12 Keys One Harp

[Steve Price <sprice@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 3 Feb 1995, Christian N Michalek wrote:

> Well I gave my first public performance of blues in all twelve keys on 
> one harp.  I will never do that again!!!  Man I don't know How Levy does 
> that...  I didn't plan on doing it but there was a sax player that dared 
> me to do it.  He didn't think the harp could be played in more that two 
> keys.  I was telling him that he is wrong and I wasn't about to back down 
> so I had to show him.  All the sax player said afterwards "...that was 
> pretty cool, but you can't get do it as well a sax..."  I agree.  
> 
> So this all makes me wonder how many of you guys out there can actually 
> do this?  HAve any of you tried or do most of you not care?
> 
> -Chris Michalek
> 
I guess I've never heard of this.  Can you explain it?  Frankly, from 
your description I doubt I'll be trying it.  I dig playing harp, but I 
don't do a lot of harp tricks or guaranteed show stoppers.  I just try to 
make my blowing fit the moment the best way I can.  I guess I've always 
considered a regular ten hole diatonic harp to be a rather limited 
instrument, because of limitations on actave, but especially because of 
the limitations on key.  I know about 4 "positions" for changing key, but 
that hardly explains what you are talking about.  What gives?

	Steve