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From: Winslow Yerxa <76450.32~ompuserve.com>
Date: Thu, 15 Jan 1998 19:17:04 -0500
Subject: Melodica - Truly Superior

TO: internet:harp~arply.com

Arguments rage over whether the diatonic and chromatic can
pretend to do what the other is good at. Can the diatonic really
hold bend on-pitch and keep consistent tone color among unvalved
blow and draw notes, bends, overbends, etc? Can the chromatic
really deliver the gutsy sound of the diatonic or its chordal
effects?

Well, phooey on all of that! The melodica has them both beat!

It's breath activated, so it can get all those vowel shadings and
air-column vibrato , and tongue effect (though not hand vibrato -
but that's corny stuff anyway according to some). It completely
bypasses the silly quibbles about pucker vs tongue block.

It can play in any key with complete consistency of tone.

As to legato - it's all blow notes, so there's absolutely no
problem with sawing up the air stream changing from blow to draw.

Harmony and counterpoint? It's a keyboard instrument. Any melody,
counterpoint, or chord voicing the hands can produce, it can
play. You can even play it with both hands if you set it on a
table and play it thru a hose.

It doesn't cover the player's whole face when played, like the
harmonica does. The audience can actually see your expression, your
dimples, the dashing cut of your manly jaw instead of watching
someone deep in what looks like a hoagy-eating contest.

It has no coverplates to crush, no slide to leak, jam or bow, no
springs to break. It does have reeds to detune, and sometimes
valves to buzz, but nothing's perfect.

No, it can't really bend notes (unless you build up back pressure
before pressing a key) and it can't play on both blow and draw.
It doesn't come in tremolo or octave versions, comes only in
equal-tempered tuning, and it's kind of hard to cup to a bullet
mic - but these deficiencies could easily be overcome with a
small investment of a few million by a major manufacturer.

Yet the melodica gets even less respect than the harmonica - even
from harmonica players. I hear not a peep about its superior
phrasing consistency from Bonfiglio or Hunter, nor about its
harmonic versatility from Levy or Thielemans. And despite the
soulful playing of Augustus Pablo, not a whisper from Stevie,
either! Speed? Popper won't even discuss it. And that consummate
showman and mirror-gazer Adler still hides his face from the
audience. Neither do I hear Tate, Giordano, Filisko, Sleigh,
Missin, Pruitt, Romel, Dannecker - not even the maverick Naruhn -
buzzing excitedly about customizing or improving this already
superior breath activated free reed instrument.

Must be jealousy. Hey harmonica players - starting to feel
embarrassed about that ridiculous little honeycomb box you blow
and suck on? Stop insulting yourself and step up to a *real
instrument!

Winslow Yerxa
Z
Z