Post #2 General Stuff
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Date: Mon, 2 Nov 1992 14:10:00 EST
From: "JACK ELY"@mrgate.mec.ohio.gov
Subject: Post #2 General Stuff
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Posting-date: Wed, 4 Nov 1992 00:00:00 EST
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Arrrgh! Here comes another long posting from Jack - I'll try to answer
questions of general interest from the last few days.
Chris writes...
Oh yea, one more thing. Jack, in the newsletter there is a section
about Toots Thielmans. In it, Toots is quoted as saying that the
blues harp is "the raunchiest instrument on earth" and the chromatic
is its "civilized brother". Was this an attempt at humor? Was this
an odd compliment? Or was Toots a jerk with a bad attitude? I think
most people on this list will agree that the blues harp is far from
raunchy. If I have miss interpretted this statement please let me
know, but it sounds like an insult to a large part of the diatonic
harpists of this world.
>>> I think this was meant to be a compliment to the capabilities of the
instrument and not a slam on the blues style or those who play it.
JE <<<
Chris writes...
Well, I got my free copy of the Harmonica Dispatch by the Buckeye
State Harmonica Club yesterday. Thanks Jack!
>>> Thanks go to Connie, Co-Editor, she's the one who gets things done. JE <<<
In the Newsletter it mentions the Buckeye Harmonica Festival 1993,
which is scheduled for April 2 and 3 in Columbus, Ohio.
Jack, could you tell us more about this (especially for those on the
list that did not get the newsletter). What is the agenda,
activities, admission price, and anything else that you can think to
add.
>>> BHF '93 will be the 17th anniversary of the Buckeye State Harmonica Club. We
have held a festival every year. Traditionally we bring in pros to
entertain. We have had some big names in the past including Jerry Murad's
Harmonicats. We have an excellent meeting facility which includes a 500 seat
auditorium with good acoustics. We have a decent sound system - Peavey
MK-III 24 channel mixer, Yamaha & other amps, and four Bose 802 speakers
(The PA equiv. of Bose 901's). Plus a couple guys who know how to run this
stuff (The sound system is only as good as the ears behind the board).
Our usual format is -- Two day festival starting at 9:00 A.M. and running
until 10:30 or 11:00 both days (Friday and Saturday). The evenings are for
the hired professional acts. Daytime activities include -- Seminars, Open
mic playing (anyone can sign up to play), food, vendor sales (F & R Farrel
Co. will be there with lots of harmonicas).
A package price will include all activities including Lunch & Dinner both
days and the evening concerts. Seminars are usually given by our hired pros
and this year we will have talent in many areas including chord, bass, and
chromatic harmonica. Prices have not been set yet but will probably be $50
for the whole two day package. IMHO our most interesting seminars have been
when we simply have all the pros sit on a panel and field questions from the
audience so we may do this again. We are presently negotiating with four
acts. I will post the entertainment line-up as soon as it is finalized. The
plan is to have two professional acts each night. Not likely to be any
blues but very possibly some jazz.
JE <<<
Raj writes...
Raunchy isn't a bad thing especially in blues; it's an integral
part of the blues. Not many blues can be describes as civilized.
I think "the raunchiest instrument on earth" is a compliment.
>>> Well said and I agree. JE <<<
Here's an excerpt from an interview with Toots (from "Jazz Harp")
to help clear up his opinion of the diatonic:
Richard Hunter: That brings up the question of what the technical limits
of the harmonica might be.
Toots : Well, you can't get a good legato out of the harmonica when
you're playing fast. In fact, for me it(s a struggle to get a good
tone out of the chromatic at all. I wish I could get the same sound
out of the chromatic that the blues guys get out of the Marine Band.
R : The Koch harmonica has something of that sound, doesn't it?
T : A little. Listen to those blues guys though, the *wail*. Hohner
sure didn't design the harmonica to sound like that.
>>> The Koch harmonica referred to here is, I believe, the Koch 10 hole
chromatic which is Marine Band (or Richter) tuned. i.e., tuned like a blues
harp in the first three and last three holes. See diagram below.
DIATONIC HARMONICA LAYOUT KEY of "C"
__ Middle C __ C above
| (blow) | middle C
V V
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
+---++---++---++---++---++---++---++---++---++---+
BLOW | C || E || G || C || E || G || C || E || G || C |
draw | d || g || b || d || f || a || b || d || f || a |
+---++---++---++---++---++---++---++---++---++---+
^ ^^ ^
|__"G" chord__||__the "C" scale __|
(draw) C D E F G A B C
The KOCH chromatic harmonica is tuned just like the diatonic, thus you get a
bit of the bluesy sound, at least you can play cross harp and get the "G"
chord etc. - but not the power or sound. It is available in C and G, I don't
know about other keys. Oh, BTW, it is sold by Hohner.
