Other web Sites
Harmonica Blues  Harmonica Amps
Harmonica Links Harmonica Pages
• Archives Home
• Years
 · 1992
 · 1993
 · 1994
 · 1995
 · 1996
 · 1997 		 · 1998
 · 1999
 · 2000
 · 2001
 · 2002
 · 2003
 
Web HarpL
Ebay Searches:
Amps:
Microphones:
Effects:
Harmonicas and Gear:
Harmonica Music and Instruction:

 

 

Harp-L Archives

[Previous Message] [Next Message]
[Next in Thread]
[Start of Thread] [End of Thread]

From: Douglas Tate
Date: Wed, 14 Jan 1998 11:37:19 +0000
Subject: The harmonica as a firearm!

Partly an observation on Robert and partially on Dave (BluesGeek)

Little words mean a lot. ( hey! Good words for a song )

A person who is called 'socially challenged' may feel better about it than
being called an ' unappetizing dreg of humanity with the manners of a pig'
(Apologies to my porcine friends)

We have 'Rodent operatives' instead of Rat Catchers.
We have 'Refuse disposal officers' rather than Dustmen (UK)
We talk of of homes as being 'executive dwellings' !!!!!
and I understand that to be called some names in the US of A brings about
the use of a personal firearm from age 6 upwards.. we are sensitive..
(In UK it would evoke the expression 'I say Old Chap... steady on!'
which is very nearly as devastating) :)

I have an objection to the word 'trigger' used to describe the wiggly bit
on the end of a chromatic!!! In English (UK style) it seems to imply a
lever or gadget which, when activated, sets off an uncontrollable event.
I'm afraid I don't view operating the slider on a chromatic as that sort of
cataclysmic happening!!!! (maybe so with a CBH 2016 :) Sorry Robert!!!
couldn't resist)
To me, the operation is a means of accessing a particular note or group of
notes.... And with the harp we hear about with no button on the end of
the slider and no spring, but a beercan pull ring instead, you can't even
say it get you the sharps. it is a means of access to notes.

I have to be honest and say that I am not free of guilt in this respect...
sometimes call it ... button, sometimes slider, sometimes knob..... but
social mores and local word usage cause one to be careful which one uses
where!!

Any good ideas for a workable name ..... must admit to prefering slide or
button...
What do you think....... ??????

Robert............
>>I just wanted to see if everyone knew there was
>a button out there on the end of the chromatic. It still amazes >me that
>people will retune harmonicas in every configuration, learn to bend every
>>note in every way to get every chromatic tone and are still afraid to death
>>to reach out there and touch that button.
>>
>>Where is the sense of adventure!

Seems to me that there is a sense of adventure in doing all of the
alterations and that the fear of slide action is a different type of
fear... with some of my conversion pupils (ones moving from diatonic to
chromatic, or keeping both... the fear is lack of knowledge, not lack of
adventure,,, they just don't know what it does! Once explained and shown
there appears to be no further problem.


>Another consideration is the application of the instrument within a
>tradition. In classical art, I imagine there are conventions for
>interpretation of music that have an impact on the way one approaches the
>harmonica. Not being a classical musician, I have scant evidence for the
>following example, and please feel free to correct me.

You can bet on it!!!!

>It may be that if one
>were to play a progressive orchestral or chamber piece composed for the
>chromatic harmonica, one would express the music in other than traditional
>interpretive means.

There are one or two pieces where 'non standard' ideas are presented in
modern works for harmonica. The Concerto by Narash Sohal springs to mind
where he is asking for specific microtones and notates each one with
explanations. But suerly, this isn't surprising. Bends were a new
innovation at one time.... and I do believe that at one time the Dominant
seventh chord was considered blasphemous!!! Music is in a constant flux
as people experiment and advance and no one can throw up their hands in
horror when a new technique or idea is introduced.... you accept it as
the way to 'play' that particular genre.


There are also more progressive ways to approach the instrument in
>blues, which may involve more substantial use of the trigger.
AAAAAaaaaaaaaagh ,,,,, there it is!!!! That word!!!!



>Now, if the player begins to use the trigger to add the other diatonic scale
>degrees and some common chromatic notes (the b5 and natural 7 are very common
>in the minor pentatonics, for example), it is only one more small step to
>finish the bridge between diatonic and complete chromatic use of the
>instrument.
Nice approach......
A very good friend of mine, who is now sadly dead, Ken Howell, introduced
me to a different way of playing and thinking about scales..... which is
relevant here.

He would play a C scale (C harp) two octaves
then he would play a Bb instead of a B and of course he was playing an F
scale (but starting on the nice familiar C
Then he would introduce the Eb C D Eb F G A Bb C D ..... and we
were playing Bb scale...
It was a painless way into the various keys using virtually the same breath
pattern each time...
Just another bridge approach ... but effective.

>For the accomplished player, there is great value in tribute.

I wonder how many of us say.... " This is Larry Adlers version of Smoke
gets in your eyes" and hope that they can sound like Adler ... and how
many say ' This is the version of Smoke get in your eyes which Larry Adler
arranged and which has inspired my playing... this is how I play his
notes, hope it reminds some of you of him....
Difference between jumping on a bandwagon and giving real tribute .

>>
>I'm glad to see that we can continue to grow with this thread, in a more
>deeply-considered fashion, as time goes on.
Amen


Douglas t