Re: [Harp-L] 10 blow followup

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Bill - 

I don't know anyone who tunes the 10 blow down on an otherwise standard-tuned 
harp. (Not to say that they aren't out there.)

One good reason is that lowering Blow 10 makes for a funny-sounding blow chord, 
as it would no longer be an octave above Blow 7. You'd get a pretty-sounding 
Major 7th chord, which is not heard very much in blues (it's a PINK chord :)).

Another reason is that the coolest thing about Blow 10 is the ability to bend it 
down 2 semitones from the strident unbent note to the bluesy full bend. You take 
that away if you tune it down - it will go down only a semitone from a sweet 
note to a bluesy one.

I'd recommend that you take a low-pitched harmonica, like maybe an A-harp, a 
G-harp, or even a low F-harp, and start learning to bend that 10 Blow down. 
(It's easier to learn on low-pitched harps).

In other words, elevate your technique instead of lowering the reed.

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




________________________________
From: JWilliam Thompson <landcommentary@xxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Mon, February 28, 2011 2:05:25 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] 10 blow followup

Winslow, if bending 10 blow down one semitone makes it harmonize with
the I chord, it sounds as if retuning the reed would make sense for
2nd pos. blues players.  Do you know of anyone who does this, and with
what results?

Bill