RE: [Harp-L] Harp L: Chromatic versus Diatonic

[Jérôme P. <peyrelevade@xxxxxxx>]

Well, my personal point of view is that my instrument is the diatonic
harmonica. The fact is that I love Jazz. So I want to play Jazz on my
instrument. So I have to work and play in all keys.
Effectively, it means a lot of work, and in many contexts it would be easier
to use another instrument. But my instrument is the diatonic harmonica and I
want to improve my playing with it just because I love it.
I understand your question, but if I was playing trumpet I wouldn't wonder
if it would be easier to get a guitar to play a tune in E Major.
Maybe my answer is stupid, I'm sorry if it is the case, but my personal
choice is very simple : I love diatonic harp, I love Jazz, so I work hard to
play Jazz on my diatonic harmonica.
I still have a lot to learn, but it would be the same with another
instrument, and I would be frustrated not to play with my favourite one.

Not sure to help a lot on that one :-)

Best regards,

Jerome
www.youtube.com/JersiMuse


-----Message d'origine-----
De : harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] De la part
de Paul Routledge
Envoyé : samedi 3 juillet 2010 09:59
À : Harp L L
Objet : [Harp-L] Harp L: Chromatic versus Diatonic

I posted the message below in a thread over on the MBH forum and  
thought it might be a good topic to explore here.

I'm not personally a great fan of overblows as I have stated on  
previous occasions. However I do think that they have a place in  
music. It's just my preference not to use them.

I can see why some people like using them in a blues context, but when  
it comes to playing jazz, classical, pop, etc and wishing to play  
chromatically. I can't see why people wouldn't just choose to use a  
chromatic harmonica instead. The tonality exhibited by most people  
playing chromatically on a diatonic in genres outside of blues (and  
maybe country music) is so close to the chromatic, that I honestly  
don't see any real tangible benefits in using it.

For example if you listen to the audio clip that Chris Michalek  
posted. It is extremely good playing as usual by Chris, although it's  
overall tonality owes more to the chromatic work of Stevie Wonder and  
Toots than anything else. So I just can't see why it wouldn't be  
better to use the chromatic.

The clip by Chris can be found about halfway down this page:
http://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/board/board_topic/5560960/607263.htm?pag
e=1

I'd be interested in hearing the reasons for and against choosing to  
use a diatonic played chromatically over the chromatic harmonica, when  
playing in genres outside of blues.


Paul