Re: Jazz Vs Overblows?

["Mike Curtis" <ironman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Vern;

I'm replying to the list because I really think this is of general interest.

Had your handsfree chromatic been available before I learned valved bends, I
probably would have gone that route.  And I still might if I can scrape the
ducats together.  The green is lean these days.  I could justify both valved
and handsfree chromatic.  They sound different.

And list - I tried Verns "original" handsfree chromatic.  I was *very*
impressed with how well it worked, and especially the EASE of the "slide"
mechanism and how little it interfered with my normal playing motions (or my
motions with it).  I founf myself playing it usably well immediately.  And
he says the new one is even better!

I do enjoy playing chromatic.  There are things you can do with a chrom that
you can't with a valved diatonic - and vice versa.


- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, July 22, 2003 10:21 PM
Subject: Re: Jazz Vs Overblows?


- ----- Original Message -----
 From: "Mike Curtis" <ironman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

 > But I play in a rack.  My two hands play guitar (or sometimes electric
 > bass).  I stand on one foot.  The other plays organ bass pedals.  I'm out
> of "legal-on-stage" appendages to activate the slide, n'est-ce pas?

 You could easily play a Hands-Free-Chromatic that uses a 4mm vertical
 movement of the mouthpiece to accomplish the function of the slide. This
 makes your additional "legal on-stage appendage" your neck. It takes years
 to develop bend/overblow chromatic ability on a diatonic and minutes to
play
 all the chromatic notes on an HFC. Because no bending or overblowing is
 required, all of the HFC #/b notes can be held smoothly as long as desired
 with exactly the same timbre as the naturals.

 However, if you don't WANT to play the chromatic harmonica, then the above
 arguments are all irrelevant!

 Vern