Re: [Harp-L] Sax and Harmonica

[Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Mar 9, 2012, at 5:39 PM, Vern wrote:

> 
> On Mar 9, 2012, at 12:57 PM, Michael Peloquin wrote:
> 
>> .....The harmonica family needs a baritone harmonica!.....
>> 
> 
> That need is unlikely to be met.

There already IS a baritone harmonica. The Baritono by Hering and the Tenor tuned by Hohner. 
> 
> The bottom of the baritone sax range is about C2. Every harmonica player knows that the notes below about G3 don't carry well.

Unless you're on a mic. And they would do ok IF you're playing at a concert setting (such as a spah), where everyone is sitting there looking and listening at/to you. 
Not so good in my type setting where wait staff are tinkling (and dropping) glasses, and people are chatting amongst themselves and stuffing their faces with Pate de foi gras and swilling pitchers of champagne. In that scenario, the ancillary noise presents a problem. But then, look on the good side. You should be playing at subdued tones anyway so the revelers can enjoy their outing without YOUR noise. It's oh so annoying to have to talk loud over musicians who are blowing their guts out to try and give you a memorable tune. Nothing brings on the gastric distress like a Chernobyl version of 'Scrapple'.  lolol 
> 
> The bass harmonica covers a part of that sax range.  However, it is blow-only,

Sax is also a blow only contraption. lolol

> has big reeds, takes a lot of breath, and is virtually inaudible without amplification.

Also fits sax....well except for the audible part. lolol

> The larger reeds cannot be spaced to allow a standard harmonica mouthpiece.  Frequently bass reeds are supported by a mate tuned an octave higher which is more audible.
> 
> Unlike the ones in a harmonica, the reed in a sax is supported by a tunable resonant tube.  Every low-pitched instrument is physically large.  Harmonicas just don't work very well at low frequencies.  However, saxes don't  have a four-octave C3-C7 range!

They can...IF the player can go into the high phonics...(aka altissimo). (That's the range above where the sax is 'supposed' to be able to go). lolol

BUT.....I agree with everything you say Vern. I bought my tenor sax in a pawn shop and so was totally unaware that the baritone was the first one made. I am NOT formally trained. 

> 
> Vern 
> 
> 
>