XB40 and Rick Epping

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

As Rob Paparozzi and George Brooks have noted, I have my reservations
about the timbre and accuracy of overblown and bent pitches. I really
use special tunings as a means to getting bigger and different chord
textures on the diatonic, not so much to make it easier to play
chromatically via bends or overblows on altered scales.  (All the
special tunings I use are diatonic, meaning they have a seven-note
scale, just like a Richter.  So you still have to do something to get
the other 5 notes of the chromatic scale.)

That said, bent and overblown notes are certainly expressive, and I use
a lot of 'em regardless of what tuning I'm playing.  I'm certain that I
will buy an XB40 soon; the only thing holding me up now is that it
appears from posts to this list that the supply is below demand.

On a related topic, I don't know how many members of this list know that
Rick Epping, the force behind the XB40, is celebrated on well-known
pianist George Winston's website.  Winston (who besides his skills as a
pianist is an excellent harmonica player) says there that he's producing
a CD featuring Rick, and further that he counts Rick among his
influences on harmonica.  Cool!  

Thanks, Richard Hunter 
http://www.hunterharp.com