[Harp-L] Re: Anyone else give bass harp a real try? My bass story.

[bassharp <bassharp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Reading the many and varied comments regarding the bass harmonica and 
its difficulties, I decided to offer my story, verbatum from my website 
at http://www.bassharp.com/bassharp.htm

I found the various comments quite interesting, and while I appreciate 
the seriousness of the writers, I must defer to my great influences who 
spent
time with me during my learning experience: Dick Gardner, Bob Herndon, 
Johnny Thompson, and of course the greatest of all, Don Les.

My early experience in music was based on the treble clef, playing 
violin primarily, but also accordion (both of which I taught to young 
students in
my pre-harmonica days). Also as a first tenor in gospel quartets, 
touring the mid-west in private planes (our second tenor was a pilot and 
owned his
plane), my appreciation for bass vocals and instruments would not be 
satisfied until I was introduced to the bass harmonica! It was then that I
realized my greatest interest in music as the bass, and what better 
instrument than bass harmonica? A God-send to be sure. Being completely
familiar with the layout of the keyboard, it only required adapting to 
the "white keys" and "black keys" of the double bass harmonica! Also the 
idea
of an all-blow instrument eliminated the possible confusion of a 
blow-draw instrument. To my way of thinking, this was the simplest way 
to play
a bass-register instrument!

Quickly adapting to the various intervals (3rds, 5ths, octaves, etc) 
presented little problem, and soon other keys, such as Bb, D, Eb, F, F#, 
G, etc,
were possible with practice. I had found my "musical heaven"!

I claim no special talent in this regard, only a high interest that 
changed my life in music.

My best wishes to all up-and-coming bass harmonicists!

- Danny

From the above-mentioned website:


       After studying violin from the age of 7, and continuing well
       into adulthood, I played with the Twin Cities Symphony (Benton
       Harbor / St Joseph, MI), Andrews University Chamber Orchestra,
       (Berrien Springs, MI) and the Pontiac (MI) Symphony.

       I was always enamored by the Harmonicats' "sound", but even
       though my father - who played harmonicas since childhood -
       always had them around our home, I was never intrigued enough to
       learn to play. However, at the age of 35 I was given the
       opportunity to learn bass harmonica by fellow engineering
       technician Rick Richardson at the GM Chevrolet Engineering
       Center in Warren, MI. After becoming completely immersed in the
       instrument for seven years, I was honored to be selected by
       Jerry Murad and Al Fiore to "join the act" in late 1977.

       My tenure as a "Harmonicat" afforded me the opportunity to play
       with and/or share the stage with many of my pop idols of the
       '40s, '50s and '60s era -- The Mills Brothers, The Four Aces,
       The Four Lads, The Inkspots, Bob Eberle, Della Reese, Lee Castle
       & The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, Frankie Laine, Marty Allen & Karon
       Kate Blackwell, Gordie Tapp, etc.