[Harp-L] A New Era for Harmonicas, Electric and MIDI

[Ronnie Schreiber]

As I'm getting ready to market the Harmonicaster electric harmonica, I'm 
happy to see the release of the Lekholm MIDI controller. Massive props 
to Erik Lekholm (and particularly happy that he's pricing the DM48 such 
that we're not competing).

The Germans invented a great musical instrument in the 1840s and Little 
Walter created a fabulous sound when he first plugged in a microphone he 
cupped to his harp, but this is the 21st century and it's time that 
harmonica players had access to the modern tools available to other 
musicians. I know there's interest in a MIDI harp because that's one of 
the questions I get about the Harmonicaster, could I make a MIDI 
version? The answer is yes, but it would be akin to how it's done on an 
electric guitar, so there'd still be reeds sounding, unlike the Lekholm 
that makes no sound on its own. I was going to experiment using the MIDI 
sensors on a Guitar Hero gizmo but they're too large to fit standard 
reed spacing. There's a guy who makes miniature MIDI pickups for single 
strings that might work, but he wants $45/ea. and I'd need 20 of them.

Ronnie Schreiber
Harmonicaster