[Harp-L] Re: Harp-L Chromatic vs Diatonic

[Chris Bauer <jazzharp1@xxxxxxxxx>]

Well said Robert!  

At last years Garden State Harmonica Festival, I attended Rob Paparozzi's seminar, and he addressed this question before anyone asked him.  He said people ask him if he's a blues harp player, a diatonic player, or a chromatic player.  His answer is "I'm a harmonica player!"  Being a 40 year chromatic only player that played diatonics for ONE song (Orange Blossom Special), I was deeply affected by Rob's statement.  Since then, I have become a student of diatonics, and have started playing with R&B bands, performed in a local production of "Big River", and now have begun experimenting with diatonics in jazz music.  The techniques for chromatic and diatonic are very different, and I feel like I have started to learn a whole new instrument!

Could a chromatic be used in country music?  Sure.  Would it by stylistically correct?  Maybe not. It's kinda like going to a drummer that has played trap set his entire life and ask him if he can play latin percussion.  Could he play latin percussion on a trap set?  Sure.  Would it be stylistically correct?  Maybe not.  

So, in the end...it's a harmonica--diatonic or chromatic.


Subject: [Harp-L] chromatic vs diatonic
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I love both instruments, but I tend to go for the easy way technically  
in order to get to the musical feeling quicker.  This means when it  
comes to folk, blues and country I tend to go with the diatonic and  
for melodies, jazz, classical I go to the chromatic.

One of the big advantages of playing the chromatic in a melodic  
situation is to SAVE TIME in that you don't have to figure out how to  
play the tune - no positions, choice of harps, bends or overblows,  
just play.  I can read down 50 tunes in an afternoon and be working on  
expression right away - this way I can choose which tune sounds the  
best to include in repertoire without spending much time on the tune.  
I also can figure out which tunes might sound better on the diatonic.

Players should learn both just for the fun of it.  Even Stevie, Toots,  
and Galison can play diatonic; Musselwhite, Jellyroll, Singer, Turk,  
Pararozzi, Hoover, DePino all play chromatic.  Lots of people  
crossover and end up wih a choice.

Both are harmonicas!

Harmonically yours,

Robert Bonfiglio
http://www.robertbonfiglio.com