[Harp-L] how much was a marine band when you started?

[Avery Man <elfrex@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

and what was your first harmonica book?

In 1987, a Marine Band or pre-MS Blues Harp was around $15 in NY.

My first harmonica and book was Marcos' "Play Harmonica Instantly" which covered tablature, first and second position and very briefly third, vibratos (vibrati?), tongue blocking, blow and draw bends, train and basic tuning and maintenance. It came with a Hohner GLH and a cassete tape (remember those?). There was no internet. 

I really wanted to play along with the Sesame Street theme as a kid on
that C harp (it was the original reason I bought the set) but no one
was around to tell me that it was actually played on a chromatic
harmonica by Toots Thielemans. I tried and i tried but I had to
transpose and alter the melody since I wouldn't know about overblowing
and overdrawing until 2004 (my heart nearly skipped a beat on my first
middle register Bb the way Howard Levy said his did on his first bend).
20 years later, while watching the show with my nephew, I found Toots'
interpretation of the theme is now gone :( and I needed youtube to find
it and finally fufill a simple childhood dream of playing along to the opening and closing themes in the
original key with a C harp (now armed with the Bb and C# I needed in
the middle register or an Eb to play it in the lower and a
self-customized Special 20). 



sesame street songs. look under Sesame Street Theme closing credits.

http://members.tripod.com/tiny_dancer/sssounds.html#s

My starting kit wasn't terrible at all but I will try to set up my nephew with something better. 


_________________________________________________________________
Bing™ brings you maps, menus, and reviews organized in one place. Try it now.
http://www.bing.com/search?q=restaurants&form=MLOGEN&publ=WLHMTAG&crea=TXT_MLOGEN_Local_Local_Restaurants_1x1