RE: [Harp-L] Stevie Wonder's Harmonica

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Jose - 

On both those tunes, Stevie is using a standard chromatic in C. He
usually plays a four-octave instrument similar to the Hohner Super 64,
though he often plays customized instruments.

"Isn't She Lovely" is played in the key of E major on a C chromatic.

"There Must be an Angel" is played in G major on a C chromatic.

They sound similar because it's Stevie; his style has a few
well-defined elements that are very characteristic of his playing.

Winslow

--- Jose Texidó <josetexido@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Hello people.
> First of all let me introduce myself. My name is Jose, from Buenos
> Aires,
> Argentina. I've been playing blues harp for almost four years.
> I always wonder about the steve wonder's harmonica tunings. For
> example,
> when he plays songs like Is't she lovely or "there must be an angel"
> with
> annie lennox. Both songs has similar harp solos, and I wonder if they
> are in
> the same key, and which key is he using, so I ask you if you know the
> exactly key of those plays?
> I'm really novice in this type of playing, so I'd like to start
> playing
> Steve Wonder's method. Do you have a web page, tutorial or some
> useful
> material to bring in order to understand his licks?
> Still working to perform my style.
> Thank you very much!!
> 
> 
> Jose Texidó
> josetexido@xxxxxxxxx
> 
> -----Mensaje original-----
> De: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] En
> nombre
> de Robert Bonfiglio
> Enviado el: lunes, 04 de junio de 2007 11:31
> Para: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Asunto: [Harp-L] Stevie Wonder's Harmonica
> 
> Just back from wonderful concerts with the Bochum Symphony in  
> Germany.  Took a look at the harmonica Stevie was playing and I think
>  
> this Frank Huang's model.  He mad a brass 280 but with cover plates  
> with channels like the CBH 2016 that were set in from the front of  
> the comb so as to not be totally air tight and stop all notes from  
> playing.  I played these when Frank made them at Hohner years ago in 
> 
> Long Island; very heavy harmonicas using old 280 plates.  Nice sound 
> 
> and the channels added some focus, you can barely see them in the
> video.
> 
> He was still using them when I met him at the Song Writer's Hall of  
> Fame concert I was performing in; he was honoring Barry Gordy.  We  
> talked harmonica back stage for 30 minutes before going on.
> 
> Harmonically yours,
> 
> Robert Bonfiglio
> 
> 
> http://www.robertbonfiglio.com
> 
> 
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