Re: [Harp-L] Giant Steps on C Diatonic

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Sam Friedman wrote:
<Please listen to my take on giant steps on a C Diatonic. A few caveats....
<yes I know technicality and speed aren't everything, which is why most of
<what I play is NOT this. However, I love this music too (as all music is
<music if done with true intent), and I thought playing Giant Steps on the C
<harp convincingly would be a good goal to set just for instrumental and
<harmonic conception purposes... a test to myself, if you will. *Please* let
<me know what you think. 

Okay, what I think first is that you're an amazingly talented musician. You've been playing harmonica for less than 2 years, and your technical facility, not to mention your melodic and rhythmic conception, is already better than most people who've been playing for decades. 

The second thing I think is that this recording exposes a lot of the limitations of playing chromatically on the diatonic, starting with intonation. I made the same comments about the first piece you posted to this list, a duet with vibes, where you played something in Eb on a C harp.

I say "the limitations of playing chromatically on the diatonic", as opposed to "the limitations of the player," because these issues are intrinsic to overblowing and bending on a diatonic harp.  Whether you want to put in another decade overcoming them is up to you.  I can't think of anyone besides Howard Levy who's really got it nailed cold, and I know most of the recordings by people who've tried, so it is a very tough nut to crack.  If you keep at it, you'll probably crack it, but if it was me I'd wonder whether there was something else I could do with the time that might ultimately be more productive.

Did I mention that you're an amazingly talented musician?  Keep it coming by all means.

Regards, Richard Hunter



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