Re: [Harp-L] Chromatics tuned like diatonics

[Philharpn@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 11/28/07 7:07:33 AM, ichadwick@xxxxxxxxxxxx writes:


> Was wondering if anyone here could comment on the chromatic harps that are 
> tuned like a diatonic but use the slide to get those elusive tone bends. I 
> see Hohner has a couple and probably a few other companies offer them. I was 
> tempted to buy one but... at $60-$80 I'm not sure the investment is sound given 
> my low skill level.
> 
> Could anyone recommend a 'beginner's' chromatic that might be a suitable 
> place to start?
> 
> 
> First of all, there is no such thing as a beginner's chromatic.   And don't 
use your skill level -- or lack of it -- to justify buying a cheap harmonica. 


You can buy a 12-hole chromatic for $70 or $100, depending on which brand you 
select. While the more you spend, the more you get it true, harmonicas are 
like beer. Everybody has their favorite brand -- and it's not always based on 
price. 

The worst thing a beginning musician can do is to buy a cheap instrument. I 
have many Herings. I bought them because they were a lot cheaper than Hohners. 
But when I have a problem with my Hohner, I simply mail it to the U.S. 
headquarters (in Virginia?) and for the price of postage they fix it. With Hering, 
I'm on my own. I cannot get replacement parts. If I want to fix it, I have to 
buy another one and take it apart. But I still like my Herings.

The real problem is that for the most part you can't "test drive" a harmonica 
because most dealers will not let you play their chromatic harmonicas in the 
display case because who will want to buy it after you have slobbered all over 
it? Would you want a harmonica that somebody else had "played?"

So you are up against buying one to find out if you like it.

The deciding factor is the final goal. What kind of music you want to play. 
If you already play a Marine Band type harp and want to stick with that 
platform, the Hohner Slide Harp (half-valved allows blow bends on first 6 holes) or 
the Koch also a slide Marine Band layout harp. Both harps allow you to raise 
the pitch a half-step by pressing the lever. I prefer the Slide Harp.

Because both 10-hole harps are set up = have the same note layout == as a 
Marine Band 10-hole harmonica, you get "extra notes" by the traditional bending 
method or by pushing a button. I prefer the Slide Harp because it is 
half-valved (meaning it has some windsavers) which cuts down on the leaky-ness. The Koch 
lacks valves or windsavers and is really leaky. You can hear the wind 
whistling around the reeds --which makes for a weaker sound, me thinks.

   Some people think that the lack of valves makes the Koch easier to bend. 
This is not true. Both the Slide Harp and Koch draw bend equally well. The 
Slide Harp has the added advantage of blow bending on the first six holes because 
it is half-valved. If it were full-valved, it would not draw bend like a 
traditional Marine Band harmonica because the valves would prevent the interaction 
of the blow-draw reeds.

Also, the bent note sound is not what you get when you push the button on a 
diatonic-tuned chromatic. It is a note that has the same "sound" as the 
standard notes in the harmonica you hear without pushing the button.

To further complicate matters, the diatonic-tuned chromatics and the 
solo-tuned chromatics have different tunes. The diatonic-tuned chromatic has "just 
intonation" which means it is tuned so that the chords and octaves sound good. 
The other chromatic, the solo-tuned chromatic is equal-tuned like a piano so 
that it is playable in all keys and all combinations of notes. 


Now if you just want to get "all the notes" the standard chromatic will do 
the job.   You can buy a 10-hole diatonic -- Marine Bands and Special 20s cost 
about $20. The Hohner 8-hole Chrometta costs about $50 and the Chrometta 12 
costs about $70. Both of these are discount Internet prices; list prices + what 
you would pay in a music store will run higher. Other than buying a used 
harmonica, I don't think anyone sells a cheaper button chromatic.

You can purchase a Hering chromatic 10-hole for about $65 or a Hering 12-hole 
for about $75. There are those who would argue, but some people consider the 
Chrometta line more like toys than real harmonicas. They are a little bit 
smaller and shaped differently than the standard chromatic.
Hohner 12-hole harmonicas cost about $100.

This should thoroughly confuse you.

But as I said, the best place to start is with a purchase. Only YOU can tell 
what kind of harp you like. 

If you decide to go with the diatonic-tuned chromatic, once you figure out 
how to bend notes (not that difficult --just   mouth eeee-oooow on the inhale 
and the pitch will drop), you can achieve extra notes by bending AND pushing the 
button or even pushing the button AND bending.

There are several web sites.

ALSO check out the "C Harmonica Book" by James Major from Mel Bay ($7.95) 
which explains a lot of this stuff. 

Phil Lloyd











**************************************
Check out AOL's list of 2007's hottest 
products.

(http://money.aol.com/special/hot-products-2007?NCID=aoltop00030000000001)