[Harp-L] Re: Equal Temperament Tuning-- why I don't play chords (?)

[David Payne <dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

WEll, you got two thirds a chord with those intervals. I play them all the time. I play chord rhythms, for a 12-bar with a C harp in G example, I'd play the 2,3,4 draw for the G, an interval of 2 draw and 5 draw for a G7, blow chord C, and an interval of 1 draw and 4 draw on the D chord, an interval of 1 blow an and 4 blow for the C, then back to the old G chord. 
  That G7 is extremely handy, especially since I play Jimmy Rodgers (Singing brakeman) a lot. There's a bunch of others I use in a chord ryhthm. Some are intervals, some are two notes that are stuck together. The one that immediately comes to mind is the 2 and 3 blow in place of an Em chord.
   
  Dave
  ___________________
Dave Payne Sr. 
  Elk River Harmonicas
  www.elkriverharmonicas.com 
   
  

"John F. Potts" <hvyj@xxxxxxx> wrote:
  Dave,
I happen to think that the most limiting aspect of a Richter tuned 
diatonic harmonica is NOT the lack of a complete chromatic scale, but 
rather it is the inability to "build" chords. Sure, a technically 
proficient player can sometimes flat one of the notes in a chord, but 
basically we are stuck with the chords the instrument gives us--and 
these chords don't necessarily work very well with all material. My 
solution? I don't usually play chords. Instead, i play tongue split 
intervals or double stops with my tongue blocking the middle holes 
and playing 2 notes out of the corners of my mouth. This creates a 
very big or fat sound which actually sounds like a chord because the 
differential tones produced create a "ghost" note. This phenomenon 
is most pronounced when playing octave stops, but is present with all 
split intervals. The chord like sound produced is rich and blends 
well with a much wider variety of material than the chords available 
on the instrument, so i am able to handle a wider variety of 
material. The sound produced is deep and fat, and this sounds good 
and works in different positions even when the chords on the 
instrument don't.
I play equal tuned harps because I am more of a single note player 
and i play in different positions. BUT, when I do split intervals it 
sounds sweet and very chord like because of the differential tones or 
ghost notes that are produced and I almost always seem to stay in 
harmony with the tune. (Octave stops are perhaps not so sweet or 
harmonic but are very powerful.) Other than deliberately playing 
octaves sometimes, I'm not really technical about the particular 
intervals I'm playing. I more or less do it by ear, but it works. 
In fact, it works better than playing the available chords on the 
instrument AND it works in different positions AND it works very well 
on an equal temperament harp. Of course, I still play a chord or 
chords every now and then, for example, if I'm playing "High Heeled 
Sneakers." But for the most part i do split intervals instead. I 
think not playing chords regularly and instead playing split 
intervals has significantly improved my playing and broadened the 
range of material I can handle.
Btw, although I am able to tongue block and occasionally do, I am 
not primarily a tongue blocker. But i frequently shift to tongue 
blocking to play split intervals instead of chords. I suppose this 
makes me a mixed embouchure player.
Anyway, I'm not really sure why playing split intervals instead of 
chords works so well, but in my experience, it does. Perhaps some of 
you with more technical knowledge can tell me why this is so.

JP