[Harp-L] Irish Reels and the Octave Harp

["Aongus MacCana" <amaccana@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Anyone who has joined into an Irish Trad session will know that a harmonica
finds it hard to be heard against the competition of the usual fiddles,
banjos and button accordeons. Mind you this can be a blessing at times.
Often the only way you can even hear yourself is by putting a finger over
one ear.

However anyone arrogant enough to bring along a harp amp to a session is
likely to find himself being ostracised. 

In Trad circles this just is not done.

You mentioned Rick Epping?s tuning arrangement for Irish tunes, but one of
his cool designs is an octave tuned ?Boss Harp? which I christened ?The
Bunker Buster? He has a brace of these which he has totally custom made with
Hohner Chromatic combs and covers. When he lets go with one of these at a
session, he is not going to go unheard.

Beannachtaí

Aongus Mac Cana