Re: [Harp-L] Double stop

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The Iceman wrote:
"Double stop is one way to describe playing 2 notes on the harmonica at
once, as in TB octave and 2 holes next to each other...
Richard Hunter, Howard Levy, RJ Harman, Carlos Del Junco come to mind
immediately as using this technique in their arsenals."
 
To which I can only add:
1) The term "double stop" originally describes a violin technique in
which the player "stops" (i.e. applies finger pressure to) two strings
at once.

2) On the harmonica, it's possible for almost anyone to hit a double
stop of a 10th (e.g. draw 2 and draw 7).  With practice, most players
can hit a double octave (e.g. blow 3 and blow 9), at least on the blow
notes.

3) The technique can be hard to hear in a band context -- it's not
always clear what notes are being played by whom when there's a lot of
musicians playing at once.  The technique can be heard very clearly in
several of the solo pieces available for free download at my website at:
http://hunterharp.com/mp3s.html
Check out "Widow's Walk" and "Billy The Kid" in particular.  The former
is played in first position on a natural minor harp, the latter in
second  position on a country-tuned diatonic (draw 5 reed tuned up one
half step).

Since Jason Ricci brought up he-whose-name-cannot-be-mentioned, let me
note that John Popper uses double stops only occasionally, but I love
his stuff anyway. I love Jason's stuff too, of course, but since I can
mention his name anytime, I don't need to say so right now.

Thansk, R