Re: [Harp-L] Diatonic/chromatic



> In fact I agree with most of your points. Even if I don't come to the same
> conclusion.
> Of course, I especially agree on the fact that musicality is the goal, not
> technicality.
> But I don't oppose both of them.

Nor do I.  


> There is a trend, especially in the
> harmonica community, to think that someone very technical loses musicality.
> I think technicality shouldn't be a goal, but I also think one should first
> work technicality to be able to leverage musicality.

I would agree.  

> I believe that many things are possible on the diatonic. It is not because
> they have been more or less well or badly realized that they aren't
> possible.
> As you point out, the harmonica turned chromatic 20 years ago.
> 20 years is extremely short in an instrument life.

I disagree.  Twenty years in the life of the electric guitar saw an amazing amount of variation, new styles of playing, new effects, new sounds, entire new genres of music.  Look at twenty years in the life of the electric bass from it's founding in the fifties to the seventies.  Look at how much happened in the first twenty years of the piano.  No, I think twenty years is quite a long time, especially in this day and age of instant comunication.

> Even today, very few players really work and play in all keys (which is not
> the same as being able to play chromatically on a single key).

Yes, very few.  None actually, IMO.  Sure, Howard and others can play something In just about any position, but that's a lot different than what most chromatically designed instruments can do.




> The percentage is infinitesimal compared to sax players for example.
> But as far as some continue to work in a real chromatic approach, I'm sure
> there will sooner or later be young people taking the lead, and one day a
> Charlie Parker may rise on the diatonic.

Look, no matter how brilliant someone is, they simply can't change the physical way the instrument works.  Bends, overblows and natural notes are created by three different processes and thus behave in different ways which effects their timbre, articulation and yes, intonation.  These aren't going away just because someone is musically brilliant.  Hell, I'd argue the most musically brilliant diatonic harmonica players have tended to understand this and utilize these differences wonderfully (Sonny Terry, Little Walter, Rhythm Willie).  


> Frankly, I don't really care, I'm just playing the music I love on the
> instrument I love, the rest is not important to me.
> So I can assure you I'm not living in a dream. I know what is possible on
> that instrument, even if I can't achieve everything I know.

I encourage you to play whatever you want.  But i think you are just plain wrong to think that there is some mythical time when certain things will just sound good despite the jarring differences in terms of how the notes are created.  Perhaps it's different tastes, but even with someone as good as Levy I feel he is at his worst when trying to stretch too far and the music breaks down.  And he's the best in this style by far, IMO.



> 
> By the way, Giant Steps is a very good example as it is one of the most
> difficult standards, and even very good musicians can't play it.
> Didier Lockwood has decided to produce Sebastien Charlier after listening to
> him playing and improvising on Giant Steps.
> I guess Didier Lockwood's ear is pretty good.

Maybe.  But sadly with outside instruments I often think the novelty factor can get in the way of people's usual standards.  That said, I have no idea who Didier Lockwood is.  I do know that much of Cherlier (thought it was Chernier) leaves me flat or even darting for the off button because of major problems vis a vis timbre and articulation--and intonation.

> I also agree on this point : " it's a hell of a lot easier to play highly
> chromatic music successfully on an instrument designed to do so than on an
> instrument specifically _not_ designed to do so"
> In my case, even if I know this, it is still the music I love and want to
> play, on the instrument I love and want to play.


Good for you and go for it.  But, I don't subject people to my gong experiments for a reason.  Frankly, they are a lot of fun, but would be painful to have to hear.  I feel that way for a lot of harmonica playing I hear, especially that in the diatonic-as-chromatic vein.



JR Ross



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