Re: [Harp-L] Re: 9 draw raised Smokey Joe style

[David Payne <dmatthew@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Despite the fact it is now 11:12 p.m. and I am sitting within a stone's throw of my native river back home on the Elk, West Virginia's premiere River, where I am am staying for a short time to celebrate West Virginia's most important holiday... deer season... I just got in a couple hours ago... and I'm getting up in five hours to start it again... Despite all this, this subject of 9 draw raised, asks, nay, compels me to comment. 

I've got this Db Special 20, one of the old handmade ones, that Joe Leone used to play "After the Lovin'" at Buckeye 2007. It is the one with the draw reed that Joe hammered from a .38 special cartridge, thus, in a single blow, fusing my love of firearms and harmonicas... so as you can see, I like this harmonica. 
It has the 9 draw raised. 5 draw, also. 


Those of us who consider ourselves friends of Smokey Joe Leone, call this Smokey Joe tuning. 
 Me, I'm not a fan of raisin' 9 draws. You lose, on a C, that F. I like the F, and you can bend to get the F# anyway, so for me, it does no good. I don't like 5 draws raised, cause I wanna hit a tongue block octave and feel the grit of that F against the low G for the 7th.  

But let's talk about the Smokester. The fact Joe's raised those notes really changes the rules of the game. It changes the tone of the whole piece. Listen to this and you should get an idea of what I am talking about: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4lBYzkW4kA

Like I said earlier, I've actually got the harmonica used in that video. I have TRIED to play that song like Joe. In my hands, 9 draw raised is a limitation, like red Kryptonian sunlight. In joe's hands it is pure awesome as Joe derives his harmonica powers from the raditation of Earth's Yellow Sun.

Gotta get some sleep... jist of what I am trying to say is something that is a limitation for some is an artistic catalyst for others. 

Dave
_______________________________
www.elkriverharmonicas.com 

----- Original Message ----
From: joe leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Tony Eyers <tony@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Fri, November 27, 2009 5:56:59 PM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: 9 draw raised


On Nov 19, 2009, at 4:19 PM, Tony Eyers wrote:

> Regarding this thread about 9 draw raised, and as one who often uses this tuning, let me say that in no way does it replace the Richter tuning, loved by all, myself included. I always carry a full set of Richter tuned harmonicas.

Correct. And I never meant it to be. I wanted to do doo-wop and didn't want to switch harps in 2nd & 3rd positions. (Btw, changing the 5 & 9 doesn't work too well for first.. lolol).
> 
> In particular, I almost never use the Major Cross tuning (my version of the 9 draw raised) for blues.

Correct, you need the 9 'blue note' AS IS. The 5 can always be sucked down...into submission...on all but the very fast tunes.
> 
> Tony Eyers
> Australia
> www.HarmonicaAcademy.com
> ...everyone plays
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