[Harp-L] DM-48 midi harmonica - plays Little Walter tune

[Shirley, John]

Thanks, Richard!

I agree that the role of the harmonica in a band situation can be so much broader than how it tends to be used currently. Your work proves that very well, including the new album!

I also agree that covering various parts, and realizing interesting musical arrangements with harmonica in a live situation, would be much more feasible (not to mention social) with more than one player rather than a looper. It would be great to see more of this happening, and a device like the DM48 can certainly help facilitate such collaborations.

Andy can keep his job as drummer, though.

;-)

- John

John Shirley, Professor of Music and Sound Recording Technology
University of Massachusetts Lowell



> On May 11, 2017, at 10:53 AM, Richard Hunter <rhunter377 at xxxxx> wrote:
> 
> John Shirley wrote:
> <As my drummer, Andy Fordyce, and I have recently been working up
> looping/layering <arrangements to play out busking at Faneuil Hall in
> Boston this summer, I was super curious to <combine all of these things and
> try them out with the DM48. Prior to this song I have been using a <bunch
> of acoustic harmonicas for layering our live arrangements (including chord,
> chromatic and <various diatonics)... https://youtu.be/l7Qu_sTLBT8?list=PLD-
> VQNdNliVQLCF5edj72u9XKT-y1LqSr
> 
> Some very interesting sounds in there. Beyond the sounds themselves,
> there's an implication to these develpments that should be made explicit.
> 
> The implication is this: it's time for harmonica players to begin thinking
> in terms of more than one harp player in the band.
> 
> Two or more harp players is overkill when both harps sound the same.  All
> that whinin' and cryin'--too much is too much, ain't it?  But when either
> or both harmonicas can sound like just about anything you like, there's no
> problem in stacking them up, and it's no less valid to have 2-3 harmonica
> players in the band than it would be to have 2-3 keyboards or guitars--both
> of which we've seen many times.
> 
> Of course having two harmonica players in the band demands that both of
> them have a better knowledge of music than many harmonica players now
> possess.  Standing to the side and riffing once in a while is a different
> responsibility than playing parts that are core to the band's sound.  But
> if your typical guitar player can handle it, I'm sure harp players can rise
> to the occasion.
> 
> I've taken steps in that direction with my album "The Lucky One."
> Performing that music onstage will require at least two harmonica
> players.  The arrival of these MIDI instruments makes a multi-harmonica
> approach even more timely and feasible.  Learning curves aside, there's not
> much reason to think that a harmonica player can't take on the roles that
> have traditionally been played by other instruments--just about everything
> besides drums, and maybe that too.
> 
> Regards, RH
> 
> -- 
> Check out our 21st Century rock harmonica record "The Lucky One" at
> https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/richardhunter
> 
> Author, "Jazz Harp" (Oak Publications, NYC)
> Latest mp3s and harmonica blog at http://hunterharp.com
> Vids at http://www.youtube.com/user/lightninrick
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