Cross vs Slant and Blackie Shackner's books

[Dick Anderson <anderson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

To answer Rick's questions about Blackie Schackner's book and "slant harp"

I got a copy of Schackner's book "Everything you always wanted to know
about the Marine Band and Blues Harp but were afraid to ask" at a public
library.  It's really more of a paper back, about 40 pages.  I made some copies
of the interesting stuff.  It gave a pretty good explanation of tuning and
setting the action of reeds.  The book is mentioned in some Hohner
literature that I saw recently.  Try calling Hohner in Lakeridge Virginia.
phone 804-550-2700.

I started playing with the Jon Gindick tape/book and I credit him with
helping me to break into cross harp.  When he said to draw on holes 1-4 to
get the root chord and set your mind for that key, a lightbulb went on and
I've been learning ever since.

I do disagree with Jon's claim to "slant harp" as a new way to play harp.
When you begin to understand all the 12 positions of playing the diatonic
harp, you see that Jon's slant harp is really 3rd position minor or Dorian
mode.  Nothing really new about that.  Little Walter used a lot of 3rd
position in blues when he played a "C" chromatic in "D" minor.  If you
take a "C" harp and begin a scale on the "D" (4 draw) on up to "D" (8 draw)
you have played the Dorian mode scale.  This can also be done in the lower
register holes 1-4 but it takes some bending of 2 and 3 draw.

I sprang $50 for the Howard Levy video and let me tell you it is worth
every penny.  If you were always a little unsure why cross harp is called
second position, or why Dorian mode is third position or what is an overblow,
then this is the ticket! This tape and the small folder that accompanies it,
is a tremendous source of information.  As well as some fine music from
Howard.  It's not for rank beginners, since he doesn't work on bending or
embrochure or hand movements, but he lays down a solid music theory
foundation and builds on it by playing songs in each position.  Then by
using the overblow, he shows how he plays all 12 chromatic notes on the
diatonic harp.  It'll blow your mind, but at the same time you will understand
that it is not impossible with practice.

(Did I write all that???????)  It's time to go.  Love to talk harps!


dick....

--

Dick Anderson
"I'm warning you, I have a harmonica and I'm not afraid to use it!!!"
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