[Harp-L] The One Harmonica to Rule Them All?

[Rick Dempster]

That is truly amazing. However, it needs a button or a patch to make it
sound like a harmonica, assuming there
is anything about the humble gob-iron that's worth retaining.
RD

On 13 February 2017 at 06:46, Sheltraw <macaroni9999 at xxxxx> wrote:

> Brendon
>
> My suggestion for slider and air tightness improvement was aimed at
> acoustic harmonica manufacturers not the digital DM48. Given the potential
> threat to their business posed by a new species of harmonica I am hoping
> that acoustic manufacturers evolve. Although they won't face extinction
> (there are still a lot of acoustic guitars selling) their market will
> definitely take a big hit if digital harmonica like the DM48 are widely
> marketed. And they will be. But with improvements to the slider and air
> tightness the manufacturers of acoustic chromatic harmonicas will be able
> to compete more effectively.
>
> Daniel
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Feb 12, 2017, at 4:41 AM, Brendan Power <bren at xxxxx>
> wrote:
> >
> > Thanks for all the interesting comments. To answer a couple of points:
> >
> >
> >
> > @Bob Loomis: The DM48 has no on-board sounds, it's a pure MIDI wind
> > controller.
> >
> >
> >
> > @ Sheltraw: "Improved air tightness with less slider friction would be
> the
> > place to start." There is no slider, and no reeds. What looks like a
> slider
> > button at the right is simply an electrical on-off switch. There are now
> two
> > such note-changing switch buttons, one on top as well.
> >
> >
> >
> > @ Jordan Friedman and Chris Hofstader: Thanks for your expert insights
> into
> > audio latency issues re. apple/android and EWI experience.
> >
> >
> >
> > UPDATE: Last night I got the latest firmware with the added top button.
> > Let's call the main right-hand note-changing one Button A and the new top
> > one activated by the left hand index finger Button B. Both buttons can be
> > programmed to move all notes up or down whatever interval you choose.
> Even
> > after a short time experimenting using both buttons, all sorts of new
> > possibilities are emerging.
> >
> >
> >
> > To start with, assume the DM48 is in standard chromatic harmonica
> > configuration in key of C with Button A raising the notes a semitone.
> Button
> > B tone-up is great, as is semitone down - both very useful overall
> settings.
> > Tone-up is perfect for easy key changes/modulation. D major is so easy
> now,
> > and A with B button pressed is like playing in G, not nearly as tricky
> > trying to play in A with C scale as the basis. Plus the wholetone trills
> are
> > really nice: you can get the correct trills for each note, far more
> musical.
> >
> >
> >
> > Semitone-down is excellent for my SlideDiatonic tuning, as it gives me
> the
> > missing chromatic notes I would normally get via bending. It's nice
> > alternating between the up and down decorations, giving more musical
> > variety, and I find the left hand finger speed is fine for typical slider
> > decorations.
> >
> >
> >
> > I'm also finding I can use both buttons in fast sequence to get lovely
> > decorations not possible before. Wow! This is a whole new world of
> playing
> > possibilities, only possible with my expensive analogue DoubleChrom
> before.
> >
> >
> >
> > Talking of which, check this out. It's the very talented Israeli musician
> > Roni Eytan playing my Quartertone DoubleChrom: two C chromatics a
> > quartertone apart, for Middle Eastern music:
> >
> >
> >
> > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMnqCs1S9qc
> >
> >
> >
> > In this case both sliders are at the right, and he's using two fingers on
> > his right hand to select each in turn. The upper chrom is in C, lower
> one is
> > a quartertone flat. The upper slider selects between the two chroms and
> the
> > lower slider plays the semitone-up notes. Roni has developed good
> technique
> > with this.
> >
> >
> >
> > Jacob Venndt is another guy who has got the twin-slider DoubleChrom
> working
> > well. Check out this excellent demonstration:
> >
> > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc_yvZRERwY
> >
> >
> >
> > Two-hand use with the upper B button on the DM48 is an alternative
> ergonomic
> > approach; it's hard to say which is easier. But of course it has far more
> > musical flexibility, as the extra button can be programmed to shift the
> > notes in so many different ways by changing the menu.
> >
> >
> >
> > Once I have the technique mastered I'll post a video to show the
> > possibilities.
> >
> >
> >
> > Brendan
> >
> > <http://www.brendan-power.com/> www.brendan-power.com
> >
> > <http://www.youtube.com/BrendanPowerMusic>
> > www.YouTube.com/BrendanPowerMusic
> >
> >
> >
>