Re: Subject: [Harp-L] Loud?

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Daniel:  When you begin with 

"I really don't like Chromatics", it automatically makes those of us who  
play them wonder why you'd want to bother?  Then getting further into your  
response to Winslow, it seems you mean you don't like the sound YOU get out of  
them...but you DO like the sound other players get?  Is that the gist of  it?  
 
 Winslow and Fernando gave you good advice then....you need to  find a good 
harmonica teacher who understands both instruments. Robert  Bonfiglio 
immediately springs to mind.  His seminars specifically are  geared to diatonic players 
wishing to become proficient on chromatics.  He  taught Bruce Willis, Randy 
Singer ...among others.  Robert  himself ...besides being a classical virtuoso 
on chromatic, still can get  down and bluesy on a diatonic.  
 
The upshot of it is, though...if you REALLY don't like the sound of a  
chromatic at all..then you shouldn't try to play them.  You aren't going to  change 
the instrument into something altogether different.  If, instead,  you mean 
YOU can't get out of it what other players can, then that's  something that is 
achievable.  It can be taught.  
 
What I'd suggest is something "not so big"...try a CX-12.  the black  model.  
Jason Ricci (and we'd all agree I think is an  excellent diatonic player)  
just played my CX-12 chrom. at SPAH  and loved everything about it...the tone, 
the feel, the short throw of the  slide. It's easily taken apart to be cleaned 
(and tweaked)...but mostly it has  amazing tone for a chrom. (and is loud).  
Seems to be the "missing link"  for someone wanting to make that transition 
from diatonics.  If you find  the cost of a new one prohibitive, I got mine on 
EBay ...from someone who had it  less than a year and had hardly played 
it...paid very little.   There were a couple on sale at the SPAH store (used) for $70.
 
Elizabeth
 
"Message: 1
Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2007 15:42:18 -0700 (PDT)
From: Daniel  Bernard <danielbernard13@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Loud?
To:  harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID:  <213215.68261.qm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain;  charset=us-ascii

I really don't like Chromatics.  The concept of  playing a chromatic appeals 
to me, all those positions and keys.  But  whenever I try to play one, I 
really don't like the sound that comes out of  it.  Without any reed interaction 
they sound like my son's guitar pro  computer program playing music.  For as big 
and expensive as the chromatic  is, I am remarkably unskilled at getting any 
kind of volume out of it.   I've tried half valving a diatonic with disastrous 
results.  I hated  it.  I'm convinced that I can tweak any harmonica.     I 
own  some used ones that I picked up with the intention of working on them.  I  
really don't have any idea as to which direction to go.  I like loud, and I  
like tonal interaction.  My favorite harps so far are the Seydel valved  
octave and the Hohner Autovalve.  I can figure out the just intonation if I  make 
up my mind to turn it
into a chord instrument.  What I can't figure  out is how to make them
loud and pleasant sounding. Does anyone have any  ideas as to how I should 
tweak my chromatics so that I can stand to listen to  them while I'm playing 
them?  Got any suggestions?  Sack the valves  and double the reedplates maybe."  






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