Re: Big Walter's Customized Harp - Mystery Solved!

["Bob Maglinte" <bbqbob917@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mojo Red" <harplicks@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>; "Bob Maglinte" <bbqbob917@xxxxxxxxxxx>; "Howard
Chandler" <chandler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2003 2:30 PM
Subject: Re: Big Walter's Customized Harp - Mystery Solved!


> Hi,
>
> Thanks to Howard Chandler and Bob Maglinte for
> suggesting that Big Walter's "mystery harp" could
> have been a bigger type of Marine Band rather than,
> as I conjectured, a customized short harp.
>
> I went back to the video in question and took a
> closer look - stopping it as BW opened up that cup
> to reveal the open-backed harp. Then, using the
> "zoom" function, got in for an even closer view
> (doncha just love modern technology).
>
> Stopping the action revealed that the harp in
> question did indeed have "Marine Band" markings on
> the top cover. Walter was holding the harp in his
> right hand at that moment, working the high end of
> the harp, using his open left palm to tap it a bit.
>
> I compared the screen's image to what I looked like
> (in a mirror), first holding a regular Marine Band,
> then with one of my big 12-hole 364 Marine Bands.
> Upon careful comparison I could see that Walter's
> index finger only covered about half the harp
> leaving the entire word "Marine" clearly visible,
> while my finger (on a standard Marine Band) covered
> a bit more than half, partially obscuring the word
> "Marine." In addition, Walter was hitting the 9
> blow bend pretty hard just then and was not
> anywhere near the end of the harp. When I held my
> 364 the same way and hit the 9 blow, the
> proportions were just right.
>
> Walter was in all likelyhood using a 12-hole 364
> Marine Band in the key of G on the vid. Walter's
> hands must have been pretty big, however, becau
> he was able to pretty much bury that harp in his
> cup during most of the song.
>
> After solving the mystery I rewound a bit and once
> again enjoyed his wonderful playing, marveling at
> his sense of rhythm, and of course, that Big, Fat
> Tone.
>
> Harpin' in Colorado,
> --Ken M.

Hi Ken,
Big Walter had unbelievably long fingers, and he was able acoustically to
manipulate just a single finger alone to get an amazing array of tonal
colors. I've seen videos of SBW II and he was using a 365 low C, and damn!!
His fingers were freakin' longer than the harp!! To everyone else, would
this mean only people with long fingers can do all of that? The real truth
is learning how to use hands as well as your fingers to get the most out of
it, and too many get so hung up with the amps/mics and don't spend enough
time learning how to manipulate fingers, hands, and breath control first,
and once one practices this, you'd be surprised at what's available to you
and much of this can transfer quite well into the amplified realm of things.

Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA