Re: [Harp-L] Re: Minor Blues

[Kitt Gamble <kittg@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Steve, I have a hard time with that statement that Lee said that. I would find that hard to believe as a direct quote or a paraphrase.Lee is an amazing harmonica player, artist and songwriter,and obviously musical marketer.In my about 10 year relationship with he and Tombo Harmonicas I never witnessed Lee inventing any special tunings that were not already developed previously,generally from yours truly or someone else from the USA,sometimes going back into the early 1900's.Quite simply it was not his thing. When I was involved with Tombo Harmonicas in the very early 1980's there was nobody from Tombo Harmonicas who had ever heard or seen the many dozens of tunings I (Kitt Gamble) had developed years earlier than when I became involved with Tombo Harmonicas around 1980.I did see some oddball diminished, whole tone, etc, scales that Larry the sax player from WAR had suggested.These were basically scales and generally impractical for the harmonica.I have a very good understanding of the subject of special tunings as I may have the largest collection of 10 hole diatonic special tunings in the world.I also play and can demonstrate these special tunings to highly skilled harmonica players. I have been playing and promoting Harmonica preservation and advancement for many years.Steve, I am glad you have a lot of love and your life is changed because of the development of special tunings.That's cool.I am a big fan of Harmonica history when it is factual and not a theory.I appreciate you as a Harmonica artist and creator also. Thanks. ÂHarmonically yours, Kitt Gamble 

    On Wednesday, April 20, 2016 6:16 PM, Steve Baker <steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
 

 Lee has always said he invented Natural Minor tuning. I first encountered it on a Tombo LO around 1985. Gotta love him for that, it changed my life :-)

On 21.04.2016, at 00:56, Gary Lehmann wrote:

> Hey, here is a question--who first retuned diatonics to Richter minor? Hohner, Lee Oskar?
> 
> On Wed, Apr 20, 2016 at 8:54 AM, Steve Baker <steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> I love playing bluesy tunes in minor keys. There are quite a lot of examples on my CDs with Chris Jones and Abi Wallenstein. Much of the time I use harps in Natural Minor tuning, they're so convenient and the chords are wonderful (as well as unavailable on standard tuning). I'll also use regular harps in 3rd if the song lays out better that way. Some songs work better in 5th position, but I'd generally use Major 7th (Country) tuned instruments for this, that's where 5th position first really comes into its own.
> 
> If any list members will be in the area, I'm giving a workshop on minor key playing at the Berlin Blues Festival on June 4th starting 2pm ;-)
> 
> Steve Baker
> www.stevebaker.de
> www.european-music-workshops.com
> www.harmonica-masters.de
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 

Steve Baker
www.stevebaker.de
www.european-music-workshops.com
www.harmonica-masters.de