From: "Robert Spigel" Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 15:03:07 +0100 Subject: Re: a great harmonica teacher
For those of you guys looking for a fab harp teacher and who live in or near London (England) I must let you know about my teacher.
He took me on as a near beginner at the start of this year and has given me the confidence and ability to make real progress. I was terrified about playing in front of other people or even practising but he has helped me enormously; in jamming,in working on bending notes and achieving good tone.
Give him a call. He's Dave Toussaint on 0181-559 9916.
- -----Original Message----- From: owner-harp-l-dige~oo.garply.com To: harp-l-dige~oo.garply.com Date: 28 July 1999 05:05 Subject: harp-l-digest V6 #12
> >harp-l-digest Tuesday, 27 July 1999 Volume 06 : Number 012 > >Subjects in this issue are: > >Invention of the Harmonica >Band names >Harmonica History -- little known facts >Re: Harmonica History >Re: Doug Tate Seminar at SPAH 99 in St. Louis >Re: Invention of the Harmonica >Re: Doug Tate Seminar at SPAH 99 in St. Louis >Peak flow rates >Toots Thielemans and asthma >UNSUBSCRIBE >Re: Invention of the Harmonica >Re: Another great harmonica review >Fw: replacement reeds >Gig date change >Re: reply- help needed with Amp. purchase >Blues Harp Workshop at Archie's Barbershop 7/31 >Re: WHOSAT? >Poconos >Re: Invention of the Harmonica > >---------------------------------------------------------------------- > >From: Bobbie Giordano >Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 18:23:41 -0400 (EDT) >Subject: Invention of the Harmonica > >On Tue, 27 Jul 1999, Kitich, Jerry wrote: > >> It was probably the Chinese, they invented/discovered everything else - >> fireworks, gunpowder, spaghetti, mass population growth. And they also have >> free reed instruments themselves. > >Closer to truth than you realize... the Chinese Sheng [a wind instrument >made of a gourdlike body - or actual gourd - and reedpipes of varying >lengths housing vibrating "free reeds" activated by the breath blown into >the mouth piece of gourd base] is well-regarded as the primary ancestor >of the aerophone we call the harmonica today. Some also attribute the >Jew's Harp or jaw harp to the ancestry, because of the free reed nature >of this instrument, however, it requires the reed be plucked not airstream >activated. > >> I once looked harmonica up in a dictonary, and it said Benjaman Fraklin >> invented the harmonica. I don't really believe this. I've heard that >> German's invinted the harmonica before also, this seems a lil more probable. > >Also, surprisingly... this is correct! However, the harmonica that your >dictionary refers to is the Glass Harmonica, of which there have been a >number of interesting discussions on Harp-L in the past... check the >archives. This instrument used glass bowl-like structures, each tuned to >a different pitch and arranged in a row to form scales... shish-kebob style. >As they are rotated in a "tub" of water below them, to keep them wet, the >fingers are applied to the rims of the glass bowls to make them sing [just >like you would a wine glass.] Obviously, blowing on this harmonica would >be an exercise in futility for producing music! :) > >Although there is still to this day apparent dispute about who the actual >person was who invented the harmonica, the person often credited doing so >was just a teenager in Thuringia [a region of SW East Germany] when he began >marketing his instrument, called an "aura", which worked as a harp does, but >only with blow notes. This was in the late 1820's, but before long, lots of >Germans and Austrians were trying to capitalize in their own ways on the >design, and when a fellow named Joseph Richter developed the double reed >instrument with blow and draw reeds on separate reedplates, the basic harp >was born. And as many of us know, it was not long before another guy named >Matthias Hohner got in the act around 1857 marketing his wellknown brand of >harmonicas... and the rest is history. [Too! :)] > > ________ ___________________________________________________________ > =[ BOBBIE ]= ==================================== * Harp Spoken Here * > ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > > > > >------------------------------ > >From: "Bob D" >Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 18:21:24 -0500 >Subject: Band names > >A real local band: Reverend Ruttabaga-no harp but a good time funky band. > >Real name of the bar they play: The Bunganut Pig > >Name of best (IMHO) local band: Burning Las Vegas > >Real Harp-L local band: Ricky and the Cool Rays > >Playing at Puffin' Billy's > >Rick is an awsome harp player, great style top to bottom. Also puts on quite a >show, loud clothes and really smooth singing. Mastering the long and short >harps. > >bd > >"I'm booked and I gotta go" (RLJohnson) > > >------------------------------ > >From: Ken Mergentime >Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 16:29:36 -0700 (PDT) >Subject: Harmonica History -- little known facts > >> WARNING: >> Place tongue firmly in cheek before reading the >> follwing text. > >Actually, the harmonica was invented by a little old Latvian man living >in the Bronx just before WWI. His name, interestingly enough was Dr. >Harmon Ika, an obscure medical practitioner specializing in upper >respiratory ailments. > >He heard about the German's new-fangled clock-maker's instrument, but >decided that if he made it a mouth-blown instrument instead of