[Harp-L] How about just plain old harmonica?

[Walter Joyce <wtjoyce45@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I've been playing harp for about 35 years now, some years more often than others. Frankly, I'm not about to carry around any more baggage about what instrument I play, why or how I play it any more. 

I love music.

I love harmonica.

I play the best I can whenever I can and I get my share of positive comments from audience members and about the only negative comments I get about my playing are from one guitarist in particular who constantly reminds me that any hope of becoming a great player is pure delusion on my part. He's entitled to his opinion but I sure am done listening to whatever he has to say and only take his comments as motivation for those days when I'm not feeling like practicing.

As much as I admire the playing of certain players, I don't want to play like them, I'm still trying to play with my voice and my ideas. I'll practice certain methods, and continue to try and learn and grow as a player and a musician, but I guess at heart I'm a Popeye kind of player.

Like any performer I want to touch my audience in a positive way, put a smile on their lips and get their hips shakin' and feet movin', but I'll concentrate on the positive and hope to eliminate the negative, as for Mr. In between, well we stay on our own sides of the boulevard.

I love diatonic harp, and am envious of good chromatic players. 

It doesn't have to be blues to be good for me. 

Who knows, maybe I'll finally get off my comfortable horse and start practicing some chromatic again. 

Like a lot of people, I see music as another language and I'm just trying to find my voice. I try not to speak out of turn and strive to add to the dialog when I play in a meaningful way. That's about all anyone can do. Sure there are those with better vocabulary and who are more articulate, but that doesn't mean I can't join in too, cause no one else can speak with my voice but me.

Thats my $.02 on the topic, thanks for giving me a forum in which to share my thoughts. 


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