[Harp-L] How Come?. . .How Bout?

["B. McCoy" <bloozeman@xxxxxxx>]

So far most of the responses to (How Come?) have been as one might expect. 
Many said what I ~think~ most of us feel about the higher tuned harps being 
shrill or harsh to the ear.  However, nearly half of the the responses (most 
off list...) have had something like this to say as well.  . ."I think Bb 
and F makes the other guys in the band work too hard or harder than they 
want to".  Some say that the other players are "not able" to play in a 
particular key.   Many, nearly all, said that they have adopted some common 
habits.  I know myself, after playing for close to 20 years now I have 
become accustomed to these following habits:

-I have found that I don't write songs in these "less explored" key and 
position variations.  Mainly because of the register of the harmonica in 
question. . .Secondly due to other musicians preferences.

-If I am sitting in with another band and a tune is called out in "C", I 
grimace, grab my F and Slip my Bb into my pocket incase the feel is 
compatible with my 3rd position playing.  If I am real good friends with the 
band... I might even ask to change tunes or switch keys. . .But not often.

-Often when playing 1st position it's in the key of A and sometimes in C.

-In jam situations I often avoid Bb tunes and F.  When I call out a tune in 
"F". . . The guitar players all rush for their capos. . .and if they don't 
have one.  Which amazingly happens more than I can understand. (I carry a 
capo in my harp case for this reason.)  Many will ask to change keys or 
songs.

I could go on for quite a while and probably not shed much new light on 
these habits that even the newest player hasn't already started to figure 
out and probably adhere to.

Now here's what I have been surprised NOT to hear:

I thought for sure Dave Payne (a great and prolific poster!!) would be the 
first to point out that Seydel for one has a WHOLE LOTTA LOW TUNED harps out 
there now just waiting to be used for this purpose.  (But he was busy baking 
Turkey Flavored Cookies. . .No need to send any this way Dave. . .) For 
example, I have a Blues Session in  LOW A. . .Yeah LOW A. . .  Now that's so 
low you gotta pull down yer socks to play it.  I have for many years now 
loved and played my LOW D harmonicas. (Gary Primich turned me on to the LOW 
D in 1997-98?)  The Jimmy Gordon LOW F I have proved to me that a quality 
made low tuned harp could be played with speed and finesse without the 
flabby-ness often associated with low tuned harmonicas.  . .Even if the 
harmonica player is a bit flabby himself.....(That's probably a personal 
note that should have been left out....?)

So my question is. . .
Now that we have a maker who is supplying the harmonica community with 
quality, out of the box, LOW tuned harps in all keys, with more makers on 
the way like Brad Harrison.   Do you think we will start to see . . .Or have 
YOU been working on new tunes with say. . .A LOW F played in 3rd position? 
Or 1st?  How about a tune in F with a horn section and you playing 3rd on a 
LOW E???  (I think Gruenling has done this for a while right?)  Or even just 
transposing a classic from it's commonly known key to use a harmonica that 
isn't as common in that style.  How about 2 harps at a time.  A LOW C and a 
standard tuned C to extend range etc. (I have a customized Steve Baker 
Special in D that I employ in a similar fashion.)  I know that it's 
happening to some degree since I have a few ideas I am working on -and I'm 
far from ground breaking in my stylistic choices.   Any other ideas or 
thoughts out there that people want to share?   We all know the combinations 
available.   I'd love to hear what people are doing now that these different 
harps are more widely available.   Even if it's a simple blues tune set in a 
different key. . .totally familiar yet different from the norm. . .That's 
hip.

Yeah. . .Dig it.
-Bubba McCoy