[Harp-L] Transparency

[Jonathan Ross <jross38@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

The first quotes from Chris:

"People like Jason Ricci, Carlos delJunco, Otavio Castro, Howard Levy
and myself have proven time and again there is a place for OBs and
they can be as transparent as any other bent note."

I like the caveat.  And I agree with it.  Overblows can be every bit  
as transparent as standard bends.

I'm not really sure I've seen people arguing otherwise, though I have  
seen people arguing context.  Mostly I feel that you two are not  
hearing each other.  It seems like EV wants to discuss the usage of  
overbends in the blues, perhaps even in traditional blues.  It seems  
like Chris want's to discuss the validity of overbends in general but  
almost seems to be saying that they have no part in the blues.  Is  
your (Chris') argument that there is no place for overbends in  
traditional blues because the best overblowers don't play traditional  
blues?  If so, that seems rather circular to me.

Chris again:

"Furthermore, you [EV] continue to make the mistake of thinking  
Traditional
Blues is the only way to play harp so all others are judged from the
traditional blues perspective. "

I actually don't see EV making that argument at all.  It seems more  
like he wants to have a specific conversation and you a more general  
one.  Perhaps I'm wrong.  But, I think that if EVs initial post was  
rephrased might help.

EV wrote:

"I don't get "het up" about overblows but I've noticed a lot of overblow
practitioners get het up when I observe that a) the tone of OBs can't  
yet
match the tone of traditional blues harp and b) that it is usually  
the case
that OBs are frequently approximate in pitch, especially when the  
player is
being overly ambitious and attempting some jazz tune with a lot of  
changes."

I might rephrase that as follows:

 "a) the tone of OBs is different from the tone of either bent or  
natural notes."

And this is where Chris does have a good point--you cannot judge the  
tone of OBs in a singular context.  It might not work in traditional  
blues (a good discussion could be had--I could certainly see some  
uses for OBs tone-wise in a traditional blues), but that is only one  
context.  Thus it's better, IMO, to say the tone is different rather  
than make a broad value judgement against OB-tone because it doesn't  
fit in a singular context.  But, I also thought the context of this  
entire thread was OBs in the blues, so read the above statements  
within that context where they are less universal.

"and b) that it is usually the case
that OBs are frequently approximate in pitch, especially when the  
player is
being overly ambitious and attempting some jazz tune with a lot of  
changes."


Actually, I wouldn't rephrase that.  I would, however, echo back to  
the first thing I quoted from Chris and point out that all these  
issues are just as true for bends.

Chris again:

"Isn't being a good musician what matters most?  Who cares about style?"

I'd agree, but then I'd ask what makes a good musician.  Is it  
knowledge and technique, is it someone I want to listen to, is it  
success in creating moving works of music?  Is being a good musician  
process based or results based.  I've known plenty of guitarists who  
could shred for hours, but I'd rather listen to Brownie McGhee play  
the same simple rhythm all day.  That's partly my own taste, but I'd  
also say it's partly because Brownie had "it" and those others  
didn't--he could create an interesting and moving piece of music from  
those simple parts.  To me that makes him a very good musician indeed.



JR Ross