[Harp-L] Let's put all speculation aside




When I wrote to Brendan Powers
concerning Suzuki's product line I expected that Brendan would actually be able
to eventually answer the questions posed to him.  Merely to state the
obvious, I never asked such questions before, and Brendan seemed to be inviting
such interaction.  I could pick apart JR "Bulldogge" Ross'
correspondence sentence by sentence.  But I don't think the argumentative
answer satisfies anyone.  No I don't have any sales figures at my
disposal!  Only a few people on this list have such information and are
unlikely to publish it. 


 


I can’t believe that I’m putting
citations on a discussion group, but it hasn’t been totally unproductive.  I may have uncovered a mistake on my part.  I recall hearing on Howard Levy’s DVD that
the natural minor harmonica contains the Japanese scale within it.  [1] 
[I didn’t check this because there is even a limit to how anal I can
be.]  I went to Tombo’s Japanese website
and found that they are marketing a harmonic minor harmonica.  [2] 
I expected to find that they were marketing a natural minor harp.  


 


Suzuki markets a five-hole necklace
harmonica in your choice of minor or major tuning.  [3 & 6]  I assumed
that means natural minor.  Now I don’t
know.  Suzuki markets the Humming
Tremolo in C, C#, A, G, D, Am, Gm, and Dm in the USA.
[4]  All the minor and major keys are
available in Europe.  [5]  I know that means “Natural Minor!” [7]  It is incontrovertible that harmonicas are
being sold in other parts of the world that are not available here.


 


There appears to be an interest on
this list about how a harmonica manufacturer determines it's product
line.  We all have our sacred cows.  JR Ross wants high end
diatonics.  I like alternate tunings on a diatonic.  Someone else
likes a particular kind of tuning on a chromatic.


 


I didn’t mean to slander Brendan
Power or his employer Suzuki.  I think
Brendan can take it.  He is taking a
hiatus this year, but he made a good living on alternative tunings.  [8] 
I like Seydel’s business model best. 
The customer is always right! 
Tell them what you want and they will send you a quote.  I believe that was Brendan’s system until this year.  Brendan can answer his own questions and
defend himself for that matter, if he really believes that it is
necessary.  But I’m sure he appreciates
Bulldogs good will.


 


So the question for Brendan is now
pared down to “How does Suzuki determine it’s product line, and how do we get
our hands on our own sacred cow tunings now that your business is in
hiatus?”  


 


As for the rest of you:  “Does anybody out there know anything about
the Japanese scale?”


 


IN MY OPINION!


 


[1]


http://www.amazon.com/DVD-New-Directions-Harmonica-Expanding-Your-Technique/dp/B000CEGXYQ/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-2650952-6169566?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1178200160&sr=8-1


 


[2]


http://www.tombo-m.co.jp/harm/10.html


 


[3]


http://www.suzukimusic.com/harmonicas/metal/


 


[4]


http://www.suzukimusic.com/harmonicas/su21h/


 


[5]


http://www.harmonicas-direct.com/index2.html


 


[6]


http://coast2coastmusic.com/cgi-bin/cart/SUMMA5.html


 


[7]


http://coast2coastmusic.com/double_reed/solotuned.shtml


 


[8]


http://www.brendan-power.com/


 


 








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