[Harp-L] Why stick to the Richter?

["jazmaan@xxxxxxxxxxx" <dmf273@xxxxxxxxx>]

Daniel Asks:

"Why is it that most of the exceptional players that have been mentioned, the players that are taking the harmonica into classical music, jazz ,etc play for the most part the traditional German Richter tuning ? It seems to me that this tuning is not conducive to  getting away from those harmonicky sounds. "

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Why?  I think its a macho masochistic thing.  Kind goes hand in hand with the unfortunate gunslinger attitude that too many harp players hold on to.

Nowadays the best players may sound less harmonicky than others because they are adept at playing in other positions than 2nd.   But after a while if you're exposed to enough examples of non-2nd position play, you'll start to recognize the limitations of the Richter layout rearing up again.  They're just popping up in less familiar ways.

I admire players like Jimi Lee who not only plays Natural Minor tuning - but plays it in different positions!   To my ears he has unearthed some truly NEW sounds.   

I get my thrills from playing music that I know NOBODY has EVER played before on a short harp.  When you stick to the Richter, virgin territory is hard to find.   I could practice 10 hours a day for 10 years and still find myself treading down paths that have already been well worn by the likes of Howard Levy, Jason Ricci and so many other greats.

Or after less than one year on my Fourkey,  every day I can thrill to new and beautiful vistas never known by ANY harp player before.  

Today's virgin territory: Miles Davis' "FOUR" which, coincidentally in FOURTH position, flows out of the FOUR Key like hot melted butter onto a pancake of delight!