Subject: [Harp-L] Re: Beginner harp

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Sorry....wanting to learn 'more easily', but playing less, or as you put it 
 'less practice time', seems to not make much sense to me.
 
Perhaps I'm misunderstanding what you mean by practice time?
 
There seems to me no way you're going to learn unless you put in that time. 
 How else do you honestly expect to learn? There are no short cuts with any 
 musical instrument. A harmonica is no different
 
I maybe don't 'practice' the way other people do...but I sure play every  
day - for at least a good hour or two.. most often a lot more. I 
PLAY...whether  it's on my own, or along with my CD's, or just to music I hear randomly 
at the  computer. A harmonica is never far from my reach. At least one goes 
in the car  with me everywhere I go (as a passenger)...but I play 
chromatics, so I couldn't  refer you to the 'right' diatonic.
 
On any instrument, playing more means becoming better, or more  
accomplished. At least as long as you aren't repeating a same mistake over  and over. 
So even if you didn't have an instructor, there are tons of  instructional 
books/cd's/dvd's and online youtube tutorials one can use to  study. Sit at 
the computer with harp in hand and play/practice. 
 
IF this disturbs family members - then you'll have to work it out with  
them so they either vacate the room you're in while you play or you go  
elsewhere. Is playing important to you? Can your family members go to another  room 
and listen to other music or turn up the tv? There ARE ways to compromise.  
It shouldn't be a case of someone simply telling you to stop because  they 
don't like it, if you want to be a musician. How many parents have sat  
through their children's endless painful piano and violin recitals?
 
Frankly MY response if someone were to give me grief would be:  'I'm sorry 
if it bothers you, but if you don't like it, you can leave the  vicinity for 
the duration of my practice, or wear earplugs, but I AM going to  
practice'.  The other thing you can try is to not blast on the  harmonica full 
strength. Some people think that's the way to play harp. It  isn't. One can play 
softly and sweetly. 
 
I think you're probably on the right track with the SP20's. Most beginners  
don't have anything more than those. But I can't imagine why you'd buy a  
double Bass other than that it really was a heckuva good deal..since it's  
nothing remotely close to a diatonic if you want to play Blues. If you didn't  
make a profit when you sold it, your teacher got a steal (and half the  
people on this list wish they'd known about it) ;) 
 
A chromatic doesn't need all that much 'figuring out', actually. It's a  
very logical instrument. And instead of having to bend to find the 'missing'  
notes, you simply push in a lever to get them. Very easy. If 'I' can do it,  
almost anyone should be able to. What's difficult about the chromatic isn't 
 playing the songs - I can play just about any song I know the lyrics to, 
or  instrumentals I've heard a few times....it's in the techniques: getting 
vibrato,  achieving great tone and ornamentations on the chromatic. That's 
where I really  need much further work.  But we're all still learning. Even 
the best pro  players here will tell you they're still students. Does any good 
musician ever  rest on his/her laurels?
 
Whatever you finally decide to do - you will still need to play a lot. Keep 
 a harmonica on you, in your pocket (hopefully inside a pouch of some kind 
to  keep it clean), but you need to play, play and then play some more. 
Bottom  line.
 
Good luck,
 
Elizabeth
 
"Message: 1
Date: Sat, 8 May 2010 09:37:58 -0700 (PDT)
From: David M  Scudamore <aroundtoithandyman@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Re: Beginner  harp
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx

Is there a harp that I can buy that will  allow me to learn more easily? I 
bought a full set of cheap harps off ebay. I  started lessons 2 years later 
and my instructor recommends a $5 Hohner Blues  Band. Later when I tell him 
that my poor practice bothers the dog (not to  mention wife and kids) He 
tells me to buy a low C 364 Marine band. Later I  decide that I need a special 
20 in C and G. 

Then I buy a 14 key set of  lee Oscars off this list. I bought a double 
bass Hohner off Ebay for $200. SUCH  a bargain! In fact my teacher begged until 
I sold it to him, I could not play it  anyway. I bought a "Larry Adler" 
Chromatic that was in tune for $20 off ebay  original case and all. Such a 
bargain!. Couldn't figure it out and traded it  away.

Now, keep in mind that after about 10 lessons I found that I never  
practiced bewtween lessons so I am still at square one. As far as Phil Lloyd's  
comment about starters wanted to spend $10, that may be true for a 10 year old, 
 but I have spent plenty, I just don't put the time into practice.

In  conclusion, please tell me which harp to use so that I can learn more 
easily,  (read less practice time).

Dave"