[Harp-L] In search of harp teacher/workshop - DC

B Boggs <ceudoazul@xxxxxxxxx> · Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:40:16 -0700 (PDT)

Danielle,

Allen Holmes is a excellent player and teacher who has weekly workshops in the DC area.
He is highly recommended.

Thanks,

Brian

Message: 9
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:06:16 -0400
From: Richard Lister <rlister@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] In search of harp teacher/workshop - DC
To: Danielle Rappaport <danielle.rappap@xxxxxxxxx>
Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID:
    <8a52166e0903310806o491b90d4q95a134ee0cf06bf1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

> After several years of listening to the harmonica greats such as Sonny Boy
> Williamson, Little Walter, George Harmonica Smith, and Walter Horton, I'm
> now at the point where I NEED to learn how to play harp for myself. I'm a
> complete beginner - only know how to tongue block thus far - and am in
> search of a harmonica class or instructor that can help guide me through the
> fundamentals.

Hi Danielle

Fred Yonnet was discussed in another thread. I had lessons with him a
few years ago. He is a great teacher and quite simply the nicest guy
you could ever hope to meet. He used to organise all his lessons
through Middle C Music on Wisconsin Ave in Tenleytown, but I don't
know if that's still the case. I suspect he's pretty busy right now
with the Prince gig and all, but I'd recommend emailing him through
his website.

Also, House of Musical Traditions in Takoma Park usually seems to have
a harmonica teacher or two on the books. I've never worked with them,
but may be worth checking out:
http://www.hmtrad.com/lessons/

Cheers
Ric

--- On Tue, 3/31/09, harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx <harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

From: harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx <harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Harp-L Digest, Vol 67, Issue 91
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Date: Tuesday, March 31, 2009, 11:15 AM

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Today's Topics:

   1. Speaker overtones or Ghost notes (geoff atkins)
   2. Middle Octave 1st pos. (chris smith)
   3. Re: Can anyone point to a middle octave 1st position blues:
      Howard Levy (Brendan Power)
   4. Re: Can anyone point to a middle octave 1st position	blues: 
      (Dave Dix)
   5. Doing the Thailand Harp Shuffle (Billy James)
   6. Re: Speaker overtones or Ghost notes (Rick Davis)
   7. Re: Speaker overtones or Ghost notes (Rick Davis)
   8. Harmonica Chords  (Aongus MacCana)
   9. Re: In search of harp teacher/workshop - DC (Richard Lister)
  10. David Brown added you as a connection on Plaxo (David Brown)
  11. David Brown added you as a connection on Plaxo (David Brown)
  12. HarpGear Sale (Harp Gear)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:03:47 +0200
From: "geoff atkins" <geoffatkins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Speaker overtones or Ghost notes
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Message-ID: <E029480847C44D45A87FF2497E005F17@Geoff1>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

mike wesolowski said:

Quote: [Edit]
	So........what we're going to do is building a separate 
	speaker cab specifically for breaking in speakers.  
	I think that we'll throw the new speakers in and keep 
	a load on them for X amount of time.  
	I have since heard that if you break in the reissue Jensens, 
	that they'll sound identical to the old Jensens we all know
 	and love in our old vintage Fenders and such.
	Has anyone else here experienced what I'm talking about?
   	If so..........I'd love to hear your input.
	Mike "Wezo" Wesolowski
Unquote

I made a cabinet with 4 x 10" 8ohm speakers wired series and parallel
to get back to 8 ohms. The speakers are all identical and new and don't 
give the response I'd hoped. They are rated 450W each (should be enough ;),
What's the best way to "break them in"? 
What frequency (-ies), constant or varying? 
What wattage and How long ?
(I do have neighbours, and a short-fused wife, bless her!)

Thanks for any advice, Geoff Atkins

------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2009 23:18:53 -0700 (PDT)
From: chris smith <harpshredder@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Middle Octave 1st pos.
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID: <738120.56149.qm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

        Hey Michael,
                            In first position in the
middle octave you're pretty much in "no man's land" and this
is why 2nd pos. is so much more popular. Whoever figured out playing in G
on a C harp made a breakthrough akin to the wheel or computers or ??? because
you can bend every note of the I 7 chord (C harp   holes 1-D 2 G 3 B 4 D 5 F
6 A  The 5 th hole doesn't give you a new note but man is it a great note
to wail on anyway as in "Juke").

    There is always the XB 40 which allows one to bend every single note and
because of the bendability of the middle octave blows (tonic chord in 1st pos.)
I find it almost irresistable to play in 1st on this harp. (Hey Rick ! {Epping
inventor}). On a standard harp
one can't bend these notes because they're lower in pitch than the
draws in the same holes
so one can tip-toe through them judiciously but never wail . Another option is
valving but that's way too wimpy for me .
    I love 1 st pos. because it's so "ballsy" when done right
but note selection is key (pardon the pun).

