Re: [Harp-L] 'A' harp issue

[icemanle@xxxxxxx]

I've had a lot of fun using a "D" harp in 3rd position, but playing "cross harp" ideas instead of the usual 3rd Positiony Playing approach.
 
It cuts through better than an "A" harp and helps expand the understanding of where the notes lay.
 
The Iceman 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Rowse <steven@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sun, 3 Jul 2005 14:53:24 +0100
Subject: [Harp-L] 'A' harp issue


One of those 'is it me' questions that only a list like this can answer: 
 
I sing and play with an electric blues band, not too rocky or noisy, the guitarist uses a little Fender not a big Marshall, you know? And I don't like playing my 'A' harp with the band. It sounds low and it feels slow and it doesn't cut through the mix for me somehow. Yet when we do songs in F - 'My Babe' for instance - I'm fine with the Bb harp, it sounds high enough to cut through and I like playing it. I tried a few different types of harp in A - went through Lee Oscars, MBs, even a Hering 192? 'reissue'. No dice. They tend to go flat on me too, probably because I overdo it trying to get them to sound right. Lately I got a Suzuki Bluesmaster - nice little harp and the best so far because it's quite toppy and responds quicker than the others, I feel, but that bad feeling I can't quite explain is still there. So is it me or is it the harp? 
 
It's a problem, what with so many songs being in E. Seems unreasonable to get the band to go up a step for what may well be a crazy reason, anyhow it would make singing harder; songs in E often go right to the top of my range as it is. I feel I'm reaching for a 'high A' harp but acourse they don't go above high G - probably for good technical reasons, though I'm considering retuning a high G up a step anyway... I like the way my high G squawks, maybe it would be go up a couple of steps without summoning the neighbourhood dogs? 
 
So I got out my Bb and my Suzuki A and swapped them around for a bit - and the whole feel of these harps seems totally different to me - the Bb is fast and high enough and nice and horn-ey, and even the Suzuki seems slow and a bit low-down and just nothing much going on to inspire me. 
 
Anyone else been through this? Is there really a mugh-bigger-than-normal difference between Bb and A harps? Maybe it's my head resonance? Or maybe it's just my head, whaddaya think? 
 
Steve 
 
 
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