RE. ECHO QUERY.

[G.Jackson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

	With reference to my posting about ECHO harps. 

(Really more about tremolo mouth organs in general and a bit of an
overview of the Bandmaster).

It has been brought to my notice that to give a slightly more balanced
view of learning to play the tremomlo, I should have included the
following comments. (Actually, I did intend to, but in the heat of the
moment I forgot, oops!)

I remarked upon the likelihood of playing two or even more, ajacent
notes  by accident, and without realising it, thus creating a muddy
sound.

On the other hand, due to the way the notes/reeds are laid out on a
tremolo you have got almost twice the distance between the notes that
you are playing at any one time. This gives you a better chance of
hitting the note you want successfully first time. (I hope what I said
there was clear, it seems a bit odd now it's written down ). 

Also, because you are playing two notes at a time (one above the other)
you need a lot less breath to play it and get a good tone. So again, the
tremolo can be found to be easier to play than a straight diatonic.

The sound of a tremolo is (usually) louder due to playing two notes at
once, and has a fuller, sound because of the detuning between the notes.

This makes it an excellent choice for playing in a group along with
other small acoustic instruments such as, dulcimer (all types), fiddle,
wooden flutes, tin whistles, the smaller sorts of bagpipes (with out the
need to amplify the harmonica to make it heard), the Clarsach (small
celtic harp of the kind carried by the old Bards), jews (jaws) harp, any
small sorts of light precussion and drums etc., concertinas, and a long
list of others, which I'm sure you can come up with.

(No I don't just play folk, I do jazz guitar, some rock, and compose
synth music).

A word of warning to the beginer on the tremolo, DON'T TRY TO BEND NOTES
on it! They are not designed for it ,as if ANY harp was in the begining!
Really though you will only put the reeds well out of tune at best.

GORDON.