Have fun,

Chris                              
Chris "Hammer" Smith
Hammer Smith Band
Official Myspace Page http://myspace.com/chrishammersmith
harpshredder@xxxxxxxxx

--- On Mon, 3/30/09, harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx
<harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 08:48:33 +0100
From: "Brendan Power" <bren@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Can anyone point to a middle octave 1st position
	blues:	Howard Levy
To: <Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx>
Message-ID: <200903310714.n2V7ESfl023339@xxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

The most incredible 1st Position Blues solo I've ever heard is by Howard
Levy on his new instructional DVD 'Out of the Box'. For all you
overblow-haters out there, check this out (the last tune, about 3:50 in):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MtRHq8ERCE

That's first position Blues on a standard C harp, as it's never been
heard
before... Down home and sexy as hell!

I don't overblow myself (I retune my harps to get the juicy notes as normal
bends), but this cut really shows how bluesy and expressive the overblows
can be in the lips of a master. Howard's extraordinary technique and great
harmonic understanding allows him to use the overblows as enharmonic notes.

For example, he achieves the G on 6 blow by overblowing hole 5 and bending
up. Same with 5 blow (E): he's bending up the overblow on 4 to get the E.
That way, the critical 3rd and 5th notes in the scale become expressive
through bending - just as they are in Cross Harp.

First Position in the middle octave is normally thought of as very
inexpressive (that's why they call it Straight Harp). This cut gives the
lie
to that forever.

Brendan Power
WEBSITE: http://www.brendan-power.com
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/BrendanPowerMusic

------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:35:38 -0000
From: "Dave Dix" <dixdr@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Re: Can anyone point to a middle octave 1st position
	blues: 
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID: <gqsrlq+v51t@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"

How about Mean Low Blues by Blues Birdhead?

He's in the top octave a lot but strays down to the middle a fair bit. 

I read somewhere on the interweb (so it must be true) that this was a cop of
Savoy Blues by Louis Armstrong - which is why so much of the phrasing sounds
like someone playing a cornet rather than a harmonica.

I've always assumed that, although this comes out in F#, it must've
been originally played in G and got lost in the mastering speeds. It'd be
nice for someone to remaster it in G one of these days.  

------------------------------

Message: 5
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:13:43 +1000
From: "Billy James" <billyjames@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Doing the Thailand Harp Shuffle
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Message-ID: <002e01c9b1ae$b37fc1d0$0201010a@billyblues>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="iso-8859-1"

Just a note to thank those HarpL members who gave me decent 'advice'
and a few tips on travel and blues in Thailand recently. 
I'm back home and happily so, after playing spots in Bangkok and Chiang Mai
and basically orientating myself all about the country north and south.

 For this trip I simply took 'an eight harp attachment' to the lefty
belt made by Jeffrey Spoor at Cumberland Custom Cases plus the nifty Lone Wolf
Tone Pedal, plus simply a cheap lapel mic and cords. The darn setup worked very
well indeed direct to P.A. 
It certainly helped create an 'truly awesome harp sound' on my material
supported by an eight piece [three saxophone] big band at the Jazz bar in Chaing
Mai. 
At first a bit daunting to jump in after the dwiddle of the jazz, I hit them
with two menacing Howlin' Wolf style numbers and around three hundred
partying expats and Thais went wild. 
I found the Saxophone Club and the Blues Bar in Bangkok great fun too, mind you
several local players practically fought to get on and jam later one night.
Fortunately, I was relaxed and prepared early, plugged in for action. The Blues
gigs obviously often begin later in the evening and it's always a gas to
chat with bar staff and other players. 
Most of the Thai musicians I met [in several genres] were excellent players
with a fine knowledge and feel for blues. Lots of expats from Chicago to
'hell knows' are over there and they can swing it too. 
I played harp and Jaw harp [which was a big hit] in many situations and in
common place communications. I found the result was always very warm and open to
fun. They truly are the Land of Smiles over there, but also the Land of Struggle
as is most of the third world . 
I found the country is physically hard yards [unless you are a fat tourist with
it all sussed and booked into resorts], but it was rewarding and it has many
opportunities musically, I think.
I found the music stores were well stocked in Hohners however the common
Chinese harmonicas majorly affordably available to the Thai's  are
absolutely useless.  
So now I've come home and immediately ordered the Lone Wolf Harp Attack
Pedal. I'm impressed with the fact a reasonably cheap effects unit can be
risked and packed for travel to give me that extra oomph when jumping into
uncontrolled jamming opportunities to perform. I'm sure it will earn
it's keep as has the Tone Pedal. 

