[Harp-L] volume issue

[Matthew Smart <matthewsmart@xxxxxxxxx>]

There is a great blues club in atlanta called Darwins (if you are ever
there) and the blues jam on thursday nights is just wall to wall packed.
The band leader Maurice has a great Sonny Jr amp setup with a custom
bullet. Its a harp players dream. And, when the opening band plays its just
perfect volume, sounds great. THEN, the other guitar players come up (using
the same amps) and its a gradual increase in volume everytime someone new
comes up. By the end of the night we are all hanging on the back deck
because its too damn loud.  I dont understand this. Maybe they are deaf
from turning up all the time? At least blues, in my opinion, should not be
so loud, otherwise you can't here the little tasty details.

On Tue, Apr 3, 2012 at 8:13 AM, <harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

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> Today's Topics:
>
>   1. Read if you're bored! (Nick Walsh)
>   2. RE: Keys you need (Rick Dempster)
>   3. Re: Once upon a time in the West (David Payne)
>   4. Re: Harp-L Digest, Vol 104, Issue 11 (Glenn Weiser)
>   5. Re: Once upon a time in the West (Joseph Leone)
>   6. Re: positions you can use on diatonic (Joseph Leone)
>   7. Basics of harp cleaning (Robert Koch)
>   8. RE: Re: positions you can use on diatonic (Brendan Power)
>   9. Re: positions you can use on diatonic (MundHarp@xxxxxxx)
>  10. Re: Read if you're bored! (Mike Rogers)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2012 12:16:14 -0400 (EDT)
> From: Nick Walsh <niko8484@xxxxxxx>
> Subject: [Harp-L] Read if you're bored!
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Message-ID: <8CEDF030F6C899D-217C-6BC@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
>
> Here is an email exchange I recently had with a band leader who asked me
> to come play him and his band.  It's long but I just wanted to know the
> groups thoughts about this exchange. Here is some background on the email:
> this band played at a very loud level. This level always increased during
> set to the point that everything including vocal was muddy and distorted.
> Let me know If I out of line at all.
> I actually found his respond ridiculously entertaining.
> Nick "Chowda"
>
> ________________________________________________________________________________
> Nick..  I hope all is well with you, I am in search of a good harp player
> for the new reformed XXXXXXX, and it now consists of some great players.
>  I really liked playing with you and what you brought to the stage when you
> jammed with us.. and I know you must be even better now.    If you are
> interested in playing with us again please let me know...
>
> Thanks, Tom
>
> __________________________________________________________________________________
> Hey Tom,
>  Thanks for the email.  I have been really busy with school and work. That
> being said I am looking to play more harp. I really like the song choice of
> the XXXXXXX has and the style you’re playing.  I think my harp sounds good
> with it.
> I have a few suggests if you're interested.  I don't mean this in any
> disrespectful way what so ever, but I found it hard to play with the XXXXXX
> because of the overall volume level.  I felt like I got lost in the mix
> with my medium sized amp (12" speaker, 25 watt amp).  Even when I brought
> out my Bassman I felt able to compete but then I felt like I was
> perpetuating the issue and forcing others to turn up. The last time I
> played with the XXXXXX I left feeling a little discouraged and like it
> wasn't my place to ask everyone to turn down.
> Again, I mean this with total respect.  I think you're a great guitarist
> and the other guys in the band were really cool as well.
> Thanks,
>  Nick
>
> ___________________________________________________________________________________
> Great to hear from you Nick....     and oh yes, the volume issue...
> There are some people that really have a hard time dealing with it and I,
> and that is fine for them, but not me.   At the smaller venues I do try to
> keep a lid on it as best I can but I have to tell you I will not play at
> lounge levels, never happen.    When I play I want to play for real... I
> take my playing seriously just like all my hero's I grew up listing to...
>  I want the  XXXXXXX to be the real deal, and to get tone... great tone I
> need to be at a level that will allow me to get there pure and simple, no
> bink tone or fake sounding distortion pedals at low levels...  can't and
> won't do it.
>  I am not going to turn down any lower than I already play, nor is the
> band as a whole.   If you think you can handle that and want to give it a
> go then let me know and you should come to our next rehearsal.   If not.. I
> fully understand.
>
> Either way...  good to hear from you, always liked you and your playing
> and thought you had great potential.
