RE: [Harp-L] Tremelo/Octave Harmonica

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Accordions can have both tremolo ad octave sounds, often selectable in various combinations. So you octave-tuned harp sounds like one of the sounds you can get out of an accordion.

The octave tuning has nothing to do with whether you tongue block. Even if you play a single note with a pucker, you will get two notes at once tuned an octave apart. If you tongue block for octaves, you'll actually get notes in three different octaves instead of just two.

Winslow

Winslow Yerxa
Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5
Harmonica instructor, The Jazzschool for Music Study and Performance
Resident expert, bluesharmonica.com
Columnist, harmonicasessions.com

--- On Fri, 10/1/10, Hellerman, Steven <shellerman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

From: Hellerman, Steven <shellerman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: [Harp-L] Tremelo/Octave Harmonica
To: "joe leone" <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: "Harp L Harp L" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Friday, October 1, 2010, 7:15 PM

Thanks. So in the little bit of time I've been fooling around w/ it, it seems to sound better by tounge blocking. Is that generally the best way to play it- splitting the octave? (Another reason it's called an octave harp?) How much different is it from a tremolo in terms of getting that accordian flavor I'm looking for? 
 
 

________________________________

From: joe leone [mailto:3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Fri 10/1/2010 4:50 PM
To: Hellerman, Steven
Cc: Harp L Harp L
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Tremelo/Octave Harmonica



Tremello has twin reeds tuned just a hair apart. Octave tunes is just 
what it sounds like twin reeds and octave apart.
smo-joe

On Oct 1, 2010, at 3:36 PM, Hellerman, Steven wrote:

>
> Funny how the world can work. Maybe two weeks ago I posted about 
> wanting to get my harp to sound like an accordian for one of the 
> bands I play with, presumably using an effects pedal through my 
> amp. Got lots of good advice from some of the great players here 
> (yes, I'm going to buy that micro pog any day now), including some 
> who suggested that instead of focusing on effects, I learn to play 
> tremolo.
>
> Lo and behold, yesterday one of my students (I teach Pol. Sci., not 
> music, btw; can't even read music, never will) presented me w/ a 
> vintage Hering Sonhadora (made in Brazil) in the key of C that he 
> had bought for five bucks at a garage sale, now sold to me for 
> same. I presumed it was a tremolo, but a little research shows that 
> it's an octave harmonica. What's the difference? Is this a good 
> place to start? Thanks in advance.
>
>
> SLH
> http://www.myspace.com/professorsteve
>
> http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=585303674
>
> PS: Thanks to one and all for adding me to your facebook friends. 
> Yes, it's true: I am a facebook slut! Ha ha.
>
>