a >timepiece, that it could be used as a therapy for his patients >suffering from uncontrollable lung/diaphram spasms (causing prolonged >blow-draw fits), a psycho-physiological condition called Blow-Hard's >Disease that was studied extensively by Freud at the time. > >Anyway, Dr. Ika's modified instrument was intended to mitigate the >huffing and puffing of his patients. However, the odd noises that >issued from the little 10-holed free-reed-tin-samich (officially called >the Blow-Hard Regulator) set the dogs to howling and the women to hold >their ears and withold sex. > >In spite of these and other side-effects, (one of which was that users >often turned blue in the face), patients grew to love the insturments >and began calling them Harmonicas, after the dear Doctor. They sought >Blow-Hard therapy constantly, and were always seen/heard about New York >and later, Chicago making sounds and turning blue. Thenceforward, the >sound issuing forth from these poor devils, was called the Blues. > >It is also a little known fact that one of Dr. Ika's more >entrepreneurial patients happened to be a member of the Hohner family. >This industrious chap took the invention back to Germany, began mass >produced them and sold them as musical instruments to the poor black >people in Chicago who actually were able to make music with the things. > >And the rest, as they say, is history. > >Harpin' in Colorado (and awaiting oncoming tomatoes) >- --Ken Mergentime > >P.S. If you believe that, I have some land in Florida I want to sell >you. *grin!* >_________________________________________________________ >Do You Yahoo!? >Get your fre~ahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com > > >------------------------------ > >From: "Tim Norris" >Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 19:42:44 -0500 >Subject: Re: Harmonica History > >From: Samuel J. Gravina >> >> >>Ben Franklin did invent the harmonica. His original harmonica was made of >>glass bowls, one bowl for each note, that were spun using a foot pump much >>like those used in organs or old sewing machines. The tones were generated >>by touching the spinning bowls with wet fingers. >> >Have I heard the instrument described above referred to as a glass harp...or >am I thinking of something else? >Tim > >------------------------------ > >From: "jrross" >Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 19:57:49 -0400 >Subject: Re: Doug Tate Seminar at SPAH 99 in St. Louis > >I've seen parts of this seminar, it should be very interesting and very >entertaining. Anyone who has interest in making better chromatics should be >there. Anyone who has an interest in a better playing chromatic shoud be >there. > >.()(). J.R. "Bulldogge" Ross >() () And Snuffy, too:) >`----' > > > >------------------------------ > >From: "Tim Norris" >Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 20:00:21 -0500 >Subject: Re: Invention of the Harmonica > >From: Bobbie Giordano > >> >>Closer to truth than you realize... the Chinese Sheng [a wind instrument >>made of a gourdlike body - or actual gourd - and reedpipes of varying >>lengths housing vibrating "free reeds" activated by the breath blown into >>the mouth piece of gourd base] is well-regarded as the primary ancestor >>of the aerophone we call the harmonica today. > > >A friend of mine brought me a similar instrument from Thailand. I never knew >what it was called or if it was a free reed or a fipple/whistle type >instrument. It has the gourd-like mouth piece with two rows of bamboo >reedpipes sticking up like two small organ ranks. Each pipe has a hole that >I assume is to close the chamber to vibrate the reed. On the ocassions I am >actually able to get a sound out of it my dog responds with strange grunting >noises...now that I think about it so does the rest of my family :-) > >Tim > > >------------------------------ > >From: Fred_Syl >Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 19:13:57 -0500 >Subject: Re: Doug Tate Seminar at SPAH 99 in St. Louis > >Great news... As a matter of fact, the seminar/performance/workshop/etc >news on SPAH has been breaking so fast and furious that I haven't been >able to keep up with who, what, when, where. Will there be a full >schedule posted on-line sometime? I'm assuming a comprehensive schedule >will be available at SPAH on Wednesday so I can try to map out my plans >(or anguish over what I'll have to pass up). >Thanks, >Fred > >------------------------------ > >From: "trau~rols.com" >Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 20:23:48 -0400 >Subject: Peak flow rates > >Hello Harp-L, > >Probably a longshot, but ... does anyone on this list have access to a peak >flow meter? If so, could you please take a reading on it and e-mail me the >number, along with your height and average number of minutes playing harp >per day? > >(Peak flow meters are small inexpensive plastic devices which measure the >speed of maximum exhalation, useful in monitoring asthma.) > >If you use your child's peak flow meter, be sure to wash it before and >after use. Also, don't use a tongue block or U-block when taking a measure >because air might leak out. Ha, just kidding. > >No need to cc: to the list, just email me back at trau~rols.com > >Thanks, >- -Patrick > > > >------------------------------ > >From: "trau~rols.com" >Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 20:27:00 -0400 >Subject: Toots Thielemans and asthma > >Hello Harp-l, > >Is there anything in the interview literature in which