Re: [Harp-L] Is it my ears or does the chromatic sound different? Not as rich & soulful or what?

[Rick Dempster <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I play, or attempt to play (in addition to harps diatonic and chromatic)
steel guitar. No, I don't play pedal-steel. A lot of the older guys (most
of whom are now dead)
used to say that you could pick the player more easily on non-pedal steel
than with pedals. That's because the PSG is a machine, and
the non-pedal is all about hands, and the person playing.
The chrom, similarly, is more of a machine than the diatonic, and as it is
strictly a 'single reed' instrument (ie there aren't two reeds interacting)
the bends are more limited.
However, I don't know any diatonic players, personally, who don't dig
Stevie Wonder, who really makes every note sound like a voice.
The chrom, as played by the likes of Little Walter and a lot of other
players since, can sound very funky, played in 3rd position.
The instrument is, by it's nature, a more musically complex thing, and if
it's rock or funky blues you like, then its 'pure' tone might not naturally
appeal to you.
Keep listening!
RD

On 31 May 2013 17:02, SÃbastien FrÃmal <sebastien.fremal@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> I think It can be interesting to get every notes, but I'm really not
> attracted by the song of the chromatic harmonica. I really love the
> diatonic harmonica though.
>
> I'm not saying that one is better than the other, I respect all harmonica
> players and their instruments. I just love one much more than the other,
> it's personal tastes. I'm sure it's the opposite for some people.
>



-- 
Rick Dempster
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