Re: [Harp-L] Scales reference for solo tuned chromatic

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Balancing blows vs draws in scales on the chromatic would be nice from a physical comfort standpoint, but musically, a line often flows better if it can be played without breath changes. 

Also, in practice you can't always balance blow and draw notes, depending on what notes are involved.

While half the reeds are blow reeds and half are draw reeds, the same is not true of the notes.

C and F can be either blow or draw, but of the remaining 10 notes in the chromatic scale, only four must be played as blow notes (C#, E, G, G#), while the remaining 6 must be played as draw notes (D, D# F#, A, Bb, B). True, by making both C and F blow notes, you could arrive at 6 blow and 6 draw - but only for the chromatic scale. Most other scales will force you into an unequal number of blow and draw notes. And you may want to smooth out a line by choosing same-breath sequences anyway.

So you're left with the need to learn to balance your breath as you play, by anticipating whether you'll ned more inhaled or exhaled breath, starting with the appropriate amount and expending it slowly, or taking breathing opportunities as the physical phrasing permits or venting through the nose without compromising tone.

Winslow

Winslow Yerxa
Author, Harmonica For Dummies, ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5
            Harmonica Basics For Dummies, ASIN B005KIYPFS
            Blues Harmonica For Dummies, ISBN 978-1-1182-5269-7
Resident Harmonica Expert, bluesharmonica.com
Instructor, Jazzschool for Music Study and Performance


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 Maybe the idea is to have some balance in the number of blow vs.
draw?

How would you play this scale?

/Lasse