[Harp-L] intonation with "real instruments"

[JON KIP <jonkip@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> 1. Intonation with horns and keyboards/piano.  I tune all of my chromatics
> to 441 which is right for the way I blow, brings me to 440 and allows enough
> room for the horns, mainly reeds, to match.  This is especially important
> when playing in unison. (I think it's a quote from Tom S)

and, I think, from Richard....
>  Intonation is indeed a challenge, but probably no more
> so than for saxophone, though sax players have the ability to adjust pitch
> both upwards and downwards while playing, which harp players can't do.



it's not really possible to have one chromatic and have it be easily in tune with the "expensive" instruments all the time.......picking to play at 440 will make clarinet players very happy, and, speaking as one, with the bite marks on my lower lip to prove it , I thank you for that. It's a good choice. The Violas also will love you, in any case, because of the pitch, and because all the tacky jokes usually aimed at them, will end up headed in your direction....You can show your flexibility if , when the "Hey it's a camp fire scene" things start up..... by asking "Ok, what kind of wood are they burning"....and pretending to adjust for it..... 

With cooperation of the players, you can get close (probably close enough, unless you're leaving a recorded record of the performance) but for most kinds of situations, to have a "no sweat" experience, it sure is reassuring  to have a set of differently tuned chromatics....  probably three or four will do.... The problem varies with whatever instruments you're playing in unison with.... for instance, we clarinet players can't comfortably get all that high (in pitch), flutists (and I'm one) love to play above the pitch, and it's a contest between the concert masters and the flute players to see how many clarinet players will bite thru their lower lips trying to get up to pitch. It's the "If I play high enough, I'll stand out" theory.... (yes you will, and it'll be sharp, and the clarinet players will only Pretend to like the concert masters and flute players on the breaks, or at dinner.)

The idea is that, in a successful "use the chromatic harmonica as a section instrument" kind of gig, the other section players won't notice you. They love to not notice harmonica players. (I "not noticed" Tommy Morgan for decades, even sitting next to him) .You get noticed when you're unable to adjust to their pitch. and their professionalism forces them to adjust to you....While we, on chromatic can go just a bit higher, and a bit lower, it's not consistent enough to be as reliable as just having differently tuned instruments.

None of this says you can't have done and won't do in the future, great performances with great pitch and so on, on your favorite chromatic harmonica, but taking the extra instruments seems to be one of those Good Idea things, that we've heard about.....one of those Boy Scout Moments... (being prepared) 

>  Intonation is indeed a challenge, but probably no more
> so than for saxophone, though sax players have the ability to adjust pitch
> both upwards and downwards while playing, which harp players can't do.


Well, not really. Flexibility is far less on a single chromatic harmonica than on a sax ( I was a sax player in earlier days , seems like just yesterday)....we can move the mouthpiece in or out, which gives quite a bit of flexibility, up to a point... .it's kind of like having  multiple alto saxes pitched at 440, 441, 442, 443... and by then, the instrument tends to be out of tune with itself..... but gee, it's a saxophone.... and I think that harp players can, if they hear their note being out a bit, can change it...more easily down than up, but I'm sure that if you have a held note and it clashes with someone else in the room, you'd change .... the ears do that. Again, easier going down than going up, for sure.... kind of like the Ladder of Success.

All this points to it being easier if the harmonica player has several choices of instrument pitch..... the very best thing a section of woodwind players can say to the chromatic harmonica player on a date is, "OH, were you playing that passage with me?"

that's success, in my book...

anyway that's my opinion, based on 45 yrs of studio experience....(not on chromatic harmonica, for sure, that's my new retirement hobby)


Ok I'm done. 

to hear me play just as out of tune as anybody, once on Alto Sax, and the others on my new hobby horn...my unfinished web site....there'll be more once I get better at it.

http://jonkip.com