The standard chromatic tuning is different and called "solo" tuning. The
entire scale is repeated in each set of four holes (just like holes 4-7 of a
diatonic). 12 hole chromatics are available in 12 keys. 16 holers are only
available in C. A 16 hole chromatic has four complete C scales, with the C
repeated in every octave. See layout below...
(TOP LETTER = BLOW / BOTTOM LETTER = DRAW)
1. 2. 3. 4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 <-cover plate #s
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 may differ
+--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--+__ ++
|C#||E#||G#||C#||C#||E#||G#||C#||C#||E#||G#||C#||C#||E#||G#||C#|B \++| (#)sharps
|D#||F#||A#||B#||D#||F#||A#||B#||D#||F#||A#||B#||D#||F#||A#||D |D_/++|<---------
+--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--+ ++ SLIDE|
+--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--+__ ++ IN |
|Db||F ||Ab||C ||Db||F ||Ab||C ||Db||F ||Ab||C ||Db||F ||Ab||Db|B \++|<---------
|Eb||Gb||Bb||Db||Eb||Gb||Bb||Db||Eb||Gb||Bb||Db||Eb||Gb||Bb||D |D_/++| (b)flats
+--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--+ ++
+--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--+_____ ++
|C ||E ||G ||C ||C ||E ||G ||C ||C ||E ||G ||C ||C ||E ||G ||C |Blow \++| SLIDE
| D|| F|| A|| B|| D|| F|| A|| B|| D|| F|| A|| B|| D|| F|| A|| B|Draw_/++| OUT
+--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--+ ++ ----->
1. 2. 3. 4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
| |
|<- - - - - - - -12 hole layout - - - - - - - >|
Notes:
1. The cover plate numbers on different models/brands of 16 hole harmonica
will differ. Some show the first four holes with a dot beside them to
indicate the octave below middle "C". Middle "C" is found in hole 5 (the 5th
hole) on a 16 hole chromatic.
2. Hole 16 tuning (slide in) is slightly different from it's lower octave
companions (1., 5, 9, & 13). Hole 16 contains a "D" note where you might
expect a D# (Eb). Why? I don't know. (hope these drawings got through the
mail OK.)
JE <<<
ficara@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@P+ Writes...
I second the recommendation of Rick Estrin. He has great stage
persence, too; outrageous deadpan tongue-in-cheek schtick and
lyrics, all done with an air of uncompromising sleaze. If you
get a change to see him with Little Charlie and the Nightcats,
go for it.
>>> I went to a video taping of Little Charlie and the Night Cats last night at
a local studio. My first chance to hear Rick Estrin - He's a great showman,
vocalist, and gets around both the diatonic and chromatic harps real well.
Catfish Keith opened the show - no harp but a great one man act (Vocal,
Guitar & Foot). They needed a live audience so some of us Short Harpers and
Columbus Blues Alliance folks helped out. (A dirty job but someone had to do
it). ;-) The video will be available through Black Top Records at about
$19.95 - they plan to do more. This was the second video, the first featured
Anson Funderburk with Sam Meyers on harp. The local producer/investor
originally intended to sell these videos to Public TV or cable TV but no one
bit - fortunately Black Top liked it and decided to do a series and market
them for home VCR users. Check out a Black Top catalog - the series is
called "American Blues". I will post ordering info when I can get details.
JE <<<
I looked in Disc Jockey for Harp albums this weekend, in particular, I
looked for Lee Oskar. I did not see the album, but in the Phonolog he
was listed as having one album ("Before the Rain"--I think.). Has
anyone heard this or any other of his stuff? Would it be worth
ordering?
>>> Lee played with the group WAR and still tours with them occasionally. I have
three albums by him. All Have his name on the cover + title.
1. "WAR" (Harmonica on cover) 1976 - United Artists UA-LA594-G
2. "BEFORE THE RAIN" 1978 - Elektra 6E-150
3. "MY ROAD OUR ROAD" 1981 - Elektra 5E-526
JE <<<
George Mayhew writes...
Another excellent player in the light jazz/pop stream is William
Galison. I only know of one cd, "Overjoyed," by him. It is worth
owning, if you want to play chromatic.
