Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Standing at the crossroads - LONG (skip if not interested)
Because we're fellow Scots, Richard, I have to chime in. It's actually just
a wee bend in the road ;) not quite a major crossroads.
I began in a wee store in Saltcoats on holiday at age 4 with what was
probably a Hohner Echo..played Scotland the Brave all the way through (astonishing
everyone in my family who had no idea there was any musical talent whatsoever
in the family). Until I was 14 I alternated between getting Echos and 260
chroms (gave me the extra notes I craved - since I knew nothing (and still
don't) about bending, or any other 'technique' on the 'mouth organ'), for
Christmases and the occasional birthday. I never knew regular diatonics existed,
just naturally gravitated to the chromatic (while still loving the sound of the
Echos...probably because of their similarity to the bagpipes).To me they
were both just different harmonicas to achieve my ends, without any real
knowledge of the differences. Never had a lesson, never met another player.
Gave up playing when I came to NY at age 14. Picked it up again (on another
Echo, no less) in 2002. Immediately knew I needed a chromatic to play the
music I wanted: Jazz mostly, Classic Rock & R&B...Pop Ballads and Standards.
For you, I'd strongly suggest giving a chromatic a try. While chromatics
ARE expensive...one can get the occasional good buy on EBay (my first CX-12 in
C was bought almost brand-new there last year for $70 (here in the States).
My main chrom however is a 16 hole Hohner Super 64..it gives me all of the
notes, a silver-plated mouthpiece, and a gorgeous tone, but I'm very glad I
discovered the CX-12's in different keys. I've been bitten by the 'collecting'
bug as well (as so many of us are). Besides many other chromatics, I have
(and play) them in Bb, A and F as well as C and am about to get a G and D as
well.
There's absolutely no reason why a chrom player cannot have these 12 hole
chroms to play in different keys the way a diatonic player does. (The
chromatic of choice for studio players is probably still the 270 12 hole Hohner ...in
all of its different keys, regardless of what the purists tell you about
learning to play 'everything' on one Key of C chromatic). Many of us don't
agree, since there is no (should be no) hard and fast 'rule' when it comes to
music, and it should be all about what pleases YOU, makes YOU happy, and gets
you where you want to go with your music...and besides, some anecdotal stories
are now coming out about how some of those 'purist' old-time players
concealed the fact that they had specialized 'other keyed' instruments made for them
by Hohner.
Too many people hand out pronouncements based on their perception of the old
Larry Adler days of 'how it should be' about harmonicas, while I don't see
the same type of dictatorship given to pianists or guitar players. However
one plays is however one plays...upside down, sideways, standing on one's head,
(swinging on a star) ..... the options are endless. ;)
Jason Ricci (for instance) ...who plays overblows the way very few will ever
be able to achieve, loves the sound, feel and handling of the CX-12 chrom.
Played mine at SPAH 2007 (incredibly well, I might add) and looked for one
afterwards. He loved the fat button, the very short throw and the ease of
dismantling for cleaning. This is probably the one instrument that seems to fit
the bill for diatonic players making the transition to chromatics (especially
because it comes in various keys) and die-hard chromatic players alike.
True...right now they're selling (new) in the $175 range. That's fairly
steep. You might be able to find them for less if you're willing to sterilize
and clean up one someone else gave up trying to learn. It's not that
difficult. There is a ton of information about how to clean and maintain chromatics
available online and on the two major harmonica lists...and other specialized
harmonica sites. Ask, and you shall be helped. We are a helpful and friendly
lot.
Once you just put it to your mouth and 'play the damned thing' i think you
might be pleasantly surprised by the sound you'll achieve. Put on some music
you like (I sit with my computer radio station (Jazz or Classic Rock mostly)
and play along)..you'll figure out how it works and put aside your diatonic
'thinking'. You can still bend on chromatics...in fact, it sounds great.
Afterwards, you'll play your diatonics just as if you never left them. Your
brain makes the transition..one won't override the other. Most people who
learned chromatics after diatonics STILL play their diatonics very well, switching
easily from one to the other (at the Conventions I've attended) and carrying
both in their harp cases. There are also a ton of teaching Book/CD's out
there you can learn from, if that's easier for you than hands-on lessons.
Some people just naturally play more than one style of harmonica very well.
Here are a couple of YouTube examples:
_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzlaRAHwmq4_
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzlaRAHwmq4)
_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu8Jt7DKMOk_
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu8Jt7DKMOk)
_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4lBYzkW4kA_
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4lBYzkW4kA)
In the first two he's playing Angel Eyes and Summertime on chromatic; in the
3rd he's playing "After the Loving" on diatonic.
And just for an added treat...listen to his jazz runs on this version of
Green Dolphin Street....brilliant!
_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iUNSJkPusM_
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iUNSJkPusM)
Lastly, you don't need to devote the rest of your life (as you've expressed
the same kind of concerns I had) to learning to read in order to play
chromatics. I play everything by ear, despite having some years of piano
instruction as a child. I do not associate my reading music from then with the
harmonica in any way, shape or form (for some reason my brain separates the two). I
never enjoyed reading music...so the purists want to shoot me down for
speaking out about it.
My chromatic hero (besides SmoJoe) is Phil Caltabellota who plays everything
by ear. Hasn't ever needed to read to play as brilliantly as he does.
He's the lead in this particular trio: The Society Boys (playing at GSHC,
November 2007). How can one play better than this?:
_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb9k-D5pScE_
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb9k-D5pScE)
I agree that if one has the chance to learn to read music when young it's a
handy extra tool in one's arsenal, but I'm of the mindset that I'm not going
to waste my time and limited energy at this point in the game struggling to
learn something I don't like learning since it really would detract from my
enjoyment of playing. I've tried and it does. (So please folks, no
lectures...had enough of those).
Music, the playing of it, the learning of it, should be whatever works for
the individual. "Whatever floats your boat" is something I've been saying for
a long time on Slidemeister. Some agree, some don't. Doesn't bother me.
Playing any instrument is as personal as is an embouchure or way of holding a
harmonica: one size does not fit all.
Above all..have fun! Make music which pleases YOUR ears. That's what it's
all about in the long run, isn't it? Does it, will it make YOU happy? Then go
for it.
Enjoy!
Elizabeth
****************
In a message dated 6/18/08 7:13:51 AM, rhhammersley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
>" I have been playing diatonic for 30 years, although I went through a
> long while of not playing much while I learned the guitar. Meantime,
> harmonica technology exploded. When I started playing harp properly
> again rather than just bluedooling occasionally, I bought a variety of
> "new" harps to try out. I am interested in playing chromatically and I
> can do all bends easily on a diatonic, but overblows are not coming
> easily. So I could go any of 3 routes:
> (1) Keep to diatonic master overblows
> (2) Use valved harps like the Suzuki promaster or the Hohner XB-40
> (3) Learn the chromatic
> Some people on this list will have happily done all 3, but my time and
> energy is limited. I also think from my attempts so far that the 3
> techniques interfere with each other (in my musical brain anyway). Any
> comments on the costs and benefits of each for chromatic playing would
> be appreciated.
>
> Richard"
>
> Richard Hammersley
> Grantshouse, Scottish Borders
> http://www.last.fm/music/Richard+Hammersley
> http://www.myspace.com/rhammersley
> _http://www.myspace.com/magpiesittingdown_
(http://www.myspace.com/magpiesittingdown)
**************Gas prices getting you down? Search AOL Autos for
fuel-efficient used cars. (http://autos.aol.com/used?ncid=aolaut00050000000007)
This archive was generated by a fusion of
Pipermail 0.09 (Mailman edition) and
MHonArc 2.6.8.