Re: [Harp-L] Re: future harmonicas and all that

[Serguei Volkov <svolkov@xxxxxxxxx>]

I know when I started this subject this idea hadn't
caught on, but I still believe after all that has
been said on the subject, the success of the harmonica
breaking into mainstream lies essentially in the
ability of the instrument to master mainstream
music chord changes, to which the Richter tuned
harmonica just isn't well suited.

When the Chicago blues band became the rock'n'roll
band in the 1960s, why didn't the harmonica cross-
over along with guitar, bass and drums? Mick Jagger,
John Lennon, Van Morrison, Eric Burdon all fooled
around on the harmonica at first, didn't they?
But as melodies evolved from blues licks into
more "pop" major and minor, the harmonica was
ditched.

I believe the harmonica has a place in pop just
as the sax does, because after more than 50 years
it remains the coolest instrument in the world!
But we need to give special tunings, which are
actually not that special compared to Richter
played cross (flat 7th in a major ballad? why?),
but are actually very logical in the pop context,
more consideration.

Sergei