Re: [Harp-L] Re: Searching for Half-Valved Players

["PT Gazell" <ptgazell@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Brendan wrote:

However, using a
half-valved diatonic for fully chromatic playing is another kettle of
fish. On a diatonic, I use half-valving for expression, not
chromaticism. Getting the bend down to pitch is not too bad, but hitting
a valved bend in tune, stable and sounding nice is very hard, and for me
the results are too nasty to be practically usable. Knowing how hard it
is, I appreciate the efforts of those who try this route - especially PT
Gazell. It would be interesting to hear your experiences of using valved
bends, PT.



   First let me say that Brendan's idea of fully chromatic and mine are 
most likely worlds apart. I play mostly in 2nd position...some in 5th and 
12th and few oddball positions on certain songs. I also think of my valved 
playing as 2nd position with some chromaticity thrown in. Brendan on the 
other hand, plays chromatically...he also plays chromatic harmonica very 
very well. His playing will attest to that!

   To put it briefly...I was never informed that valving meant you were now 
doing single reed bends. I figured that the valves allowed me to manipulate 
what was previously not doable. It was only after Joe Filisko heard me play 
and asked me if I knew how difficult it was to play single reed bends, ( I 
stopped him and said "don't tell me that or I won't be able to play this way 
anymore") that I found out that traditional bending involved both reeds. 
Well ignorance is bliss. I thought that since I knew how to bend notes that 
this was the same thing.... I figured that the technique was the same as 
blow bending holes 9 and 10 on an un-valved harmonica, so that's how I went 
about it.

   I too would find it very difficult to play un-valved anymore. Even 
without the added bonus of the missing notes, the emotional sound that it 
delivers is worth it alone. Lets face it...a big part of why the diatonic 
appeals to so many people, is the draw note bends that have that very human 
voice like feeling to them. The valves add that to the blow notes as well. 
Sure the blowbends require technique and practice, and the 1 hole and 2 hole 
blowbends are very tough, but are they not also very difficult in the 
overblow world? Having said all this I can see that the valved style would 
probably appeal more to melody players rather than some other styles...which 
is exactly why it appeals so much to me.

   Sometimes I think we have too much info about the workings of our 
instrument and it holds us back. What I didn't know about single and dual 
reed bends didn't hurt me. And that's not to say that I always hit them spot 
on...believe me!!! I would say that the single biggest thing going in my 
favor was that I emulated Charlie McCoy when I first started to play, and 
he's all about spot on bending, so I had a good base.

   Brendan's right about the fact that the chromatic delivers the notes 
much closer to pitch more, or most of the time...but I can't play the damn 
thing, so I continue to try and get better on the valved diatonic.

   In conclusion, I know that valved diatonic playing has opened up a whole 
world of music to me that was previously unavailable. For me it's the best 
of both worlds...that emotional diatonic sound and all the notes. Examples 
can be heard at the links below.


Thanks, and I hope to see some of you in Milwaukee in August.


PT Gazell
pt@xxxxxxxxxxxx
www.myspace.com/ptgazell
www.ptgazell.com
http://www.sonicbids.com/PTGazell
www.cdbaby.com/all/gazell