[Harp-L] Intonation - The Smooth Lake

[Robert Bonfiglio <bon@xxxxxxxxxx>]

There are times where I view my playing emotionally as being on the 
surface of a very smooth lake and any disturbance would cause a ripple 
in the emotional impact.  My object in moments like these is to to keep 
the surface of the lake absolutely smooth.

Any problems with intonation, tonal color, vibrato, rhythm, dynamics, 
phrasing or articulation and the ripple goes out across the lake and 
kills the emotion.  The concentration on keeping the lake so smooth 
that it reflects everything perfectly can be intense.   If you go to

http://cdbaby.com/cd/bonfiglio2

and click on #9 - Thais Meditation you can hear these moments.

There are times when there is no room for an out of tune note - in 
classical music, with string quartets for example, intonation can be 
about 98 per cent of the battle.

Toots had enough trouble getting the harmonica sort of accepted in jazz 
and I don't ever remember hearing him play an out of tune note.  I 
don't think it's wise to start accepting out of tune notes now.

Harmonically yours,

Robert Bonfiglio
http://www.robertbonfiglio.com