Re: [Harp-L] re: would this work - playing an octave gliss

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Here's how I did the octave glissando.

It's really the illusion of a continuous bend.

First let me describe the blow bends in Holes 10, 11, and 12 of a 12-hole Low C harmonica, such as the Hohner 364.

Hole 10: Blow C (with A draw) bends down to C-B-Bb.

Hole 11: Blow E (with B draw) bends down to  Eb-D-Db-C

Hole 12: Blow G (with D draw) bends down to F#-F-E-Eb

Now you can see that there is overlap in the bending range from one hole to the next.

So let's say you start on Bb in Hole 10, raise it to C, then switch over to the bent C in Hole 11, but try and do it seamlessly.

In Hole 11 you can switch over to Hole 12 somewhere in the Eb to E area, and raise it to G.

If you have a 14-hole harp such as the Hohner 365, well, I'll let you figure it out.

I remember Cham-Ber explaining how he did the octave gliss, and I think (memory is dim on this) that he used a tunable pitch pipe. Some pitch pipes have a single reed with a slider bar that lets you slide it along the reed, raising the pitch by shortening the length of reed that is free to vibrate. By starting the reed at its lowest pitch and sliding the bar, you can play a continuous gliss. Then, if you're playing Rhapsody in Blue, you have to quickly switch to another harmonica to play the following bits of melody.

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


________________________________
 From: mik jagger <harpomatic@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx> 
Sent: Sunday, September 16, 2012 9:31 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] re: would this work
 
Wow - Winslow, please explain!!! (I've never heard such glissando from harmonica, but would love to master the technique)
Mike.

>
>
> I'll go with Winslow on this one. But there is a similar effect you might
be interested in, that sounds like a smooth bend or glissando spanning
something like a full octave. I've only seen it twice, and was amazed both
times. The first time was in a performance by Winslow, and later in a
video I saw of Chamber Huang playing the opening to Gershwin's "Rhapsody in
Blue". Winslow explained the technique to me after his performance but I
never quite got it....

Best,
Rick