[Harp-L] pitch on chromatically played diatonics

[JON KIP <jon@xxxxxxxxxx>]

for the record, I like the sound of diatonics, very human and expressive.....but the pitch of it is, at times, difficult to deal with.

perhaps playing duets with, for instance, flute players, might help develop the pitch for chromatically playing diatonic harps?

or even with other people playing chromatically on diatonics.....

perhaps just playing alone, or with tracks is more fun, it is, but, in my experience in  what passed as a career as a Professional Studio Woodwind player, (there was a mic and I got paid, bought a house, got divorced....bought another house, another divorce, rinse, repeat) , there's really nothing like playing duets, trios with other players to make for pitch accuracy and flexibility .....I've done it with great effect on oboes, flutes, saxes, clarinets, for years.. 

In fact, when I started playing chromatic harmonica a few years back, lots of improvement was made just by playing trios and duets with Tommy Morgan, and the other guy in Los Angeles who reads music on harmonica) .... we ALL  improved .. we used flute music mostly....no reason that chromatically played diatonic players couldn't also benefit...and I'm not sure if they do... 

just an idea, not unique to me, for sure, and probably a not-so-hidden criticism....but it's been my experience that playing duets and trios is great for lots of things, good for the ears in many ways.

My oboe teacher made the point when he asked me if I was aware that a note I had just played (one of Mozart's twelve best) was out of tune. I said "no", and he said that made sense because If I'd known it was out of tune, I'd have adjusted.

I think we have to be careful to not always trust our ears, especially when playing alone. 

Still, the best advice I got when I first got to Los Angeles was "as a studio musician (house, divorce) your job is to make the people you play with sound good... do that and you'll succeed"

I did and I did.

Tommy Morgan's version of this is "Remember whose album it is, as you play"

It might be fun to get a music-reading chromatic diatonic player go come over and play duets... it might be interesting.

I'm in Los Angeles, and if anyone is interested, I'd love to see what happens when we do some diatonic/chromatic duets.....I'd do that for free for sure just to see what comes up..... send an email.. It might be easier if you read music, but still might be able to be done if we get inventive....(haven't thought that one fully out yet)


ok, I'm done.



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.