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From: dijk~orldaccess.nl
Date: Thu, 29 Aug 96 21:23:09 GMT
Subject: RE: RE: The CX 12 harmonica

Dear Douglas,
> I play mainly classical music and tried the ring method (mine was a rubber
> band round the finger (which went many pretty colours)) for moving the
> slide. I found it quite difficult to play complex music fast because,(
> Hohner say) the accurate speed of pressing and positioning the button is not
> fast enough. (I only tried it for a couple of months though before giving
> it up.

Please explain to me what kind of passages exactly was more difficult to play with
the ring method?
>
> In one of my books I go into posture. I tried to describe a method which
> gives a compromise between elegant physical posture and maximum
> functionality.

What do you mean by 'elegant'? Why a compromise?

> I think it would be useful to hear more about you new
> position for holding. Without the picture there is not enought description
> to give the information for me to give any type of judgement.
>

About my position for holding.
I devide the function of the arms in two parts. I'am right handed! With my left
hand and arm, I control what I call the 'horizontal movement' of the instrument
(the 'vertical movement' is breath control). I hold the instrument in the middle
with only my thumb and index finger. The remaining fingers have to hold the
microphone. I don't have to use any power to hold the instrument. I made a groove
in the upper part of the harmonica so that my index finger fits exactly in this
groove and is placed on the reedplate (without touching the reeds). This helps to
stabilize the instrument when playing in the high register, because the instrument
can't turn any more anti-clock-wise between the thumb and index finger.

The left hand/arm only has to move the slide. At the underside of the hamonica, I
placed a thumb-hook. I don't place my thumb on the underside of the harmonica but
on the thumb-hook. So, my thumb is placed about 1.5 cm away from the sound case.
Why? I want to use the top 1.5 cm of my index finger to control the slide. When I
play without the hook, my thumb is about 1,5 cm to short for the optimum posture of
my index finger (I can't keep it stretched as in a normal carriage). So, the
thumb-hook increases the length of my thumb by 1,5 cm. The direction of the
pressure I use to move the slide is exactly horizontal so the slide moves very easy
and consistent. Every pressure which is not exactly horizontal (so a little bit
vertical) does have a direct influence in the flexibility of the slide movement.
I place my right hand middle finger on the right side of the harmonica and the
remaining fingers don't have a function. Actualy, they do! The way you hold the
remaining finger directly infuence the moving flexibility of the index finger!
Thats why so many trumpet players don't put the little finger on 'the little finger
hook'. The three fingers that do have to control the valves need all possible
flexiblility. By placing the little finger on the hook, the finger can't move any
more so it influences the muscle flexibility in the other fingers.
So, when I play, the remaining fingers of the right hand are just in the air and
not placed on the instrument.

I hold the instrument with only five fingers (fingertips). The lefthand index
finger and thumb hold the instrument. My right hand thumb (thumbtip?) is placed on
the thumb hook on the underside of the harmonica. The right hand index fingertip
does control the slide (in and out going movement) and the right hand middle
fingertip is placed on the right side of the harmonica.

The form of the thumb hook is a little bit like the following 'picture':
________________________________________
/ \___
/ \ \
harmonica:\ /__/
\________________________________________/
Thumb hook: \
\___
\

For me, it is very important to move only the instrument and not my head. With this
technique, I discovered maximum accuricy in horizontal movement because of the
simple horizontal coordination which should be controlled by the left arm/hand
only. Actualy, I spend about one hour a day in left arm 'playing', only doing
interval excersizes and simple horizontal movement excersizes. I will publish some
of these excersizes in "The Harmonica Educator" (if Mr. Martin agrees!).


> If this sounds very negative, it is not intended to be, All experimentation
> is good, There is always the case for trying new methods of sound
> production. But one has to look at each new technique and ask 'does it do
> what I want' or ' does it give me potential to do what I hear in my mind??
>
I completely agree with your point of view and think you don't sound negative at
all. I hope my text is understandable. It realy is very difficult for me to explain
the technique precisely enough without being able to refere to drawings and
pictures.

> I look forward to hearing a bit more about your positional alterations.
> Douglas Tate.

About the positional alterations.
As a harmonica player, I mainly study jazz. One part of the jazz study is to get
flexible in all keys.
The convensional harmonica is not more (or less) than two diatonic harmonicas which
keys are a minor second apart, in one box. One can switch between the two keys by
using the slide. The major scale has seven tones. So, it is not possible to make a
symmetrical tone system, based on the major scale.

My positioning of tones is based on the whole tone scale. As you know, two whole
tone scales a minor second appart, include all twelve tones of the chromatic scale.
So, the tone positioning is based on two whole tone scales. One can switch between
them by using the slide.

What is the advantage!
The chromatic whole tone harmonica has a completely symetrical tone positioning.
Because one can play four different pitched on only one channel, there are no
longer twelve different keys, but only four!
- ------------------------------------------------------------
DIAGRAM: One octave, whole tone tuned.

slide out
channel: 1 2 3
blow C E G#

draw D F# A#

slide in
channel: 1 2 3
blow Db F A

draw Eb G B
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
So: the key of C=E=G#
the key of D=F#=A#
the key of Db=F=A
the key of Eb=G=B

Siegried Naruhn did make a fantastic prototype. I tried this system and I am
completely convinced of its advantages. For me, this should be the tone positioning
system of the chromatic harmonica. It makes it a 20th century, modern, instrument.

Or am I to much in love now?

Thanks for your interest,

Wim Dijkgraaf
The Netherlands