Re: [Harp-L] Re: TONE

[Mojo Red <harplicks@xxxxxxxxx>]

Buddha proclaims:


> I think too many people focus on a single tone and should understand that there are many tones and they all should be explored. When you add different
> tones with different attacks and phrasing you can sound like anybody.  Like an impressionist like Frank Caliendo - he can mimic the voice of a few people
> and he does it by altering his tone and attack. The same can be applied to harmonica.

I agree wholeheartedly. And the wider a player's tonal palate the more he/she has to offer. If you have only one tonal approach, your playing may be percieved as one dimensional (the proverbial "one-trick-pony). 

In a given evening with my band, for example, I will strive to change my tone to suite the music at hand... and the meet the expectations/mood of the crowd.

I'll use a harsh/agressive edgy tonal attack on tunes like Hoochie Coochie Man, Five Long Years, Shakey Ground, Pawnshop Bound, She Caught the Katy, etc. 
Smoother more precise attack/tone are effective on tunes like Get Ready, Midnight Hour, Tina Nina Nu, Hurt So Bad, Caldonia, T-Bone Shuffle etc.

And I'll shoot for an even smoother jazzier single-note style on our versions of Stormy Monday, The Work Song, I'm Comin' Home Baby, Shame Shame Shame etc. 

The more arrows in your quiver, the more you ammo you got. 

Harpin' in Colorado,
--Ken M.

TeraBlu Band on My Space
http://www.myspace.com/terablu