[Harp-L] Ode contest



The melody for the "Ode To Joy" is wonderful to play on a standard diatonic harmonica. In first position. It lays beautifully, allows you to use the chords and slaps for a nice (and appropriate) backing if you're playing solo and flows smoothly and pleasantly--and you can easily vary the repeats by adding octaves both above and below. It can be played in the top octave in 2nd position, but doesn't lay as nicely.

It's unlistenable in the lower range in 2nd position.

You can get around this by using an alternate tuning, such as either Paddy Richter or Melody Maker, but I think it still lays better in first.

The Ode contest was fun, but musically all the results were atrocious. Considering the people involved, I have no doubt that no- one else (including Levy) could do better. Trying to play this melody using a bend or overblow anywhere is perhaps the best example of round hole, square peg harmonica technique I could imagine. Especially because it's so easy to do without.





 ()()    JR "Bulldogge" Ross
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