RE: [Harp-L] Diatonic/chromatic

[JersiMuse <jersimuse@xxxxxxxxx>]

In fact I agree with most of your points. Even if I don't come to the same
conclusion.
Of course, I especially agree on the fact that musicality is the goal, not
technicality.
But I don't oppose both of them. There is a trend, especially in the
harmonica community, to think that someone very technical loses musicality.
I think technicality shouldn't be a goal, but I also think one should first
work technicality to be able to leverage musicality.

I believe that many things are possible on the diatonic. It is not because
they have been more or less well or badly realized that they aren't
possible.
As you point out, the harmonica turned chromatic 20 years ago.
20 years is extremely short in an instrument life. Especially when it has
previously existed with a whole different culture and way of playing during
a century.
Even today, very few players really work and play in all keys (which is not
the same as being able to play chromatically on a single key).
The percentage is infinitesimal compared to sax players for example.
But as far as some continue to work in a real chromatic approach, I'm sure
there will sooner or later be young people taking the lead, and one day a
Charlie Parker may rise on the diatonic.
Frankly, I don't really care, I'm just playing the music I love on the
instrument I love, the rest is not important to me.
 So I can assure you I'm not living in a dream. I know what is possible on
that instrument, even if I can't achieve everything I know.

By the way, Giant Steps is a very good example as it is one of the most
difficult standards, and even very good musicians can't play it.
Didier Lockwood has decided to produce Sebastien Charlier after listening to
him playing and improvising on Giant Steps.
I guess Didier Lockwood's ear is pretty good.

The point I agree on mainly is : " the musical success or failure of that
attempt will depend on a lot of factors, not the least of which is the song
in question".
Totally agree, and I would add : one of these factors is the musician, of
course, and the number of hours he spent on working in all keys.
It more depends on the song and the musician that any other thing. And yes,
there are a lot of factors which can make it a failure or a success.
Like any other instrument finally.
Very few sax players can play John Coltrane's music correctly (BTW J.
Coltrane worked his scales 6 hours a day. Another point : nobody has never
told him he was too technical and would lose musicality).
It doesn't mean this music is not adapted to saxophone.

I also agree on this point : " it's a hell of a lot easier to play highly
chromatic music successfully on an instrument designed to do so than on an
instrument specifically _not_ designed to do so"
In my case, even if I know this, it is still the music I love and want to
play, on the instrument I love and want to play.
There is nothing reasonable here. It is just my personal feeling.
I prefer working to achieve part of it, than abandon because it would be
easier on another instrument and this idea is frustrating.
In fact, I'm not frustrated by the fact that it would be easier on another
instrument. It just means more work. But the goal is the same and can be
achieved.

The guys who first played jazz on trombone must have had a very difficult
time too, it is a very difficult instrument, but nobody cares.
At the end, only music is important.

Regards,

Jerome
www.youtube.com/JersiMuse


-----Message d'origine-----
De : harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] De la part
de jross38@xxxxxxxxxxx
Envoyé : dimanche 24 avril 2011 23:41
À : harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Objet : [Harp-L] Diatonic/chromatic

Jerome writes:

"I confirm that it is possible to play Charlie Parker smoothly on a diatonic
harp, with no doubt."

It is?  Well, I guess it depends on the song in question, but if we're
talking "Giant Steps" I remain massively unconvinced.  And yes, I have heard
all the examples everyone will mention.  Not that you can't play jazz on a
diatonic, just that the musical success or failure of that attempt will
depend on a lot of factors, not the least of which is the song in question.
Simply put, it's a hell of a lot easier to play highly chromatic music
successfully on an instrument designed to do so than on an instrument
specifically _not_ designed to do so.  The later tends to be much more a hit
or miss affair, the hits usually coming when the player is more sympathetic
to and aware of their instruments strengths and limitations.

Jerome again:

"So I would conclude: let's give people the freedom to choose their
instrument and let them work fairly, to give the best they can on their
instrument."

A wonderful argument against a straw man no one brought up.  Of course,
everyone is free to do whatever they want.  But that goes both ways, in that
if the results are less than stellar, well then that's worth noting.  We are
some twenty odd years into the chromatic-diatonic experiment.  There have
been stunning successes and spectacular failures, but what there hasn't been
yet, to my ears, is anyone who could successfully pass the Ode Challenge.
That isn't just some annoying bit of pedantry, I'd say it's a significant
reason to be very aware of the limitations of the exercise.

Perhaps it's just me, perhaps it's just that I've become jaded, but I find
that with time the squeaks, squawks and just plain misses of many
diatonic-chromatic attempts are even more noticeable.  I guess I find that
the bloom and honeymoon of "wow, I didn't know you could do that" is gone
and been replaced by a preference for musicality over technicality.



JR Ross