Re: [Harp-L] RE: no standards of harmonica accomplishment

[Rick Dempster <rickdempster33@xxxxxxxxx>]

An example of simple technique, but good musical ideas. The humble harp at
its basic best:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-PdIyV0LTg


On 9 June 2014 15:29, Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Nail this to a plank of teak, take it to the bank, place in safety deposit
> box. Value? priceless.
>
> smo-joe  (who once told Jimmy Hoffa: "Don't go to the diner". Yes, he IS
> the most unforgettable character you will ever meet. )
>
>
> On Jun 8, 2014, at 3:01 PM, JON KIP wrote:
>
> > the reason for all this is that the harmonica, in specific, the diatonic
> one, but to a reasonable degree the chromatic, as well, is that those
> instruments have some easily accessible and somewhat musical things that
> are built-in to the instrument that aren't found in other instruments.
> >
> > People wishing to play harmonica can buy some, and fairly easily learn
> how to make some music and to have some fun...... satisfying the main
> points for most people to take up an instrument.
> >
> > Counter this to almost any other instrument, where years of practice
> have to happen before a presentable musical experience (to the listeners,
> and the student) can be achieved.
> >
> > Yes, I know the clarinet has built-in sounds, but we call them "squeaks"
> and frown on them.
> >
> > SO, there's a big pot of people wanting to have the fun of making music,
> and, for them,  the harmonica, to get to the first few levels  of music and
> enjoyment, takes very little time or effort.
> >
> > Some of the people, most, it seems, start having fun, and mostly stay at
> that level. Others, wanting to put more effort into the project,  and
> having different personal goals, chose to challenge themselves a whole lot
> more, and , in theory, they get more out of the experience. This doesn't
> make the first group of people silly, or lazy, they've set out to have fun,
> and have fun. That sounds like successfully reaching a personal goal. Cool.
> >
> > Rather than retype my site, take a look at my site, the page LESSONS and
> some of this is explained almost coherently.
> >
> > jonkip.com/lessons.html
> >
> > I suspect that few harmonica players actually put in the time that
> professional, say, oboe, or clarinet players have to do just to get
> "comfortable" on the instrument. Those who do, end up being Howard, Tommy,
> PT, Slim, or whoever.....Those who don't, have just as much fun, better
> family life, and far less frustration.
> >
> > NONE of this says that playing harmonica at, say the level of a
> professional woodwind player  is easy... I only play chromatic and at the
> level that I'm aiming at, it's right up there in difficulty with oboe,
> clarinet, sax, flute...and believe me, I really know that first hand.
> >
> > And NONE of this presents those who chose to NOT spend all day
> practicing as being less in some way.
> >
> > At times, I think they're the lucky ones, this chromatic instrument is
> really difficult to play.
> >
> > On Jun 8, 2014, at 7:58 AM, harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> >
> >> Phil Duncan is right. The fact that anybody can teach him or herself
> >> harmonica means that there is no standard of accomplishment. This is a
> >> serious problem for acceptance of the instrument.
> >
> > jon kip
> > http://jonkip.com
> >
> > player of music, mostly written by dead people and played on a toy that
> everybody's Uncle except my nephew's has the good sense to keep safely out
> of sight in a drawer.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>