------------------------------

Message: 6
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:17:36 -0600
From: Rick Davis <bluesharpamps@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Speaker overtones or Ghost notes
To: geoff atkins <geoffatkins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID:
	<fac5da300903310617w547b820cm2443442f9e8e896b@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Four speakers rated at 450 watts each???  Whoa, I don't think you will ever
get that cab to sound good for harp.  It's likely to be very stiff and
shrill.

I don't know the kind of music you play, but good blues tone is often
acquired by using low-wattage speakers that are driven to the edge of
breakup.  Driving four 450W speakers to that level will a) kill the
audience, b) get you arrested, c) feed back so much it will shatter your ear
drums.  I don't think breaking in these speakers will ameliorate the
problem.

The old Jensens Mike was talking about are the P10R speakers, rated at about
25 watts.  The original speakers from the 60s are gold for harp, but the new
re-issues are, um, not so good.  Breaking them in really well might make
them sound better.  But breaking in a 450W speaker will not change its
character.

-Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
http://www.bluesharpamps.blogspot.com/

On Mon, Mar 30, 2009 at 11:03 PM, geoff atkins
<geoffatkins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:

> mike wesolowski said:
>
> Quote: [Edit]
>        So........what we're going to do is building a separate
>        speaker cab specifically for breaking in speakers.
>        I think that we'll throw the new speakers in and keep
>        a load on them for X amount of time.
>        I have since heard that if you break in the reissue Jensens,
>        that they'll sound identical to the old Jensens we all know
>        and love in our old vintage Fenders and such.
>        Has anyone else here experienced what I'm talking about?
>        If so..........I'd love to hear your input.
>        Mike "Wezo" Wesolowski
> Unquote
>
> I made a cabinet with 4 x 10" 8ohm speakers wired series and parallel
> to get back to 8 ohms. The speakers are all identical and new and
don't
> give the response I'd hoped. They are rated 450W each (should be
enough ;),
> What's the best way to "break them in"?
> What frequency (-ies), constant or varying?
> What wattage and How long ?
> (I do have neighbours, and a short-fused wife, bless her!)
>
> Thanks for any advice, Geoff Atkins
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
> Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
> http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l
>

--

------------------------------

Message: 7
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:34:35 -0600
From: Rick Davis <bluesharpamps@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Speaker overtones or Ghost notes
To: mike wesolowski <mwesolowski@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID:
	<fac5da300903310634g513843eide683956167e6193@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Yes.  Ghost notes or cone cry can be a problem with a single 12-inch speaker
in tube amps when using a hot bullet mic.  I've had fits with that.  I had
to tinker with different combinations of speakers, power tubes, preamp
tubes, and mics to get the tone I wanted without the ghost notes.

The ghost notes occurred with really good speakers as well as not so good.
I won't mention the speaker brands because I don't want to taint them
when
the problem was not really theirs.  I finally settled on an old Mojotone
MP12R -- their knockoff of the early Jensens -- and PRESTO...  the tone was
just right and the ghost notes were gone.  This is in my 5F2H amp, using a
TAD 6L6WGC-STR power tube and a 5751 preamp tube.  The mic is a Peavey H5
Cherry Bomb with a Shure CM.

You can hear samples of this amp at my band website: www.roadhousejoe.com

-Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
http://www.bluesharpamps.blogspot.com/

On Mon, Mar 30, 2009 at 9:07 PM, mike wesolowski
<mwesolowski@xxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:

> Recently  I was in the "Tone Lounge" where we've got a Demo
speaker cabinet
> with 33 different speakers.  14 12s--14 10s and 5 8s.  I was demoing some
> brand new Eminence 12' Governors and when I hit a certain note on the
harp,
> I'd hear a "ghost note' or some sort of strange overtone. 
Kinda sounded
> like it was 2 octaves up from the note I was playing.  Strange.   I've
got
> one of these speakers in a cab that I use along with a reissue P10Q and
have
> never heard that overtone with my speaker.We contacted the guys at
Eminence
> and he told us that after the speaker was broken in that the overtone
would
> most likely go away.  I personally have never experienced this before.
> And............it seemed like it was on 12" speakers that were doing
it.
> None of the 10s did it. I tried the Governors with guitar and didn't
seem to
> notice it happening.  Douple strange.
> So........what we're going to do is building a seperate speaker cab
> specificly for breaking in speakers.  I think that we'll throw the new
> speakers in and keep a load on them for X amount of time.  I have since
> heard that if you break in the reissue Jensens, that they'll sound
identicle
> to the old Jensens we all know and love in our old vintage Fenders and
such.
> Has anyone else here experienced what I'm talking about?   If
> so..........I'd love to hear your input.
> Mike "Wezo" Wesolowski
> www.bluesworldorder.com
> www.myspace.com/harpwezo
> www.megatoneamps.com
> _______________________________________________
> Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
> Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
> http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l
>

