[Harp-L] Re: The Future of Blues Harmonica?

["Brendan Power" <bren@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I think Richard Sleigh's easy taping mod to the Suzuki UltraBend is an
excellent one for those who want to combine the best of the old and the new.
Personally I like its low octave blow bends, but for traditional Blues
tongue blockers Richard's tweak is perfect to combine the old-style feel of
the bottom end while retaining the expressiveness and chromaticism of the
new blow and draw bends in the middle and top octaves.

 

In answer to Richard's rhetorical question, I think triple-reed harps ARE
the future of blues harmonica. I'd be the first to agree that the UltraBend
is not yet the perfect embodiment of the design out-of-the-box. However,
Suzuki have a great track record when it comes to making small incremental
improvements to harmonicas over time. As an example, compare the modern V2
SCX chromatics to their earlier versions: the difference is like night and
day.

 

The same will happen with the UltraBend. Prices will drop and quality will
improve. But even now it does what it claims to do: give the player 10 new
easy double-bends that expand the possibilities of the familiar 10 hole
Richter harp in exciting ways. It really rewards giving it some time to get
used to the fantastic new possibilities, and you don't have to emboss it to
play good music. The following videos were all played on un-embossed
UltraBends:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1_5M9mQ79w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5emY-a_ZfWU
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5emY-a_ZfWU&feature=related>
&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZDLEKMMFB8

 

All the UltraBends so far came from the first small production run. The next
one is at the end of this month. You can be assured that Suzuki will work
hard now and in the future to improve OTB playability.

 

I predict that in a year's time a lot of influential players will be playing
and recording cool new-sounding harmonica music on the UltraBend in their
favourite configuration, whether with Richard's taping tweak, alternate
tunings, with custom combs - or just out of the box. 

 

The future of Blues harmonica has definitely arrived - maybe not with a
resounding bang, but the example of top players and customisers such as
Filip and Richard will show the possibilities, inspire others to try the new
format, and momentum will gather over time. Other manufacturers will jump on
the bandwagon, and the general playability OTB will improve markedly. 

 

The triple-reed diatonic is just such a fantastic Blues machine! I predict
in five years the improved quality and its seductive expressiveness will
have convinced even the most trenchant non-believers to try it, and in ten
years the triple-reed design will be approaching the norm. 

 

Heaps of great new licks impossible up to now will have entered the harp
player's repertoire, and harps that can't get those extra bends will just
seem so limited. Watch this space.

 

Brendan Power

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