Re: [Harp-L] Chord Harp

[George Miklas <harmonicat@xxxxxxxxx>]

Walter and others,

I think that playing the chord harp is a great thing to add to your "bag" of
harps.  I believe that all musical experience helps support all of your
musical skills.  Tempo, style, playing behind the beat, playing on the beat,
steady beat, are just a few of the aspects of your
diatonic/chromatic/blues/jazz/classical playing that will benefit by
learning to play the chord.

I am a SUZUKI endorsee and would encourage you to consider either the SCH-48
or BCH-48 as they are superior instruments and moderately priced .  Both of
these instruments are fully chromatic and are built on plastic combs.  Being
fully chromatic means that you can accompany in any key.  The plastic combs
are resistant to expansion/contraction with weather changes, but also much
easier to keep clean.  The SCH-48 is the traditional 48-chord where every
chord has 4-double holes (8 reeds in octaves) with windsavers.  The BCH-48
"Ensemble" combines 2 bass reeds with 5 treble chord reeds.  The bass reeds
can be played in rhythm with the chord, or can be played separately to set
up a bass-chord-bass-chord ...etc groove.

Here are two videos where I accompany on the BCH-48 with Brendan Power,
Gregoire Maret, and friends.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgk-yUd4jtg
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgk-yUd4jtg>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1eAMDv-t0g

Here is a video of Wally Peterman playing the SCH-48 with The HARPbeats
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mz--eSOnv1Q&feature=PlayList&p=F745A56FEB254FE2&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=1

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1eAMDv-t0g>Don Peer already posted this
link to Summertime, accompanied by Here is a video with Tomoya Ouchi
accompanying on the SUZUKI BCH-48
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0BFnWVeU7A

Here's a link to Jacob Venndt demonstrating the SCH-24 and SCH-48 Chord
Harmonicas made by Suzuki.  (The SCH-24 is the smaller [not fully chromatic]
version of the new BCH-48)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qveLvBHS-MA&feature=related

2 videos of Igor Flach playing the SUZUKI SCH-24 chord harmonica (The SCH-24
is the smaller [not fully chromatic] version of the new BCH-48)
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LGr1eDNmdY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgt_hVjDE04&feature=related


Keep On Harpin'
George Miklas
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LGr1eDNmdY&feature=related>

On Mon, Dec 28, 2009 at 12:17 AM, Walter Scanlon
<scanlon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:

> My harp bag includes all the diatonic keys and three respectable
> chromatics.
> Besides playing Polkas, is there any good reason to add a chord harp to my
> collection, and if so, which one might be recommended? Will working with a
> chord harp improve my diatonic and chromatic, blues, jazz and classical
> playing?  Can I entertain myself by having one? (Or would I bore myself to
> death?) What would be a moderate priced chord harp to purchase. I hope
> these
> questions don't sound too stupid!
>
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