> Tom
>
> _____________________________________________________________________________________
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Tue, 03 Apr 2012 11:28:25 +1000
> From: Rick Dempster <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: RE: [Harp-L] Keys you need
> To: "Jeffery Degregorio" <jeffery.degregorio@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
>        "harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>,        "Timothy Kane"
>        <hawkeyekane@xxxxxxxxx>,        "Tony Stephens" <tnysteph@xxxxxxxxx
> >
> Message-ID: <4F7ADE7C.7C8A.0066.1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
>
> I'd second that. Unless you are going to play in 1st position (E harp in
> key of E) the uses are pretty limited. If you play with someone who likes
> playing/singing in B (I do it a bit myself) OK.
> Apart from that, 3rd position is F#, 4th, C# 5th, Ab, 6th, Eb. I'd go for
> an F, to play 2nd in C, and D to play in both D and A. A lot of trad
> country is in C G, D, A, and E. With your A, G and C, the F and D should
> cover most of the common keys. After that, I'd go to a Bb, for 2nd in F.
> RD
>
>
> >>> "Degregorio, Jeffery" <jeffery.degregorio@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> 3/04/2012 4:58 >>>
> I'm not that familiar with what keys country numbers are in, (I would
> guess F, D, C, A, G, Bb) but are you talking about using an E harp to play
> in the key of B (cross harp)? (if so, it's surprising it's that common)
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of Timothy Kane
> Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 1:53 PM
> To: Tony Stephens; harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Keys you need
>
> I'd go for E, D, or B-flat. I've used an E harp on a lot of different
> country numbers. D and B-flat are good keys for blues songs in A or F.
>
>
>
>
>                          Hawkeye Kane
>
>                       hawkeyekane@xxxxxxxxx
>
>                           Cell: (217)-741-7183
>
>                          www.hawkeyekane.com
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Tony Stephens <tnysteph@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Sent: Monday, April 2, 2012 1:44 PM
> Subject: [Harp-L] Keys you need
>
> If you could buy 3 harps what 3 keys would you want to have. Prices are
> going up at Bushman. I have a C by them. I have a A & G by Lee Oskar and a
> C special 20. So my question is which 2 keys by Bushman for playing country
> and blues?
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>
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>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2012 00:46:13 -0400
> From: David Payne <dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Once upon a time in the West
> To: "harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Message-ID:
>        <DBC09631-2D90-4401-B6F8-AC76D13EDCBF@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain;       charset=us-ascii
>
> There's probably five harmonicas in that movie. In the brother hanging
> scene for instance, it changes really obviously. At first, it's all beat up
> and old, then it's a brand new, different harmonica.
>
> David Payne
> www.elkriverharmonicas.com
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Apr 2, 2012, at 17:20, Massimo Pettenello <greenbullet@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
>
> > Is there anyone outhere who can tell me exactly what harmonica was
> holding Charles Bronson in "Once upon a time in the West"?
> > And most of all is it the same one Henry Fonda pulls out of his pocket?
> > I never found the truth in over 30 years!! Thank you!!
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2012 22:00:09 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Glenn Weiser <banjoandguitar100@xxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [Harp-L] Re: Harp-L Digest, Vol 104, Issue 11
> To: "harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Message-ID:
>        <1333429209.43162.YahooMailNeo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
> Regarding Cara's post, she's right on all counts. The understanding of the
> 12 positions is essential to a throughout knowledge of the harmonica, and
> thinking in terms of scale degree is much more useful than thinking in note
> names. It's very similar to the idea of the CAGED system of scale
> fingerings on the guitar neck, in fact.
> It's also wrong to say classical is music unlimited. It's not. The limits
> of classical music are twofold. Structurally, most classical music is
> limited by the rules of harmony, counterpoint, and compositional forms like
> the fugue, the rondo, the Baroque suite, and the supreme achievement, the
> sonata allegro form. Classical music is also limited by tonality, or the
> need to revolve around a tone center. When Arnold Schoenberg rebelled
> against tonality and created serialism, that too was limited by its own set
> of rules.
>
> Glenn Weiser
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2012 02:53:36 -0400
> From: Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Once upon a time in the West
> To: David Payne <dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Cc: harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Message-ID: <74BEA456-DED2-43C3-8177-C4DE3244BBF7@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
>
> Diatonic: Draw in on the 6, bend it down 1 step, let it back up to 7
> natural, bend it back 1 step, then draw the 5 natural. Then draw the 6 with
> the 11 step bend already IN there, and let it up.
> There...you gots it.
>
> For chromatic: Draw on the 7, ```depress the slide slowly into a blow 7,
> draw the 7, ``depress the slide into a blow 7, slide to a blow 6 with slide
> in, slide back into a 7 blow with slide in, then let the slide out for a
> draw 7.  There..wasn't that easy. (you're playing with the partial slides
> to get the slurred dischords.
