[Harp-L] Will Scarlett's place in the history of overblows

[Tom Halchak]

I am a little surprised at some of the comments that have been made in this
thread.  Of course, everyone is entitled to their opinion – even me – and I
mean no disrespect toward anyone but me thinks there is a bit of Sour
Grapes going on here.  Readers may recall that Aesop’s Fable is about the
fox who, after finding himself unable to reach some grapes he wanted to eat
disparaged them as being sour.  Here is specifically what I am referring to.

“I think they sound awful, and ultimately will do nothing for diatonic
harmonica.
Just my opinion.
RD”

I find that comment to be absurd. There are countless harmonica players
that seamlessly and effectively incorporate Overblows and Overdraws into
their music.  To say that these highly skilled musicians sound awful is
pure nonsense.  OK RD, that is just your opinion.  I get it.  But….
Really!?!?!  Spend even a few minutes on YouTube and it will put that
argument to rest.

On the subject of tone.  When a guitar player stretches his strings and
bends a note, do we say he has bad tone because it is producing a note that
is technically a quarter step flat or a quarter step sharp?  Or how about a
saxophone player to produces the same effect with a slight change in his
embouchure.  If Overblows and Overdraws “sound awful” because they are
slightly off pitch, what about just about every draw bend and blow bend?
How many harmonica players hit those tones spot on every time?   I guess
that also means that we should get rid of glissandos because they are way
out of tune and sound awful.  Are we saying that only people who play every
note pitch perfect have good tone?  Are we also saying that chromatic
harmonicas, because they are pretty much designed to inhibit bending,
automatically have better tone that a diatonic harmonica?  I always thought
that tone came mostly from the player and not the instrument itself.  The
ability to manipulate pitch on an instrument or in one’s voice is called
artistic expression.

Lastly, I have had the opportunity to sit and chat with Will Scarlett, the
initial subject of this thread, specifically about his exclusive use of a G
harp in his Hot Tuna days.  Without putting words in his mouth, even though
the music he created is/was historic, he has told me that it was probably a
mistake to go off the deep end and only use a G harp.  We all go off the
deep end at times.  If Will believed that using a G harp exclusively was
the best way to go, he would still being doing it today and he is not.

-- 
*Tom Halchak*
*Blue Moon Harmonicas LLC*
*P.O. Box 14401 Clearwater, FL 33766*

*www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com <http://www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com>**(727)
366-2608*