>>> William has another album out titled "CALLING YOU". His "Overjoyed" album
received a lot of air time on a Columbus radio station.
(BTW George, thanks for the BSHC membership)
JE <<<
Chris Pierce writes...
Sounds pretty cool. You say you are learning to play diatonic . . .
does that mean you already know how to play Chromatic? What sort of
things can you do with a Chromatic Harp (as opposed to a diatonic,
obviously)?
>>> I am a self taught chromatic player (or thought I was until I joined BSHC
and found out how little I knew). I used to be proud of the fact that I
could play by ear and "didn't have to read" How stupid! I periodically teach
a course called "BCH" Basic Chromatic Harmonica whenever I get 10 or so
students signed up. The only way to learn chromatic properly is by reading
music. Sounds funny coming from an old ear player but I never attempted to
teach until I learned some basic music theory and a good harmonica method
from a seminar a few years ago which enables me to teach at least the
basics. I'm beginning to believe that we need music theory (maybe even more
advanced) to learn the diatonic too. In fact our "Short Harp SIG" is going
to start devoting a portion of our Tuesday night sessions to music theory.
[Hohner never did any of us any favors by telling us it was easy to play
harmonica]. How did I get on that soap box anyway, I thought the question
was "What sort of things can you do with a Chromatic Harp (as opposed to a
diatonic, obviously)?" Well, for one thing you can get the sharps and flats
(the black keys) easily once you learn when to push the button in and when
to blow or draw. Chromatic is good for all styles of music. I love to hear a
good jazz chromatic player, although Toots is not my favorite. My favorite
is Pete Pedersen (Memphis). I know, no-one ever heard of him, that's why I
haven't posted a list of my favorites or most influential. You can play any
style on either one. It's just going to sound different that's all. Some
styles seem to fit diatonic better and vice versa but that doesn't mean you
can't use a chromatic for blues or a diatonic for classical etc. I think it
is largely a matter of taste. Which is easiest to play? That's another
question often answered wrong. I would not attempt to teach anyone diatonic,
other than straight harp (i.e., holes 5 - 7 where the major scale of the
harp lives). Anyway I am learning to play diatonic but not just blues - can
play straight harp diatonic stuff OK. but want to learn blues, jazz,
country, etc. The style, technique, learning process are totally different.
But learning one won't hinder the other, so... learn them both.
JE <<<
Chris Pierce continues...
Jack tell us a little more about you. What styles of music do you
play and like the best? What brand of Harps do you use? Tell us more
about Chromatic harps. . .I think that most people on this list play
Diatonics.
>>> I play mostly older pop stuff - I really like a pretty, romantic ballad but
that puts most audiences to sleep so our BSHC club band and Harpers Bizarre
repertoires include some up tempo stuff, some Country/Western and a few
polkas. We even play some of the slow stuff fast just to keep people from
falling out of their chairs. Oh, did I tell you BSHC and Bizarre have albums
available. Warning! Danger! beep beep, Aooogah! -- ILLEGAL COMMERCIAL --
Sorry about that - Seriously we have audio and video tapes of some of our
past festival performers - I'll post info later if anyone's interested.
Three of us in the club have recently been spending an extra hour or so
after regular practice learning some arrangements from music. The first one
we tackled is called "The Little Rhapsody In Blue" (a shortened version). It
was giving me fits (I'm the worst reader of the three) so we are also
working on a much simpler piece with harmony parts "Whispering Hope" for
diversion.
JE <<<
What brand of Harps do you use? Tell us more about Chromatic harps. . .
>>> I have several brands of chromatic harps. The Hohners are good but getting
to be very expensive. For the money I like the Hering (Brazil). Hering has
had quality control problems and was out of business for a while but seem to
have their act together again. I mostly play the 16 hole (4 octave models)
but sometimes switch to a 12 for a key I can't handle on the C. I play
mostly in the key of C and C#. C sharp is an old trick on the chromatic, a
very difficult key on most instruments, on the chro you basically just hold
the button in - and the crowd says - "wow, they changed keys". If you
really want to impress someone tell them you're playing in D flat. :-)
I think I outlined the chromatic and some of the differences in paragraphs
above. i.e., the layout/tuning etc. -- Another favorite of mine is the
Hohner Super 64x (black covers, Gold mouthpiece, and double thickness reed
plates which give a nice low register response). I also like the Hohner CBH
2016 (no longer made) It had great tone quality - sounded like a sax in the
right hands (mouth). But a real pain to keep in tune. The CBH was designed
by Cham-Ber Huang who used to work for Hohner.
JE <<<
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