Toots talks about >having asthma? I'd appreciate any leads on this. > >If not, is anyone definitely planning to talk to him at the upcoming >Convention? I wonder if he'd mind a few non-invasive questions about >asthma. > >Thanks, >- -Patrick > > > >------------------------------ > >From: "Sandra & Ron Harlow" >Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 19:33:06 -0500 >Subject: UNSUBSCRIBE > >PLEASE, PLEASE REMOVE ME FROM LIST. THIS IS THE FIFTH REQUEST, I THINK. > >------------------------------ > >From: "jrross" >Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 20:35:34 -0400 >Subject: Re: Invention of the Harmonica > >>On Tue, 27 Jul 1999, Kitich, Jerry wrote: >> >>> It was probably the Chinese, they invented/discovered everything else - >>> fireworks, gunpowder, spaghetti, mass population growth. And they also >have >>> free reed instruments themselves. > >and Bobbie G. adds: >>Closer to truth than you realize... the Chinese Sheng [a wind instrument >>made of a gourdlike body - or actual gourd - and reedpipes of varying >>lengths housing vibrating "free reeds" activated by the breath blown into >>the mouth piece of gourd base] is well-regarded as the primary ancestor >>of the aerophone we call the harmonica today. > >I definitely agree that the Sheng is the ancestor of the harmonica. >However, the differences between the sheng and the harmonica are distinct >enough that the two are fairly distant relatives--the harmonica is much more >similar to other European free-reed organs than to the East Asian free-reed >instruments, IMO. Somewhere along the line the differences between the >harmonica and it's predecessors became so great that you had a new >instrument. > >One of the greatest differences between the harmonica and the sheng is in >the way the reeds are made and placed in the instrument, IMO. In the sheng, >each reed is cut out of its own plate. In the harmonica, the reed is >mounted onto a seperate reedplate, very similar to the common construction >of European Jaw's Harps, IMO. > >Furthermore, consider that there used to be large Jaw's Harps in which >several tines were mounted onto a large frame. Similarly(at least it seems >similar to me), when Europeans were inventing multi reeded mouth organs, >they mounted many reeds on a single large fram: the reedplate. This is very >different from the sheng and other East Asian free-reed mouth organs, where >each reed is isolated from all the others. > >This is a fun thread, as it opens up thinking about how the free-reed mouth >organ changed in it's journey from East Asia to Europe--and then to America. > > >.()(). J.R. "Bulldogge" Ross >() () And Snuffy, too:) >`----' > > > >------------------------------ > >From: Sjmwilm / aol.com >Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 21:07:22 EDT >Subject: Re: Another great harmonica review > >airhero / vaxxine.com writes: ><< So far though... I haven't found a single CD, tape or record that > features the kazoo... >> > >well, the word "feature" might be stretching it, but jimi hendrix plays kazoo >(actually the comb and tissue variant) on the intro to "crosstown traffic". >he uses it to double his falsetto "doo-doo doodit doo doo" part, and i swear >it doesn't sound corny or stupid. at least to me. >also, if i'm not mistaken, some early jug bands, songsters, and minstrel >types often had kazoos in their music. >harp content...i missed you crazy lugs!! >steven j messick > >------------------------------ > >From: "Bob Meehan" >Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 21:12:37 -0400 >Subject: Fw: replacement reeds > >This is a multi-part message in MIME format. > >- ------=_NextPart_000_000C_01BED874.C0880C20 >Content-Type: text/plain; > charset="iso-8859-1" >Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable > > >- ----- Original Message ----- >From: Bob Meehan >To: theharper / lightstream.net >Cc: harpl / garply.com >Sent: Monday, July 26, 1999 11:07 PM >Subject: replacement reeds > > > It's always a problem finding replacement reeds. I found some for >sale, and after doing the arithmetic I figured out that it was cheaper >to buy new harps and take the reeds out of them. > One thing to keep in mind is that a reed doesn't have to come out of >the exact same key harp. For example I have repaired a D Marine Band >with a reed salvaged from a G Marine Band. > It doesn't even have to be the same note (although the closer the >better) It has to be the same size. > All the Marine Band, Special 20 and all the older German made pre-MS >models of diatonic reeds are interchangeable. The Marine Bands and >Special 20's now say HAND MADE > All the MS model reeds are interchangeable however extra care is >required to remove them because of the larger rivets.The Big River model >is a good choice for replacement reeds. > Another important thing to keep in mind is that to justify replacing >reeds on a diatonic harmonica there should be something special about >that harmonica.That is to say it should at least be better for any >number of reasons than the new harp you are cannibalizing to repair it. > > Good Luck > > Bob Meehan > > >- ------=_NextPart_000_000C_01BED874.C0880C20 >Content-Type: text/html; > charset="iso-8859-1" >Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable > > > >http-equiv=3DContent-Type> > > > > >
It's always a >problem finding >replacement reeds. I found some for sale, and after doing the arithmetic >I >figured out that it was cheaper to buy new harps and take the reeds >out of >them.