>
> smo-joe   (the 'they' that say)
>
>
>
>
> On Apr 2, 2012, at 11:04 PM, David Payne wrote:
>
> > Right, you can do it with an overblow. That was the first thing I played
> when I figured out the overblow. I was working on this thing where I would
> get a dischord of some kind by overblowing one note in  a chord. I could do
> it on the B-rad. I haven't tried that in a couple of years.  I'll have to
> try to do that tomorrow and see what happens.
> >
> > David
> > www.elkriverharmonicas.com
> >
> >
> > ________________________________
> > From: Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> > To: David Payne <dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Cc: harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > Sent: Monday, April 2, 2012 10:57 PM
> > Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Once upon a time in the West
> >
> >
> > You CAN do that quip on a diatonic...BUT it won't have the 'between the
> notes' double note bleed over into a dischord and back into another note
> that the original sound track has.
> > With a diatonic, you would use a slur-bend.  Close, but not quite.
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 6
> Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2012 02:57:32 -0400
> From: Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] positions you can use on diatonic
> To: michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>
> Cc: harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Message-ID: <66F0A239-68BF-4262-A9CE-2F099EB45BBE@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
>
> On Apr 2, 2012, at 12:30 PM, michael rubin wrote:
>
> > Buck,
> > At the very beginning of the video I define it as a parlor trick.
>
> I would hesitate to call it a parlor trick. Harp gymnastics is more to my
> taste. You do yourself discredit calling it a trick. There
> ARE no tricks. Some gymnastics started as 'stage presentations'. That's
> more or less what you're doing. Hard work to make
> a point.
>
> smo-joe
>
> snip &<  (barber's scissors lol)
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 7
> Date: Tue, 03 Apr 2012 09:13:31 +0200
> From: Robert Koch <rok68@xxxxxxx>
> Subject: [Harp-L] Basics of harp cleaning
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Message-ID: <4F7AA31B.9040903@xxxxxxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
>
> > On Mon, Apr 2, 2012 at 2:58 PM, Al Mizenko<almiz111@xxxxxxxxx>  wrote:
> >
> >> My harp seems to get a film inside the square holes.
>
>   Check the Hohner vid at the bottom of the "cleaning" story. If needed,
> there is a translation app on the upper right corner of the blog.
>
>      http://juke-myharmonicablog.blogspot.fr/
>
>      Sunnyside
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 8
> Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2012 09:48:03 +0100
> From: "Brendan Power" <bren@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: RE: [Harp-L] Re: positions you can use on diatonic
> To: "'JersiMuse'" <jersimuse@xxxxxxxxx>, <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Message-ID: <003501cd1176$7bf3a2b0$73dae810$@brendan-power.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain;       charset="us-ascii"
>
> Jerome wrote:
>
> " To my opinion, if positions only refer to root notes, they are useless,
> and the note name is a much better and precise information.
> Especially when you communicate with other people from the band, who are
> usually not harmonica players.
> I'm surprised that harmonica players so much feel the need to use a
> separate
> vocabulary, enabling them to better communicate with other harmonica
> players, and complicates their communication with other musicians. Whereas,
> to my opinion, playing music should mainly be the encounter of different
> instruments."
>
> That's true: the concept of Positions on a harmonica is only of use to harp
> players (for the player himself and also to describe what you are doing to
> other harmonica players). It means nothing to other musicians and would
> only
> confuse things, as Jerome says.
>
> As he only plays a C harp, it is better for Jerome to ignore the idea of
> Positions and just talk of the root note and the scale ("I'm in D major"
> not
> "I'm playing 3rd position major on a C harp".
>
> However, for the majority of us who use many different key harps, Positions
> are a good way to maintain your bearings no matter which key harp you use.
> It's like the clever Chinese 'Jianpu' numeric notation system used widely
> in
> Asia:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numbered_musical_notation
>
> Notes are given numbers relating to the key and scale they're in, which
> means you can switch keys easily without having to change the notation. The
> Nashville Number System does the same for chord charts. This is the way I
> think when playing all the time - I never consider a note's name (E, F, F#
> etc), just its number in the key/scale I'm in.
>
> Harp Positions are similar: they work irrespective of the key of the
> harmonica, so are very useful for us. However, Position and harp key alone
> are not enough: it's essential to name the scale and root note too,
> especially when playing with other musicians (that's ALL they will want to
> know).
>
> Brendan Power
> WEBSITE: www.brendan-power.com
> FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/tethnik
> YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/BrendanPowerMusic
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 9
> Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2012 05:48:00 -0400 (EDT)
> From: MundHarp@xxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] positions you can use on diatonic
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Message-ID: <29ac5.f2cdce4.3cac2150@xxxxxxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>
> I simply use harmonica "positions" as a starting point, a sort of "road
> map" for keys to use, when playing my harmonica, diatonic or  chromatic.
