Re: Canadian Howard Levy

[Mike Curtis <wd6ehr@xxxxxxxxxx>]

> With a wink to Mike Curtis, I'll have to wait until my next pay period 
> before I can get a valved Suzuki to learn how to use bendable blows and 
> all that stuff, but I can work on overblows now with my regular harps.  

There's nothing sacred about the Suzuki.  It's just easier to buy a valved
harp than to valve them yourself.  In the February 95 "American Harmonica
Newsletter", page 18, there's a diagram on how to valve your standard
diatonics.  I've valved a Blues harp, Cross Harp, a bunch of Oskars, etc.,
and they all work fine.  I'm quite certain you could valve even cheapies 
like the "Chicago Blues" harp (overpriced @ $5. retail)

And yes, it is possible to play blues (or anything, for that matter) in
all keys on a single harp.  7th through 11th positions are the most
difficult, 7th being hardest, 11th easiest, and the rest in numerical
order.  

While it is possible, it is a challenge.

It is nearly as impressive, and much simpler by a wide margin, to play in
all keys using TWO harps (i.e. C and Db), because using first through
sixth position, and twelvth position, you've got them all covered.  These
are all very easy to play.  In fact, you actually have a couple of
"duplicate" keys. F is 12th on a C and 5th on a Db; and C is first on a C
and 6th on a Db.  And because these positions have a unique "key
signature" (to coin a phrase), they have a unique sound.  Learning to play
positions gives you a wealth of variety.  Charlie Musselwhite uses
positions to great advantage.  That's one reason he gets such incredible
variety in his playing. 

Playing with valves gives you much greater ability to make good use of 
all positions.  Of course, overblows and overdraws will, too.  Each 
technique has advantages and disadvantages.


 -- mike