Re: [Harp-L] What is a Hohner 365 "for"?

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

The 365 comes in two keys, C and G.

The C is tuned one octave lower than the regular 10-hole C diatonic. Which is really the point of the 365 - you get a low C harp, although you also get more holes on the high end. Go to the holes you normally go to, and they'll come out sounding an octave lower, which is a cool sound.

For an example of using a Low C, listen to Sonny Boy WIlliamson II playing "Bye Bye Bird" - the studio Chess recording as opposed to the live-in-Europe versions. He plays most of this tune on a low C, though in the middle he plays a regular C for a couple of choruses.

The 365 in G is the same pitch as a regular G-harp, but also has the high holes extending up past Hole 10.
Â
Winslow Yerxa
President, SPAH, the Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica
Producer, theÂHarmonica Collective
Author, Harmonica For Dummies, ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ Harmonica Basics For Dummies, ASIN B005KIYPFS
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ Blues Harmonica For Dummies, ISBN 978-1-1182-5269-7
Resident Expert, bluesharmonica.com
Instructor, JazzschoolÂCommunity Music School


________________________________
 From: harp <harp@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx> 
Sent: Friday, July 4, 2014 1:47 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] What is a Hohner 365 "for"?
 

This may be a really stupid question, but I am wondering what a Hohner 365 is âforâ. I recently got two along with some Chromatics, which is what I was really looking for.

So, my question is this â I primarily play MB 1896 harps in the blues style. I also fiddle around with the Chromatics, playing some straight up old-time music. When I play these, both harps seem ânaturalâ to me, meaning that the notes are where I would expect to find them. But on the 365, the draw notes seem âoffsetâ, and on some of the lower holes (maybe 4-5), the draw notes seem to be âoff somewhere elseâ.

Hummâ I have the feeling I am not explaining this very well. Look â if I just wanted to learn how to adapt to the 365, it would not be that difficult â just learn a different breathing pattern, figure out where the notes went, and that would do it. But I have found that different tunings seem, historically, to have been created for different music. When you find the music that goes with the tuning, bang â the notes lock in and it makes a lot more sense, once you figure it out, to play that particular kind of music with that kind of harp (e.g. Biergarten music on the 1896).

If you have some thoughts, please share them. If this post is just drivel, and you canât even figure out what I am talking about, flame on. Wish I could put it into better words.

Brad