Re: [Harp-L] Design project, Harmonica Mic - please help

[Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx>]

On May 24, 2009, at 5:39 PM, Splash wrote:

> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Joe and Cass Leone" <deleted>
> As far as trumpets, THEY are one of the
> > easiest. There are only a finite combinations of valve positions. The
> > rest is done by embouchure. Once you can get the 4 (major)
> > embouchures, you're home. Changing embouchures QUICKLY is where it's
> > at, and that's what takes the practice.
> >
> > smokey joe (not the BBQ grill) and the Cafe s (not the musical)
>
>
>
>
> Trumpet... easiest?

Well......ONE of the easiest. In a comparative sort of way. I'm not  
saying it's easy....or everyone would do it. But compared to other  
instruments that I have tried, I thought it was more straightforward.  
You had a chart of fingering positions. So instead of learning the  
notes as letters, you learned as 'valve combinations'. Then once you  
did that, you put them together. So, meanwhile, there are a number of  
tunes that you can do WITHOUT moving valves. (mostly military stuff)  
They are done with embouchure only. Taps is an example. You start  
with ANY combination of depressions (or NOT) and just change  
embouchures. i.e. flabby lips, firm lips, tight lips, strained thin  
lips. Reason? Many of these were originally done on a bugle (no..or 1  
valve). (Mine has 1).

I have trouble now because I have no way of locking down a false  
plate to my jaw bottom. It is fractured 6 times, dislocated 2, and  
full of pins & wires.(no room left) and if I got posts, if I ever  
fell on my fractured face, my jaw would turn to caulking. :(
> Not for me.  Les Brown's 1st Trumpet back in the days when they  
> played for
> Jackie Gleason in Miami was Bobby Wetzel.

Ah, the old 'Band of Reknown'. For a while we had Bruce (Bud) Brown  
coming to our jam. Then he moved back north. He played sax in his  
brother's band. I was more into Lee Morgan, Maynard.

>   He tried to teach me but I just couldn't get it.  Only three  
> buttons for all those notes?  Didn't register with my brain wiring.

Hmmm, it's easier than Algebra?
> And getting the tone was nearly impossible.

Well, one thing was for sure (for me, anyway). There was no way to  
even conSIDer trying for Harry James' tone. He was the benchmark.  
Still IS.

> One time Eddie Harris was over and he took the sax mouthpiece and  
> put it on the trumpet and handed it to
> me.

You knew some serious people.

> I played it, and it sounded half OK.  But it was easier for my  
> brain to
> deal with "One button, one note"  Hold them all down except the one  
> you want
> to sound..

No, no no no no. don't work that way. Some of the combinations change  
as you go upscale.

> . the longer the tube the lower the note, Use the thumb for
> octaves... that I could understand.
>
> "A man's gotta know his limitations." --  Dirty Harry
>
> Splash
>
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