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

["Mike Rogers" <bullfrog9@xxxxxxx>]

Good Point.  Maybe somebody's down ther right now, designing a harmonica 
capo for diatonics.

Bullfrog
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joseph Leone" <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: "harp-l" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2012 11:12 AM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: The Future of Blues Harmonica?



On Sep 12, 2012, at 7:52 AM, mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> Wouldn't be surprised that a Dutchman was messing with that idea in his 
> work shop back in the 30's
> Forgetaboutit !
>
> Mike Wilbur
I have to agree with you Mike. Sorry folks. :)
Here's a little story to back up what you wrote. I bought a diatonic in a px 
in Trieste Italy in 1951. Within a week it was run over by a school 
streetcar.
End of that story..for now. In 1956 I bought a chromatic in a px in Naples 
Italy. I practiced very hard for a year and a half and then started playing 
at a restaurant in the Luna Park in Naples. Shortly thereafter, I got a 
diatonic again.

Immediately I found that I needed the 5th draw reed to be raised a half 
tone. Why? Because there were 3 types of music you could listen to in Italy. 
#1 was the armed forces station radio out of Heidelberg Ger. Now since the 
occupation forces that stayed behind were older career soldiers, the music 
was all 30s and 40s swing. This required the 5th reed to be raised. #2 was 
Italian music. That definitely needed the raised 5. #3 was music from 
eastern Europe. That definitely required a raised 5. Sooo, I raised the 5 
draw reed. A week later I raised the 9 draw to correspond. Keep in mind that 
while I accidentaly discovered how to bend, I did NOT do over blows nor 
draws.

Upon returning home to Staten Is. I wanted to do doo-wop with our high 
school group. That definitely required the raised 5..and I eventually put a 
wind saver on the 5 draw so as to be able to bend the 5 blow DOWN. I did it 
on my own and knew no other harmonica players. AND I have a feeling I wasn't 
the first to do this? This is why I have a hard time accepting that 
something is totally new in the harmonica world. Off hand though I am 
willing to accept that there are some people who ARE innovators. They have 
name recognition, are highly respected, and I am willing to take their word 
for whatever they say..until proven otherwise.

So here's the deal. 'I' (and I could be way off base here) feel that people 
have been messing with harmonicas since they were invented. Someone 
somewhere in a basement could be working on something right now. Just 
because we're on this list doesn't mean that everyone is. There have been 
'show' or 'stage' tunings since the beginning. Harmonicas that have been 
altered to do specific things. I know for a fact that some players (Don Les 
comes to mind) would alter a harmonica for ONE tune. And NOWadays we have a 
virtual plethora of altered tunings.

smokey-joe