--

------------------------------

Message: 8
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:51:41 +0100
From: "Aongus MacCana" <amaccana@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Harmonica Chords 
To: <tony@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: Harp-L List <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Message-ID: <KCEOKLNLPEMOHOCKBGGICEFGCIAA.amaccana@xxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="iso-8859-1"

Thanks for this one Tony.
Rick Epping has pointed out every year at the Willie Clancy Summer School
the great resource of chords available on the diatonic harmonica, which he
illustrates with some inspiring playing. Some of his alternate tunings are
also based on facilitating further rich chords, not available with standard
tuning. As I am already challenged in just trying to produce single notes to
an acceptable standard a lot of this is over my head. I guess I need to try
harder and to take your wisdom and Rick Epping's on board!
Beannachtai
Aongus Mac Cana

------------------------------

Message: 9
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:06:16 -0400
From: Richard Lister <rlister@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] In search of harp teacher/workshop - DC
To: Danielle Rappaport <danielle.rappap@xxxxxxxxx>
Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID:
	<8a52166e0903310806o491b90d4q95a134ee0cf06bf1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

> After several years of listening to the harmonica greats such as Sonny Boy
> Williamson, Little Walter, George Harmonica Smith, and Walter Horton,
I'm
> now at the point where I NEED to learn how to play harp for myself.
I'm a
> complete beginner - only know how to tongue block thus far - and am in
> search of a harmonica class or instructor that can help guide me through
the
> fundamentals.

Hi Danielle

Fred Yonnet was discussed in another thread. I had lessons with him a
few years ago. He is a great teacher and quite simply the nicest guy
you could ever hope to meet. He used to organise all his lessons
through Middle C Music on Wisconsin Ave in Tenleytown, but I don't
know if that's still the case. I suspect he's pretty busy right now
with the Prince gig and all, but I'd recommend emailing him through
his website.

Also, House of Musical Traditions in Takoma Park usually seems to have
a harmonica teacher or two on the books. I've never worked with them,
but may be worth checking out:
http://www.hmtrad.com/lessons/

Cheers
Ric

------------------------------

Message: 10
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 08:39:17 -0700
From: "David Brown" <plaxo@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] David Brown added you as a connection on Plaxo
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID: <ee1d7d9af67c45892d7a828f1c16af46@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

Hi Harp,

David Brown wants to add you as a connection on Plaxo.

To accept this connection request, go to:
http://www.plaxo.com/invite?i=65613715&k=1815351976&l=en&src=email&et=1&est=nolevels&etv=nnic1b2&el=en

Thanks!
The Plaxo team

More than 20 million people use Plaxo to keep in touch with the
people they care about. 

Don't want to receive emails from Plaxo any more? Go to:
http://www.plaxo.com/stop?src=email&et=1&est=nolevels&etv=nnic1b2&el=en&email=harp-l%40harp-l.com

------------------------------

Message: 11
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 08:39:17 -0700
From: "David Brown" <plaxo@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] David Brown added you as a connection on Plaxo
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID: <8f1ec3b80d6b50fd8c9e91709207a2c4@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

Hi Harp,

David Brown wants to add you as a connection on Plaxo.

To accept this connection request, go to:
http://www.plaxo.com/invite?i=65613716&k=698809647&l=en&src=email&et=1&est=nolevels&etv=nnic1b2&el=en

Thanks!
The Plaxo team

More than 20 million people use Plaxo to keep in touch with the
people they care about. 

Don't want to receive emails from Plaxo any more? Go to:
http://www.plaxo.com/stop?src=email&et=1&est=nolevels&etv=nnic1b2&el=en&email=harp-l%40harp-l.org

------------------------------

Message: 12
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 08:48:33 -0700 (PDT)
From: Harp Gear <brian@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] HarpGear Sale
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID: <204013.91807.qm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

For the next two weeks I am going to be running a sale on all amps over at
HarpGear.  My supplier is offering me some great savings so I am passing them on
to you.  I just shipped the last of the amps I had on order yesterday and I have
more ready to go now.  Swing by and check it out.  http://www.harpgear.com

Thanks, 
BrianP

------------------------------

_______________________________________________
Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
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End of Harp-L Digest, Vol 67, Issue 91
**************************************