[Harp-L] 10 hole German major valved chromatic

[fjm <mktspot@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm not terrible at playing a 10 hole harmonica.  I can overblow the 
easy ones, play 1 through 4th position.  I have all 10 holes available 
to me, I can tongue block, u-block or play pucker.  I manage chords and 
single notes fairly well.  There are definite deficits in my playing but 
I'm past intermediate in skill level.  None of this translates readily 
to playing a chromatic.  I'm not a single note player on diatonic.  This 
is not a particularly useful strategy for chromatic.  Yes I know there 
are some chords but it's very very different.  Tone on a chromatic is 
also entirely different.  So is the expression.  Trills for instance. 
Much of the expressiveness of diatonic is accessed through bends.  I've 
seen Slim Heilpern play, I've heard him talk about playing.  It's clear 
to me the strategies he employs are entirely different than what I'd use 
playing the 10 hole.  It's really a very different way of thinking.  I'm 
not giving up, there's a CX-12 on my desk and I play it daily but there 
is no denying it's a struggle.  All you diatonic players out there, 
raise your hand if this fits.  You picked up a diatonic and played it 
and it made complete and total sense to you from the very first moment. 
  I know this was true for me.  It was so completely rewarding.  I 
picked one up and I could play music.   fjm