Re: [Harp-L] Educator 10

Philharpn@xxxxxxx · Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:43:57 EST

I got my Educator at SPAH 2008. 

I must say that it is the best thing since sliced bread. 

1. Economical -- list price is $50 but Elderly Instruments (elderly.com) in 
Lansing, Mich. has it for $35. It was released in 2007. Other dealers may carry 
this remarkable harmonica, but I don't know of them off hand.

You cannot get a chromatic this good anywhere for $50 -- even if you have to 
pay the list price.

2. It is built tight so it does not have windsavers -- those pesky little 
things intended to stop the air leaks   that buzz and stick This element alone is 
enough to cinch the deal for most people in the market for a chrome.

3. It comes in any key you want as long as it's C.

4. It draw bends on the holes where there is a half-step between the 
blow/draw reeds : C/D -G/A. It does not blow bend because it lacks windsavers and the 
top end has the same note distance as all the other octaves (unlike the 
diatonic which can blow bend on holes 8-9-10. I don't know if it is possible to 
overblow/overdraw --   I can't get an overblow on it.

5. Pocket size: 5 3/4 inches button-to-stern and 1 1/2 inches deep and   1 
1/8 inches deep-- even with carry case. It is about the size of an XB-40 or 
Hohner Slide Harp (10-hole, half-valved)

6. At $35 (Elderly's price) -- it's within the price range of a diatonic. 
Perfect for "trial size-pricing."

All those other little low-priced chromes that Hohner sells cost about twice 
as much and are said to be leaky.

The harmonica comes in a cute Hohnica (Hohner + harmonica =s Hohnica?) zipper 
fabric pouch with a 4 1/2 inch strap.

And if you are thinking about venturing into the uncharted world of chromatic 
harmonica, there is no better place to start than with the   Educator 10 by 
Hohnica.

Don't be discouraged by previous chatter on the Harp List about how difficult 
it is to play the chromatic harmonica. It's only a little different and what 
could be easier to play by ear than an instrument that gives you all the notes 
with the simple push of a button.

If you can play tunes on the diatonic in holes 4-7 -- you are ready to make 
the jump to the chromatic. For the chromatic harmonica is nothing but holes 4-7 
and holes 4-7 and holes 4-7.

The chromatic takes that module of holes 4-7 and builds every octave like 
that. No missing notes. If you want a flat or sharp -- press the button to raise 
the pitch a half-step.

"Despite what you may have heard, the chromatic is no harder to play than the 
diatonic, takes the same amount of wind, and yes, you can bend notes on it. 
The chromatic does require a slightly different approach from the diatonic, but 
in some ways it's actually easier to play than the diatonic.

"Some of the great harmonica music you hear, like most of what Stevie Wonder 
plays, is played on a chromatic harp. Most good blues harmonica players use a 
chromatic for some tunes, usually in third position.

"Most chromatic harmonicas come in the key of C, though you can get them in 
several other keys. The most popular types are the 12-hole chromatic, with the 
same three-octave ranges as a diatonic, and the 16-hole chromatic, which has a 
deep low octave added. Several manufactures make solid chromatic harmonicas, 
including Hering, Hohner, Seydel and Suzuki."

Harmonica for Dummies by Winslow Yerxa, page 288.

(The book also provides views of   the chromatic layout and the diatonic 
layout, highlighting in gray the octave   on the notes for diatonic holes 4-7 and 
the identical notes for EVERY octave on the chromatic. (Winslow renders the 
notes with the draw notes on top because they are higher in pitch. Some people 
prefer the layout to be rendered as notes fall on reed plate.   They are the 
same notes regardless of how they are displayed--this is not a NEW tuning.)

Check out the Mel Bay listings for chromatic books/videos (melbay.com) -- 
they have a lot of great stuff with harmonica tablature and music notation.

Hope this helps.
Phil

In a message dated 2/19/09 9:06:09 AM, grillslinger@xxxxxxxxx writes:

> I got one for Christmas. It's my first chromatic, so I have no idea how it
> hold up against a regular one, but it is exactly what you would expect. The
> notes are all there. The slider works.I think it's a good way to learn.
> Playing chromatic is harder than I thought it would be!
> 
> A.
> 
> 
> On Thu, Feb 19, 2009 at 7:04 AM, Randy Power <randy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
> > Does anyone have any experience, good or bad, with the Educator 10
> > Chromatic? I want ease into the chromatic world and thought this might be 
> a
> > good way.
> >
> > Randy
> > --
> >
> >
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