[Harp-L] Re: Removing windsavers from chromatics

["G." <gigs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

<quote>
Date: Fri, 17 Sep 2004 16:52:46 -0500
From: Jonathan Hill <jonathan.f.hill@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Re: Removing windsavers from chromatics
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
8<
I'm finding myself becoming more and more serious about the instrument
(harmonica in general, not just the chromatic) and really want to
learn to play some jazz using sax-like lines on both instruments. To
that end, I'm practicing my arpeggios and noticed on my C chromatic
that a B-flat major 7th has a jump over a hole (and I'm sure some of
the others have some tricky spots, but I only really noticed it with
that particular one). So if I try to play that arpeggio with ANY kind
of speed at all, the gap in jumping that hole is pretty noticeable. Is
this one of those situations where Bonfiglio and others use the
tongue-switching method? I'm sure its an easy technique once you get
used to it, but at the present its giving me headaches trying to work
it out. As always, thanks for suggestions.
</quote>

I think Winslow has made good suggestions.  I'd like to add a bit more.
  I understand from interviews and seminars most professional chromatic harp
Jazz players use pucker exclusively.  Where as (I believe) Classical
Chromatic players generally use both pucker & tongue block as appropriate at
any given moment.

But even Toots is on record (interview in "Jazz Harp" by Richard Hunter)
saying there are hard keys, and he'll transpose songs to another key that
lies over the key of C 12 hole chromatic more smoothly.  This is echo'd in
interviews and seminars by other professional Jazz chromatic players who
only play key of C chromatic.

Might pay to get material by Toots, Jens, Antonio Serrano, Laurent Maur,
Mike Turk, and for comparison classic chromatic players like Franz Chmel,
and if you can find them John Sebastian Snr and Adalberto Borioli.

To hear what is possible.  Although bear in mind they all have a decade or
more lead on you.

Personally I promote the use of both pucker and tongue block (equally
comfortable from left and right sides) to take advantage of all the
advantages they offer.

  Corner switches when mastered help for making larger interval leaps, so
the answer to your question is yes. That said, with lots of practice
skipping a hole without using corner switches becomes natural and smooth.
You need only listen to Toots, Jens, etc to hear this.

Other alternatives you may want to look into:
* Maurice Einhorn found that playing in key of F on C chromatic was easy for
him and the way it lies over C solo offers many alternatives not available
in other keys.  Eg. capitalising on F blow & draw, and C blow & draw.  He
uses chromatics in all keys.  He simply uses the chromatic that he can play
in 12th position for the key of the song.  12th position is the fourth of
the harp's key, AKA 1st flat position.  Eg. For a song in Eb, he'd use a Bb
chromatic.
He is a sophisticated player, and can hold his own over complex changes.  I
think its a sensible solution as it greatly reduces the technical hurdles
that the C Solo tuning puts up.

* There are a couple of altered tunings that offer advantages.
One of which is C7 Bebop - this is good for players who have mastered
regular C chromatic, want something more, but don't want to move away from
what they know.  The left C & C# of each double up C, blow holes 4 & 8, are
retuned a wholetone down giving you two more choice notes Bb & B.  It'd take
a bit of practice to get used to change, but it offers a few more options
for playing legato, and making smaller intervals leaps.  Also theres no
reason why you couldn't take a leaf out of Maurice's book and have
chromatics in all keys with Bebop tuning and play in 12th position.

Another altered tuning that has something to offer is Diminished tuning - my
prefered tuning - its has a symmetrical layout, 4 holes per octave, four
evenly spaced choice notes, you only need to learn 3 different patterns to
play in all keys - this is very useful for someone who wants to play Jazz
and Blues in all keys on one chromatic. I found it quicker to familiarise
myself with in all keys than other tunings like Solo & Bebop, I find it
easier to play by ear with because the layout is symmetrical and
predictable.
Actually, rather than me doing a big write up yet again about diminished
tuning and its advantages I'll point you to this:
http://www.angelfire.com/music/harmoinca/dimichromintro.html

But yes, theres no short cut to gaining experience, whatever approach you
decide on, lots of practise is required to make progress.

Cheers,
-- G.