Re: [Harp-L] Questions for chromatic players

[joe leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Jan 15, 2010, at 12:00 PM, Doug Parrish wrote:

> To John "White Boy" Walden
>
> John, do you play all your songs using just the C chromatic?  My  
> situation is similar, and now that I'm back to playing pretty well  
> in C on a C instrument, I want to be able to use one chromatic for  
> every key. What are most of you chrome players doing?  Do you ever  
> get as proficient in most of the other keys?  Are there a group of  
> keys that are best to aim for first, since some aren't often used.   
> Also, what is the "best way" to learn/practice the other keys?  
> Thanks for any responses out there.  Doug Parrish Sonora,Ca
>
>
> "While I was still a child, I learnt to play harmonica on a 270   
> Chromatic, then I switched to "short harp" pretty well exclusively  
> for more  than 20 years. I was into blues and rock music mostly, in  
> those days.
> But since then, during the 1990's and through the inspiration of  
> the  late, great, Douglas Tate, I went back to the chromatic  
> harmonica. Doug showed  me something of the range and variations of  
> tone and sound that are  available with a chromatic harmonica.  
> Since then I play both chrom  and diatonic harp. I love them both,  
> and play whichever fits the tune  best.
> It's not "either" "or"... For me its "Lets play BOTH!"
> Best wishes
> John "Whiteboy" Walden
> Cebu City
'I' started out on Khrome Khlondike (reg.) first, and while most  
people blow into a chromo (or harp too), I sucked. In some quarters  
this is still believed to be true lol). Aaaanyway, I learned the key  
of D first, then F, then C, Db, and so on. I was strictly an ear  
player. Then a terrible thing happened. I lost my chromo in a ship  
collision. (If you get down on the Andrea Doria, our cabin was A315.  
My chromo is on the dresser.)

Aaaanyway, The first thing I wanted to do when landing in New York  
was to replace that chromo. I went to National Record Mart, and  
picked one out, but somehow the counter Jer ooops clerk pulled the  
wrong one out of the cabinet, I found out on the street car that it  
was a G NOT the C I wanted. I didn't have enough money to go back and  
when I went back after school the next day, they wouldn't take it  
back. (note to self: that's when I got the impression that once you  
bought a chromo, you were stuck with it).

So, I had to RE learn everything I had been playing for the last  
couple years. AND everything was almost BACKWARDS. Aggravation? yes,  
but good training? yes.

So, I finally got another C and when when I was messing with trumpet,  
I had to start to read...a bit... and all my music was written for  
Bb. In other words, even if a tune was IN C, MY music wasn't. It  
would have been in D. So, it was easy for me to use any Bb instrument  
centric book to play.

Conclusion (wheeew, thank God), I now play a number of keys (not all,  
but about 4 major and 2 minor) fairly fluently, and of course, with  
the music, I can do better (maybe 6-7 major and 4 minor). The point I  
want to make is that I do NOT necessarily play a chromo in it's home  
key. In fact, I am usually in a different key. Some players play  
everything on a C chromo. I don't. I don't usually play a C chromo IN  
C. I usually play in the draw keys. F, D, Eb, Dm, and like that. None  
of my videos are in a chromo's home key.

As for harmonicas with different hole spacing. You will get to a time  
(I did) where you can jump back and forth between a diabolic and a  
chromo at will. And the hole spacing on a chromo is mucher mucho  
wider than a diabolic.

And you are correct. Use the tool that gets the job done to it's best  
effect. Don't use a plane when a chisel is correct. Some tunes should  
never ever EVER be played on chromo. In other cases, chromo is the  
only 'sane' choice. Unless, of course, you relish in paddling up  
Niagara Falls, or getting into hatchet fights with 2 firemen and a  
lumberjack.

smo-joe