Re: Stigma of the Harmonica

["david j. brown" <nonidesign@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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Jude,
You had it right the first time. It IS just a little rectangle of metal and
plastic. When you strip away all of the elevated vernacular and boil it down
to the raw basics...you hit it on the head.  If something about these little
rectangular boxes has inspired you to pick them up and take a stab at them
then don't worry about the "complexities". Just follow your passion.  All
the theory and knowledge in the world is no substitute for the value of
honest passion with this instrument. The subtle nuances they can create is
without equal in any other instrument.

I respect the amount of valuable technical knowledge that members of this
chat line possess but for now I would suggest you just  "feel" it out. Have
fun. Make mistakes. Learn to do things the wrong way and learn how to fix
them. Learn how to make the sounds you want to hear. Learn how to use this
little rectangle make YOUR sounds. Then, like learning a language, the
basics will eventually become instinctive.  Eventually (despite it being
just a little rectangle of plastic and metal) you will get it to do what you
want it to do and it will be the best vehicle for creating music that
reflects your individual emotions. It can do this better than any instrument
ever invented this side of a human voice.  And hopefully that feeling will
inspire your passion to create music to such a degree that whatever the
public thinks of it wont mean a damn thing to you.

As for calling it a "little rectangle of metal and plastic" just remember:
Picasso used a paint brush, just like any painter, and he didn't get upset
when somebody called it a stick with horse hair tied to it.

I have read the thread and it seems like you hit the ego nerve, something I
got the stump for early on.  Come on folks...outside of our little harmonica
world most of the music listening and playing world may never see harmonicas
as anything other than little rectangular boxes. So what? I play music for
what it does for me. If someone else wants to listen..great. If not... no
worries. Dispelling this "stigma" against harmonica players in the public's
mind is the public's problem, not ours.


Comrades:
Iceman: the words "minds" and "public" can't be used in the same sentence if
their taste in music is any indication of their intelligence. Unfortunately,
actually playing ANY instrument is fast becoming a novelty in popular music
(which is what the "mass public" listens to).  As far as I can tell, the
public is only interested in synthetic music, choreographed group dancing,
belly buttons, and how loudly their cars can buzz from the use of
subwoofers. The mass-public is more interested in music as fashion than
feeling. We play instruments of feeling. I don't have a problem being in
THAT minority.

Andrew: I agree with all your points but isn't it really applicable to the
personalities of musicians in general as opposed to one or two
instrument-specific groups? Any musician who can't control his ego or hasn't
the mature facility to realize they are part of an ensemble composition is,
in a word, an a@@hole.

2 cents worth a slap.
- - D

From: PL500@xxxxxxx
Reply-To: PL500@xxxxxxx
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2003 17:34:29 EDT
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Stigma of the Harmonica


In a message dated 6/15/03 1:31:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
IcemanLE@xxxxxxx writes:


A little rectangle of metal and plastic".....

The harmonica is a legitimate musical instrument and, as such, has all the
depth and complexity of a Steinway Grand Piano in mastering it musically.

This stigma of "metal and plastic" is the perception that we, as a harmonica
community, work so hard to overcome in the minds of the public.

The Iceman 


When the Piano was invented in 1709 by Bartolommeo Cristofori it was
initailly dismissed for its predecessor the harpsichord , but as the years
went by it gained acceptance by its tweaking and evolution. The same with
the Saxophone in its inception in 1840; it was initially proposed for
classical music and did not really catch on until much later in dance bands
and jazz. Harmonica in structure and development has had a long road, but
its roots in the long tradition of free reed instruments (3,000+ years) has
been with much fruition. The likes of Howard Levy, Larry Adler, Walter
Jacobs, and Toots Thielemans have given the instrument overall a legitimate
place in music regardless of what ANY guitarist, piano, or saxophonist may
say. Electric guitar was not even accepted till Charlie Christian brought it
to the forefront in jazz, it was seen as a novelty item, a "toy" which
little wannabe musicians could pluck their fingers on. Still I have yet to
see an electric guitar in the classical field, but I do know of quite a few
pieces written for harmonica (performed by Howard Levy and Larry Adler).
This in essence says nothing,but it does point that at least the classical
community does regard harmonica as a legitimate instrument.

The stigma concerning harmonica has its roots not in a close-minded public
,but in harmonica players who feel as though they can approach the
instrument with no regard to music or its rules. Much of the stigma given to
harmonica and its players is not uncalled for (as is much of the stigma
given to guitar players who have no regard for the music and feel they can
be great soloists without being solid rhythm players); in general ignorance
from harmonica players concerning music is rampant and far surpasses the
ignorant stupidity in the guitar community (and let me say that is a tall
order! ).  The solution to the problem is not for the public to open its
eyes, but for harmonica players in general to realize much of the problems
they suffer come from their own ranks. I respect great players (particularly
ones on this list) who dish out help at the drop of a hat (this goes out to
you Mike Will - your site is the best asset for any harmonica player
learning the instrument); you do far more good than you realize. Yet we must
be honest, it is a monster which we have made, and the best way to rectify
it is to be real musicians and approach the instrument with the respect it
deserves. 

Andrew