Re: If I could do it all over...

[Bill Houle <saxandharper@xxxxxxxxx>]

Tim Moyer wrote
?My two cents is "don't give up on yourself". Just
when you think you've done all you can do, you'll
surprise yourself!?

Thanks and I really like reading about other folk?s
experiences, trials and little victories. Sharing is a
good thing. Creative endeavors are all about choice
and the context of those choices. There are lots of
ways to play and learning about how different people
find the ones that are best for them helps everyone
out.  Whether we choose to excel at playing without
overblows or tackle the issue of somehow getting all
those twelve notes and keep that great diatonic sound
is a choice we all share. It?s all good in my opinion
(as long as the intonation is in!).

Maybe it?s heresy to admit this on this list, but to
get all those notes I eventually decided to pick up
sax a couple years ago. My situation is very similar
to yours and I struggle to get that hour every day.
But I play horn on about a third of the songs in my
band now. Mainly fills and simple solos, harp is still
my main axe. But I really like at times having the
creative choice of which instrument to use. It breaks
up the sound and hopefully keeps things a little more
interesting for the audience. Sometimes the harp is
sooo perfect, sometimes it?s the horn. I am not a
great horn player (or harp player for that matter!)
but try to support whatever is going on and am
starting to bring a little juice to the mix.  I still
debate with myself about the balance of working to
improve on two instruments, but am happy with the
choice I made for now. At least I?m learning a lot
more about music with the sax and have been able to
apply it back on the harp. 

And I haven?t given up on overblows. We?re going to
start working on ?Willow Weep For Me? in my band. In
2nd I just need the 4ob to get through the bridge and
then can really wail in the A sections. Still haven?t
decided for sure to try it or switch harps on the
bridge. And if I can carve out just a little more time
I?m going to try valved diatonics and see how that
goes. Finally got around to checking out Ironman?s web
site on the topic and the mod doesn?t look as hard as
I thought (thanks Mike).

Blow in peace,

Bill H.


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