Re: Subject: [Harp-L] hold diatonic right or left hand???

[michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>]

I spent a year playing upside down.  It taught me a lot and gave me a
neat "look at me" trick to do in performance.

Also, there are many ways to hold the harp.  Consider the Fonzie grip,
best exampled by Gruenling.  I teach hold in left hand, but I explain
upside down harp and show my students around ten different grips I use
regularly, including holding it in the right hand and the Fonzie grip.
 I then explain the basic physics of "wrapping your hands around the
harp makes it quiet, opening your hands make it loud."  And explain to
those struggling with my grip that they know the physics, they can
find their own way to make it quiet and loud.
Michael Rubin
Michaelrubinharmonica.com

On Thu, Mar 15, 2012 at 1:48 AM,  <EGS1217@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> wow, Jim - first you and now MadCat chiming in on this same idea. I'm SO
> glad I read this thread since I'm soon to embark on my own diatonic learning
> curve...
>
>
> Every time I've tried (before this), the instructions were to ALWAYS hold
> the harp in one's left hand. Despite being right-handed this doesn't at all
> feel  right for me and in fact is decidedly uncomfortable and I'm quite sure
> is the  reason I've so far been unable to progress at all with diatonic
> play.
>
>
> So - I've stuck with my chromatics but have been accumulating a nice 'kit'
> of well made and even some custom diatonics.
>
>
> Even when I'd express the belief that I might have been intended to be
> left-handed (and was steered as a child to  right-handedness)...the harmonica
> instructor would insist I HAD to  hold the harp with my left-hand as 'that's
> how it's done'.
>
>
> It's very refreshing to now read about an entirely new approach to this:
> the possibility of playing with the high notes to the left. Not sure my
> brain will encompass this since I DO play chromatics, but I just might give  it
> a shot since I tend to do things outside the 'norm' as it is.<G>  Have
> nothing to lose since I'm as much a newbie as Al when it comes to  diatonics.
>
> Cool!
> and Thanks!
>
> Elizabeth
>
> "Message: 6
> Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2012 20:42:46 -0400
> From: Jim Rumbaugh  <jrumbaug@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [Harp-L] hold diatonic right or  left hand???
> To: Al Mizenko <almiz111@xxxxxxxxx>, _harp-l@xxxxxxxxxxx
> (mailto:harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx)
>
> simple answer
>
> use your left
>
> more complex answer
> (FOR  DIATONIC)
> If you wanna play blues, or do some chugging sounds, the majority  of your
> notes are in the low end of the harp, holes 1 through 6. It's easier  to
> put
> your hands around those holes if your left hand holds the  harp.
>
> When I started, 15 years ago, I started with my right, I still use  my
> right,
> and have been working at using my left more and more. I wish I had  started
> with my left, like most people, I like the sound better, when I hold  it in
> my left.
>
> BUT
>
> One of the best players in my town holds it  in his right and holds the
> harp
> upside down, with the low notes on the  right. It is my personal, unproven,
> and unscientific opinion, that this is  the best way to learn to play, but
> I'm afraid to say it out loud because  it's SO against the norm.
>
> Jim Rumbaugh"
>
> *****
> "Message: 9
> Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2012 21:55:31 -0400
> From: Peter Madcat  Ruth <madcat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] hold diatonic right  or left hand???
> To: Jim Rumbaugh <jrumbaug@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Cc:  harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
>
>
> If you are playing the harp with the low notes on  the left and high notes
> on the right I HIGHLY recommend holding the harp in your  left hand and
> using the right hand for cupping.
>
> If you want to play the  harp with the low notes on the right and the high
> notes on the left (upside  down), then hold the harp in your right hand and
> cup with your  left.
>
> Cupping the low end sounds better than cupping the high  end.
>
> Peter Madcat Ruth
> Musician - Grammy Award  Winner
> madcat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> www.madcatmusic.net
> www.youtube.com/user/petermadcatruth"
>