.
You can do this either by retuning (not hard--the Lee Oskar kit is
cheap, easy and comes with good instructions, and even better
instructions can be found online, such as at Pat Missin's website,
http://www.patmissin.com).  Or, if you don't want to retune just buy a
Lee Oskar Melody Maker labeled in the key of D (for reasons beyond logic
the Melody Maker and Natural Minor are labeled in second position) and
then swap draw reed-plates between the standard one you have and the
Melody-Maker: instant Country tuning*.  Easy, doesn't require learning
any new skills and very effective.  This type of switching using LO
harps is also described in detail on Pat's website.

If you want to learn to overbend, go for it, but to me this is an
example of a case where an alternate tuning makes a ton of sense,
especially when that tuning is easily available for purchase.  This way
you can still play the piece now and learn to overbend at the same time.


* I recognize that the switch involving the Melody Maker draw plate does
give an extra raised note from the standard Country Tuning (the 9 draw),
but the difference is not huge for the purposes of the above
explanation.

If you want to learn to overbend, go for it, but I do think the question
itself shows how easy it is to forget that overbending is _one_ way to
get the desired result, and not always the easiest or best.  Moreover,
there are even more possibilities than the two so far mentioned
(overbends, alternate tunings)--have you tried playing stacked-harps?
Holding two different harmonicas together and switching between them as
you go?  Again, it's not hard, and, as with most things harmonica, again
Pat Missin's website has some good suggestions and information on this.


There are more ways to skin a cat than with a dull spoon.




 oo    JR "Bulldogge" Ross
()()   & Snuffy, too:)
`--'