> When
> I started on the harmonica, I played a 12 hole 270  Super Chromonica in the
> key of "G" and  for about 5 years that was my  ONLY harmonica, so I learnt
> my way around in music from a base of  the key of "G"... Then I discovered
> blues harp and began playing mostly "cross  harp" on diatonic harmonica.
> For
> years and years I mainly played using the  circle of fifths in only "2nd
> position"... I then discovered that there  were many additional options,
> 3rd and
> 4th position, for example... The first  harmonica player I myself knew who
> used a diatonic instrument to play in many  keys was "Ironman" Mike Curtis,
> who I discovered through Harp-L back in the mid  1990s...
> I don't care what "mode" I am playing in. All I care about is that my
> music sounds good... So I think in harmonica positions... It just helps me
> find
> a starting point in a particular song, to decide what mouth organ to use.
> John "Whiteboy" Walden
> Just now, in Scotland.
> _http://johnwalden.freevar.com_ (http://johnwalden.freevar.com)
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 10
> Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2012 09:04:10 -0400
> From: "Mike Rogers" <bullfrog9@xxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Read if you're bored!
> To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>, "Nick Walsh" <niko8484@xxxxxxx>
> Message-ID: <49FF7DF979AC4FFDBCA44A00B93FE2FD@mrogers>
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="UTF-8";
>        reply-type=original
>
> Run!!
>
> Bullfrog
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Nick Walsh" <niko8484@xxxxxxx>
> To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 12:16 PM
> Subject: [Harp-L] Read if you're bored!
>
>
>
> Here is an email exchange I recently had with a band leader who asked me to
> come play him and his band.  It's long but I just wanted to know the groups
> thoughts about this exchange. Here is some background on the email: this
> band played at a very loud level. This level always increased during set to
> the point that everything including vocal was muddy and distorted.
> Let me know If I out of line at all.
> I actually found his respond ridiculously entertaining.
> Nick "Chowda"
>
> ________________________________________________________________________________
> Nick..  I hope all is well with you, I am in search of a good harp player
> for the new reformed XXXXXXX, and it now consists of some great players.
> I really liked playing with you and what you brought to the stage when you
> jammed with us.. and I know you must be even better now.    If you are
> interested in playing with us again please let me know...
>
> Thanks, Tom
>
> __________________________________________________________________________________
> Hey Tom,
>  Thanks for the email.  I have been really busy with school and work. That
> being said I am looking to play more harp. I really like the song choice of
> the XXXXXXX has and the style you’re playing.  I think my harp sounds good
> with it.
> I have a few suggests if you're interested.  I don't mean this in any
> disrespectful way what so ever, but I found it hard to play with the XXXXXX
> because of the overall volume level.  I felt like I got lost in the mix
> with
> my medium sized amp (12" speaker, 25 watt amp).  Even when I brought out my
> Bassman I felt able to compete but then I felt like I was perpetuating the
> issue and forcing others to turn up. The last time I played with the XXXXXX
> I left feeling a little discouraged and like it wasn't my place to ask
> everyone to turn down.
> Again, I mean this with total respect.  I think you're a great guitarist
> and
> the other guys in the band were really cool as well.
> Thanks,
>  Nick
>
> ___________________________________________________________________________________
> Great to hear from you Nick....     and oh yes, the volume issue...   There
> are some people that really have a hard time dealing with it and I, and
> that
> is fine for them, but not me.   At the smaller venues I do try to keep a
> lid
> on it as best I can but I have to tell you I will not play at lounge
> levels,
> never happen.    When I play I want to play for real... I take my playing
> seriously just like all my hero's I grew up listing to...  I want the
> XXXXXXX to be the real deal, and to get tone... great tone I need to be at
> a
> level that will allow me to get there pure and simple, no bink tone or fake
> sounding distortion pedals at low levels...  can't and won't do it.
>  I am not going to turn down any lower than I already play, nor is the band
> as a whole.   If you think you can handle that and want to give it a go
> then
> let me know and you should come to our next rehearsal.   If not.. I fully
> understand.
>
> Either way...  good to hear from you, always liked you and your playing and
> thought you had great potential.
> Tom
>
> _____________________________________________________________________________________
>
>
>
> End of Harp-L Digest, Vol 104, Issue 13
> ***************************************
>



-- 
Matthew Smart
matthewsmart@xxxxxxxxx
678-851-1434