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

[Clarke Comollo]

Thanks Tom

> On Feb 12, 2022, at 10:33 AM, Tom Halchak <info at xxxxx> wrote:
> 
> 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*