RE: [Harp-L] intonation and bending/overblow notes , iceman's summertime

["Chris Michalek" <Chris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Well Brian is obviously stirring the pot but that's as it needs to be
done from time to time...

intonation is very very important but sometime the energy of the song
will supercede such issues...

Feel free to tear my rendition of the same tune...there are clams
galore but the ferocity of the groove overwhelms any serious issues. 
Perhaps y'all think differently.


www.michalekstrone.com/music/summertime.mp3



>
>
>
>---- Original Message ----
>From: jaguire@xxxxxxxxxxx
>To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: RE: [Harp-L] intonation and bending/overblow notes ,
>iceman's summertime
>Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 09:17:17 -0700
>
>>
>> iceman sayeth,
>>
>>"To answer the question and suggestions of using a minor tuned
>harmonica to 
>>play this song, I choose not to use any special tuned harmonicas in
>order to 
>>realize my vision of moving all notes created on the regular
>diatonic 
>>harmonica into equality.
>>
>>The very fact that so many of you couldn't tell that "Summertime"
>was played 
>>in 2nd position lets me know that my notes created through bending 
>>techniques (including OB) are becoming seamless. "
>>
>>-----------------------------
>>
>>out of tune notes are not  "seamless", they stick out instantly to
>the 
>>listener as "off" and sound generally unpleasant
>>
>>
>> notes played are either in tune or out of tune....intonation.....if
>that 
>>song "summertime" had been played on a chromatic or a piano all the
>notes 
>>would have been in tune.....fact is there were quite a few if not
>many notes 
>>there that were simply out of tune...stick out like a sore thumb
>every time 
>>.   just because the notes are played on a diatonic harmonica does
>not mean 
>>we can blithely ignore the
>>fact that out of tune notes sound bad.   hitting bent or
>overbend/overblow 
>>notes spot on to pitch every single time in a live performance is
>really 
>>hard if not impossible. hitting every note in tune every single time
>on a 
>>piano or a chromatic is virtually guaranteed.  i've heard howard
>play live 
>>for hours and have never heard more out of tune notes played live by
>a 
>>professional musician in my entire life.  quite embarrassing to
>witness 
>>really.
>>
>>maybe it's the polite thing to do to ignore out of tune notes played
>over 
>>and over again on a diatonic harmonica but then again there is a
>place for 
>>something called intellectual honesty , especially in this forum.
>>
>> this needs to be said by someone other that just richard.   i make
>these 
>>obvious points not to create rancor or to detract from a player's
>talent , 
>>since howard for instance is , in a general although oddly
>contradictory 
>>sense, clearly far and away the most talented musician to ever play
>the 
>>diatonic harmonica ( regardless of the fact that i would rather
>listen to 
>>william clarke or a few dozen other harp players).
>>
>>of course , playing a blues harp in " amplified chicago-style " or 
>>"amplified rock harp"  as many of "our heroes"  do/did , is a style
>much 
>>less susceptible to this intonation problem . one reason being that
>notes 
>>are not so dependant on being hit spot on where bending is often
>slurred 
>>through in the blues/rock style.
>>
>>can you say, "the emperor's new clothes" ?   i knew you could.  
>this whole 
>>phenomenon of harp people ignoring all the out of tune notes is the
>most 
>>amazing case of the "emperor's new clothes"  in real life.      
>where the 
>>heck is the little boy who says, " gee, that dude can really play
>the hell 
>>out that harmonica, but what's up with all the out of tune notes
>that nobody 
>>is calling b.s. on?   seems to me if a violin teacher heard her
>prodigy 
>>violin student play every fifth note off-pitch he/she would
>INSTANTLY call 
>>b.s. on that.
>>
>>maybe i don't get it , but i can tell when a note is badly off pitch
>in a 
>>song .    and i am a big fan of harmonica music.
>>
>>cletus 
>>
>>
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Chris Michalek

www.michalekstrone.com
CD Available
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/michalekstrone