Re: Newbie questions

["Jamie Dolan" <chromatics@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>snips from post by Peter Harlan<
> I have a pretty good musical
> background, but except for playing a little blues on
> a diatonic harp years ago, I don't have any experience
> with the harmonica.

What sort of musical background? Remember, more than blues can be played on
a harmonica :)) The chromatic is very different to a diatonic. I, a
chromatic player, am completely lost when someone shoves a blues harp into
my hand and tells me to play! I never really, as it seems most people did,
learn a diatonic before progressing to a chromatic. Also, I've never had
that overwhelming desire to play the blues, and hence invest the time in
learning the blues harp.

> My thinking is that, since I haven't already invested
> a lot of time learning the more standard tuning, I
> might as well start out with something thar might offer
> more versatility. Does this make sense? How common is
> it to play a number of different tunings? And is there
> some advantage to the standard tuning that I'm missing
> here? I can't see a compelling reason to double up the
> tonic blowing 4-5 and 8-9. On the downside, you do lose
> the single note extension at the top, and inversions of
> C major chords would require the tongue to block out
> the added A/A# or Bb/B. Are these important issues?

Ahhh, so you've already kinda learnt the chromatics. Sorry there :)) Right,
what you've been playing, the standard tuning, is generally called Solo
tuning. Now, when you say something that offers more versitility... this
really depends on what style of music you want to play. I have to own up to
only ever playing Solo tuning, and there are many more people out there who
have learnt other tunings, who are much better to talk to on the subject.
But... I find that Solo, for the music I want to play (mainly classical and
some jazz) works pretty well. For classical, tunings that sacrafice on
aspects such smooth transitions between notes in the scale, in order to gain
more chords etc may not be worth the hassle. But then there's the tunings
that are meant to offer supreme transitions in the scale, and such aspects
as only needing to know about four patterns to play in all keys.

I think I'm right in saying that nearly everybody who now plays in altered
tunings, once played Solo, and I know for sure that some still continue to
play in two or more different tunings, which I am sure is incredibly good
for their playing. If I had more instruments or money then I would look into
different tunings for playing jazz, and other ones for playing folk etc.

Solo tuning... the most obvious advantage is that it is the standard tuning
produced in all chromatic harmonicas. No tuning or hassle required, spare
plates available ready to play etc. But, just because it's economical to
play Solo, doesn't mean it's the tuning that produces the desired musical
outcome. One of the main reasons that I play Solo is that I am interested in
playing pieces composed specifically for the chromatic. Quite a fair few of
these contain chords/intervals which could only be played on a Solo tuned
instrument. I only really use one harmonica, but in the future, if I find
the time, I will look into having a selection of differently tuned
intruments to see if it's musically sound to use them in different aspects
of the music I play. I.e. if they make the damn trills in the Scottish
Country Dance music any easier to handle! :))

> No matter what, there are always going to be at least
> two ways to play some notes. On many instruments, there
> are fairly standard scale fingerings which are learned
> by beginners. As the player advances, he or she finds
> out that alternate fingerings can offer tachnical and
> interpretive advantages in specific kinds of passages.
> I'm assuming it's a similar evolution for the harmonica
> player. Is there a method or reference book anybody
> would like to recommend that covers these issues well?

Well... considering the fact that there's only the two notes in Solo tuning
that can be played twice (within an octave, three if you count the next C) I
doubt there's a whole book on the subject (but maybe in the future, we're
just waiting for someone to write it). Some always say 'play C in hole 5,
never in hole 4' etc but many players (including myself) use whatever notes
we find MOST MUSICAL. In many cases it may be what is easiest to play (i.e.
moving quickly between C and the Bb below. Instead of Blow 5 then Draw 3
with the slide in, or even Blow 4 then Draw 3 with the slide in, how about
Draw 4 With the slide in moving to Draw 3 with the slide in. Only a change
of hole instead of change in hole, breath and slide posistion) but not
always. There's not set way to play the thing :)) Tommy Reilly always
advocates moving up a chromatic scale using E# but down using F. I played it
that way before I have ever heard of Tommy Reilly... You're right, we all
evolve our own way of playing things.

> Finally, here's a zany question: Is it possible to blow
> and draw simultaneously on opposite sides of tongue? If
> it's even possible, I'm sure it's difficult, but I'm
> just asking out of curiosity. I remember how amazed I
> was when I first saw a horn player circular breathe,
> and it seems that great players are always redefining
> what is possible on their instruments.

:)) Would sure be great if it could be done! But no,  I certainly have never
heard of any body who could do this, and would have to say I think it
impossible. Circular breathing involves breathing through the nose whilst
using the tongue as a piston to get the air into the holes, but I think it
VERY improbable that somebody could use only one side of their tongue to
block of that side of their mouth and shovel air towards the reeds, whilst
drawing on the other side. Don't be afraid to ask these things though!

All the best

Jamie

P.S. It's not quite the same but you can get the blow and draw reeds to
operate at the same time on a diatonic harmonica but blowing hard and
keeping your cup real airtight.