Re: [Harp-L] My First Chromatic

["Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jonathan Metts" <jonathan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2007 6:55 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] My First Chromatic


> 2. Should I mod this harp right away?

No...if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Learn to play it, then you'll know 
what mods are of interest to you.

> 3. If I mostly want to play like Stevie,

Stevie's style is mostly timing and choice of notes to play.  Learn the 
"mechanical" basics and then tackle that style. Crawl before you walk and 
walk before you run.

> what is the most important thing to learn?

Understand that it is a different instrument. You have traded the deep draws 
for the F and A in the low octave and "black key / button-push" halftones. 
You will be using tongue-block a lot more and pucker a lot less. Chromatic 
opens huge new musical genres to you but won't wail the blues like your 
diatonic.

If you don't read music already, learn!  Then learn to read and play in keys 
other than C.

The great chromatic players all have a nice slow, smooth throat vibrato. 
On long notes, it starts lightly, then gradually gets deeper and faster 
toward the end.  Practice vibrato on your chromatic as you would bending on 
a diatonic.

> 4. Is it normal for most of what I play on this thing to sound Arabian

The minor "Arabian" sound comes from trying to play draw chords. The draw 
D,F,A in holes 1, 2, 3 is a D minor chord. If you also play the B in hole 4, 
it is a dischord.  Until you are more advanced, forget chords and play 
single notes.

The reeds in a chromatic are the same as reeds in a diatonic.  Unless you 
are playing chords or bending, they will sound very much the same.

> 5. Are the bends supposed to be so small and touchy, prone to squealing 
or
> choking?

It is impossible to get the deep bends you are accustomed to on a diatonic 
because the opening reed in the chamber is blocked by a valve.
You lose the deep draw bends...but you gain blow bends.  The other problem 
is that there is some leakage through the slide that hinders bending.  This 
leakage can be greatly improved by modifying the slide but it is too soon 
for you to worry about that.  99% of chromatic players use stock harps.

"Squealing and choking" comes from trying to make the bends too deep. 
Because you don't need to bend to get "missing" notes, you can use  shallow 
bends just for musical effect.

> Thanks in advance to anyone who can help.  I'm really excited about diving
> into this new instrument!  It's definitely a larger departure from 
> diatonic
> than I had expected.

You said it.  You are still trying to play it like a diatonic and expecting 
it to behave like a diatonic.  Learn to use that button and you will come to 
love it.  Then when you want to play a diatonic, I assume that you haven't 
fogottten how or thrown them away!

Much of  the above is my opinion,...and others will differ.

Vern