Re: [Harp-L] Tremolo harmonicas

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

The true tremolo sound can only be achieved with a tremolo harmonica - ha-ha--ha pulsing, or the 'tremolo" setting on an amplifier will not give you want you're looking for.

You *can* use a pitch shifter to raise the pitch very slightly and get a sort-of tremolo. Feed your mic into two different tracks (I''m assuming digital recording). Leave one channel alone, and on the other use a pitch shifter to raise the pitch slightly - by just a few cents. Experiment until you find an effect that you (or the producer) like.

The reasons a pitch shifter doesn't give a true tremolo is that tremolo is based on differences between actual frequencies, not cents, and pitch shifters that I'm aware of don't give you that type of control. Also, you don't get the actual reeds interacting inside the body of a musical instrument, which makes its own sound.

But you're still faced with the question of what kind of harmonica  to use. You need to know more about the specific type of E minor scale that the tune will use.

If the chords are E minor, B minor, and A minor, fourth position on a G harp will fit the scale. Also a natural minor harp

If the A chord is major and the B  chord is minor, the third position on a D harp will fit,

If the A chord is minor and the B chord is major, then you have the harmonic minor scale, which you can find in some single reed diatonics (or by using fourth position and bending for the D# note in Holes 6 and 33 on a G harmonica. Tremolo harmonicas are mande in harmonic minor keys but may not be easy to find in North America.

However, checking Amazon.com I see the Hohner Echo Celeste offered in E minor (but it doesn't say which "flavor" of E minor, and the Hohner website mentions only major keys being available).


 
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