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

["Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

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