Re: [Harp-L] Counterpoint / harp ??

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Wm.Galley" wrote:
<Has 'counterpoint' been discussed here ?   How is it used re harmonicas 

Counterpoint has been discussed in this forum on a number of occasions.  It's not widely used on harmonica in general, though certain players, like myself and Sam Hinton, use it extensively in our arrangements and compositions, and others, like Howard Levy and Carlos del Junco, use it occasionally. A number of classically-oriented players, like Blackie Schackner, have also used counterpoint on occasion.  

Counterpoint on the harmonica requires that the player be able to play independent melodies out of both sides of the mouth simultaneously. I have never heard anyone play 3-part counterpoint on the harp, though a very skilled player could probably fake it for a little while. Other than that, the main limitation is that the player can't play a blow note and a draw note at the same time.  It's also not easy to use bends while you're playing counterpoint, and I've never heard anyone do an overblow while playing counterpoint, though I suppose it's theoretically possible. 

Among other things, these limitations mean that the scale setup of the harmonica is very important for counterpoint-- I use a lot of non-standard tunings for my solo compositions for this very reason.  I also use diatonic harps for most of my counterpoint work, because the smaller size of the instrument makes it easier to get a wide range between the upper and lower parts.

A number of my solo pieces that use counterpoint can be heard at http://hunterharp.com/mp3s.html and at broadjam.com/rhunter. Look for "Hymn for Crow", "Requiem," "The Star-Spangled Banner," and "Bela's World" in particular. Selections from Sam Hinton's work can be heard by searching on his name at CDBaby.com.

Regards, Richard Hunter