Re: [Harp-L] I could use some advice this time



Dave, if you want to sound as you do sound, then you are playing it perfectly! However, if you want to sound different, I have some suggestions. This is my personal opinion only and may or may not be helpful. I don't claim to be an authority. There is no accounting for taste.

You seem to be able to cleanly hit the notes that you want so chromatic note selection is good!

- You are playing it as you would a diatonic. You are overpowering the harp and losing the characteristic "silvery" chromatic sound. It sounds to me as though the harp is screaming in pain. Back off some and let it speak in its natural voice. Fast doesn't have to blast.

- Remember that you only have a blow tonic (D) chord like the diatonic. The draw chord is not the dominant (A) that you have on the diatonic which occurs often in the music. The draw chord on the chromatic is the ii (Em) and occurs infrequently. It seems to me that you are using chords because they are there on the harp and not because they fit the music.

I think that there is a matter of diatonic/chromatic philosophy here. Diatonic harps, because of their limitations, are allowed to define the music. The listener expects to hear bends, note substitutions, awkward chords, etc. With the chromatic, because you can play it as the composer wrote it, the listener expects to hear it a little cleaner and straighter.

Others will disagree, but I don't regard the chromatic as a polyphonic instrument. Too often the chord or double-stop that you want requires simultaneous blow-&-draw or button in-&-out. Sometimes you can go for a few notes but then you hit an impossibility and have to revert to single notes again. The harmonica needs chordal accompaniment but, sadly, it must come from other instruments.

When you play, you seem to be thinking "diatonic harmonica". Instead, try thinking "voice" or "fiddle."

I probably should have kept quiet....but you asked!!

Vern
Visit my harmonica website www.Hands-Free-Chromatic.7p.com

----- Original Message ----- From: "David Payne" <dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Harp L Harp L" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, October 25, 2008 10:34 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] I could use some advice this time



O.K., nuff runnin' my mouth. ears open now. A couple months ago probably, I decided that I was going to become a chromatic player. So, I've been working on it. I've been hard, hard, hard pressed for time for the last few weeks, so not much time to work I've been working on chromatic in 20 minute spurts, usually before bed.. I'm probably gonna be hard pressed for time, so I could use some direction on maybe what I need to be working on, what works, what does not work, etc.
Here's a couple of tunes:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFZWFcvGndU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27gtJG0XUlo

.
Dave
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Dave Payne Sr.
Elk River Harmonicas
www.elkriverharmonicas.com
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