re: diminished chro (was "new harp from brendan")

[Jp Pagan <jpl_pagan@xxxxxxxxx>]

> Hi all,
> 
> Just got a new harmonica from Brendan Power.  It's a
diminished tuned CX12 that is half valved.  
> I had been playing a bebop tuned CX12 (fully valved)
from Brendan before.
> 
> Yikes!  :) 
> 

you lucky lucky son of a sailor. i just got a
diminished tuned tenor C (not from Brendan) not too
long ago. mine is fully valved, but i'm considering
turning it into a half-valved.


> The hard part about the tuning at the moment is that
it's so easy to get lost...But again, a matter of
time...
> 

i've had a really good luck with learning this tuning,
compared to the solo tuning. the only key i could find
my way around was D (3rd pos.) but on the diminished,
it was only a matter of weeks before i started to feel
like i knew more less where the notes were. of course,
i start to get lost when i try to improvise or when i
just try to play along to something, but it happens
less often than it did with solo, and scales i've
found easy to figure out and remember. 


> The half-valved thing is very interesting(!) so far.
 

you'll have tell me more about what you think of that.
the half-valving will allow you to bend all the draw
notes, with the button in or out, down a half-step.
these bends are just like on a regular diatonic (i.e.,
they involve both blow and draw reeds). if you're
playing a Tenor C, Brendan probably left some of the
very bottom valves on, because otherwise it's too
leaky (at least that's what he says)
also, theoretically you could bend further with the
notes valved than unvalved, but valved bends never
sound like unvalved ones, as far as i can tell. not
the same "guts."

> 
> I think I'm going to enjoy this extra range of
possibility.  I think I'm going to learn a lot from
playing this thing!
> 

i've already learned a thing or two about how scales
are constructed, and chords. that's one of the great
things. think of that C chord you normally have in the
blow plane. on the dimmie, it's just blow 1, then
button in for blow 2 and 3. and blow with the button
in and you have the Bb. and if you think in half-steps
(not necessarily button movement) you have same
relationship all over the harp. i realize that sounds
confusing, but i'm working on a better explanation ;)

anyway... enjoy, and please keep us (especially me!)
posted on your progress.

     --Jp

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