Re: Calling all piggyback players!

[Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx>]

On Apr 15, 2004, at 11:35 PM, Ben Boylan wrote:

> Greetings, all.
> Does anyone else out there play two diatonic harmonicas at a time,
> switching between them not just for a certain few notes, but for the
> chords.
> I'm looking to start a discussion about this technique, if there's 
> interest.
> Harp purists, keep in mind that you can get chords that are otherwise
> impossible with one 10-hole or chromatic, and therein lies the 
> intrigue.
>  
> --Ben Boylan
>

  "As Time Goes By" requires 2 diatonics. One in the key position and 
another 4 half-steps UP
"Tragedy" also requires 2. One is the key and another is 3 half-steps 
UP. "Orange Blossom Spl" is another, but, of course, these are examples 
of which you speak and only need the second harp for short or minute 
sections. Naturally, if you modulate to a different key somewhere, 4 
harps would be required. "La-La-La-La-La, La-La-La-La Means I love You" 
requires 2 extra harps at the bridge, but I never thought it was worth 
the effort and don't change keys there anymore.

  I think you may be talking about some of the tunes (80s mostly) like 
something by "Chicago" or "Steeley-Dan" where the key changes are 
numerous. THIS would require numerous harp changes. I used to do that, 
found it to be a LOT of work and a little hard on my (feeble) brain so
  now just use a chromo.

  Wed nite, I did something that normally would need a second harp, but 
I used a "Gimmicked" spl-20 and between the gimmicks and bendability, 
was able to "squeeze" out the tune without anyone noticing too much?. 
Yeah, I know, ain't the way a purist would do it, but we're not talking 
Carnegie Hall here either. :)

smokey-joe