Re: [Harp-L] All of this Comb talk...

[Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx>]

On Sep 19, 2008, at 12:08 PM, fjm wrote:

> Derwood blues writes:
>
> > If you
> > think that the player is more important than the audience, then  
> > please go to
> > jam sessions and leave the performances to those who perform.
>
> Not that the player is more important than the audience but if the  
> performer is distracted by other issues then the performance can be  
> diminished.

That's sort of what I meant. Maybe I worded it badly. I'm not good  
with semantics and nomenclature like my super hero DR. Ross.   Of  
COURSE  the audience is important. What I think I was trying to say  
was that INITIALLY the player has to be happy with THEMSELVES and the  
job they are doing or it won't extend TO the audience. So, if they  
feel something is better than something else (real or imagined), they  
should do what they feel is best. Then everything else will be  
dragged along by osmosis.

>   I think this is all self policing anyhow.  If a performer is  
> distracted to the point that the audience experience is repeatedly  
> diminished then opportunities for gigs will be few and far between.  
> Stern lecture not withstanding.  Just in case my initial post on  
> this subject was misconstrued I will reiterate that Smokey Joe  
> Leone's conclusion seemed right on the money to me.  However we  
> arrive at a gig ready to play be it worshipping at the altar of  
> wooden combs or having just the right amplifier and  microphone or  
> simply having a pre gig ritual that lands you in you in a place  
> where you are able to get up on a stage and play it's all about the  
> same thing.

See, this is what I was thinking but unable to explain correctly.  
Thank you for helping me out. My intent was to query as to WHY is it  
that a person cannot have a preference for a comb material (or  
whatever) yet there are those who wax eloquenty on and on ad  
infinitum about the attributes of amplifiers and microphones,  
processors, and recorders. My feeling was that whatever the player  
thinks is alright is fine with me and they should have that right. I  
mean, there are a lot of threads 'I' think are silly. But I wouldn't  
go so far as to be militant about it. Sometimes I tease and it gets  
me in trouble.

> Like Steve Baker I change harmonicas mid tune searching for what I  
> think is the right harmonica for a particular song in a particular  
> moment.  I don't discount the importance of that for a moment.  It  
> might all be silly I don't really care if it ain't broke I ain't  
> fixin' it. fjm

I usually play both diatonic and chromatic on the same tune. While  
not really the same as switching 2 diatonics, it's just another  
angle. I also use 2 or more diatonics on a tune but that's strictly  
for key. I am not nearly as advanced as most of ya'all.

As for combs, I have made several over the years. Anyone can do it,  
AND you can do it by hand. Diatonic combs are easy. Time consuming?  
Yes, but still easy. I have noticed that the choice of materials  
doesn't seem (to ME...remember, I said to me), to affect the sound of  
a diatonic as much as it does a chromatic. Maybe this is why I keep  
thinking that the sounds produced from different combs are different.  
My experience with combs rests mainly with chromatics.

Come to think of it, my use of liners inside the covers, and reed  
plate gaskets might be changing the acoustics.

 So, therefore, I could be wrong. In fact, I never ever claimed I  
was right. I only reserved the right to have my own opinion, and not  
someone else's. I hope I have made this clear this time.   :)

smokey-joe & the Cafes
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