Re: Subject: Re: [Harp-L] History of harp tuning; Chrom Tuning

[Joseph Leone <3N037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On May 17, 2014, at 1:11 PM, George Miklas wrote:

> You know Joe, Cham-Ber Haung taught a concept similar to this in 1977 when he presented a master class with Vito Patierno and the Steel Valley Harmonica Club.
> 
> On Saturday, May 17, 2014, Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> The way to understand a harmonica is to visualize an apartment building. Each and every note has an apartment. You are a mail man. Delivering the mail..so to speak. The FIRST thing a harmonica player should do is to find out where everyone (the notes) lives. Before you even TRY to play a tune. Once you have everyone's address and a picture in your mind of the musical chart and where said apartment fits on the manuscript paper, you are now ready to be called a REAL mail man. BeCAUSE, no matter WHAT the key, those resident notes will ALways live right there where you have them on your 'delivery' route.

> 
> That's fascinating Big George. I wasn't aware. I think I got the idea from living in the apartment bldg. In Naples (Italy) when I looked at the mouthpiece of my first 270 Hohner. There was this little waxed paper wrapper on it and therein was a note layout. I saw the chart as looking at a 2 story motel. With some notes residing on the top floor towards the back (blow) and some towards the front (draw). Then, upon pushing the button ('I' called it), this revealed a second floor where more notes lived. Some in the back, some in the front. 

Ya'know, it all goes back to what I have always said. "Not too much new under the sun..what goes around comes around". I would add that while notes lived in the various apartments, many had the same names. So, to differentiate, I would refer to the first octave as the grand parents, the second octave as the parents, and the third as the children. (think voice timbre).

As you recall, I first met you in 1991 at Steel Valley (Youngstown Ohio). I didn't meet Cham-Ber till around 93 at spah. I play diatonic is a certain style. I was told that I sometimes sounded like Don Les on some tunes. In actuality he was playing in first position and I was using second. I had played that way since 1960, and didn't hear Don till around 93 at Buckeye. 

I kinda wish that Jack Allison was still alive. Mama Cass and I used to dance to his band back in 65-66. He could have backed me up on all of this. Ironically, one of the best chromatic players I had ever heard live, he wasn't what one would call a friendly guy. But we talked during the breaks. He only pulled out a chromatic around twice a night. Which I thought of as unfortunate. He was Soooo good. 

Jo Jo