>
One thing to keep >in mind is >that a reed doesn't have to come out of the exact same key harp. For >example I >have repaired a D Marine Band with a reed salvaged from a G Marine >Band.
>
It doesn't even >have to be the >same note (although the closer the better) It has to be the same size. >
>
All the Marine >Band, Special >20 and all the older German made pre-MS models of diatonic reeds are >interchangeable. The Marine Bands and Special 20's now say HAND >MADE
>
All the MS model >reeds are >interchangeable however extra care is required to remove them because of >the >larger rivets.The Big River model is a good choice for replacement >reeds.
>
Another important >thing to >keep in mind is that to justify replacing reeds on a diatonic harmonica >there >should be something special about that harmonica.That is to say it >should at >least be better for any number of reasons than the new harp you are >cannibalizing to repair it.
>
>
> > > > > > > Good >Luck
>
>
> > > > > > > Bob >Meehan
>
> >- ------=_NextPart_000_000C_01BED874.C0880C20-- > > >------------------------------ > >From: Alec Drachman >Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 21:48:17 -0400 >Subject: Gig date change > >Hi Folks, > >I'm sorry to post this to the list, but my band, "The Grand River Blue >Cats", had a last minute gig change, and I didn't want anyone to show up >on the wrong night. Our date at Wally's in Saugutuck, MI on August 1st >has been changed to July 31st. This is an upgrade for us as the owner >wants us to play for the big Venetian festival they are having in town >that night. It should be a great night. As always, Harp-l-ers (except >Gus) are welcome to bring harps and sit in. We start at 9:30. There is >no cover until 1:00am when they charge a $10 cover. This is not a joke - >it gets beyond packed by that time. > >Alec > > >------------------------------ > >From: Alec Drachman >Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 21:57:28 -0400 >Subject: Re: reply- help needed with Amp. purchase > >MonstrHarp / aol.com wrote: > >> I use to own a Rick Sholl`s< (probbably spelled wrong) power soak >> I`v seen them from around 50-75$ at some of the music stores that sell used >> gear. Good luck.........................Daine Paul Russell > >I think you mean Tom Schultz (also maybe spelled wrong). He was the guitar >player for the band "Boston" and also an electrical engineer. The Power Soak >was one of many gizmos he came up with. (He also made the first "Rockman" >headphone amps). > >Alec > > >------------------------------ > >From: Steven Levine >Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 22:36:39 -0400 (EDT) >Subject: Blues Harp Workshop at Archie's Barbershop 7/31 > >From www.acousticblues.com: > >Harmonica Workshop with the dynamic Stephan Themeze! > >When: Saturday July 31st - 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. >Class: Blues Harmonica >Teacher: Stephan Themeze >Level: Beginner-Intermediate > >Participants should bring a C harmonica. > >Stephan Themeze is a Swiss born harp player who has spent the last several >years in the greater Washington area thrilling audiences with his >incredible tone and carefully chosen blues phrasing. This cat's solos are >guaranteed to make you weep! Come on out and support the barbershop and >learn some new tricks from one of the best harp players in the East! > >The barbershop is located at 2007 Bunker Hill Road, NE, Washington, DC. >Donation (proceeds go to the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation) is >$10. Call 202-526-7539 for more information. > > >- -Steve > > >------------------------------ > >From: Moandabluz / aol.com >Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 22:30:07 EDT >Subject: Re: WHOSAT? > >In a message dated 7/27/99 11:51:53 AM, dhill / tanet.net writes: > ><>background. Good Stuff. Anybody have any knowledge on this one. >> > >I believe I heard someone on the list here say it was our own Rob Papparozzi, >my favorite harp player. > >Steve "Moandabluz" Webb >a fool for the harp..... > >------------------------------ > >From: Steven Levine >Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 22:33:55 -0400 (EDT) >Subject: Poconos > >The Pocono Blues Festival is this weekend. Anyone going? James Harman, >Snooky Pryor and Charlie Musselwhite are on the lineup. anyone know if >there is going to be a jam there, similar to the one Kevin's Harps >sponsored two years ago? > >I hope to see some of you there, > >Steve > > >------------------------------ > >From: Randy Goodhew >Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 20:45:22 -0400 >Subject: Re: Invention of the Harmonica > >Hi Tim: > >You have a type of sheng or lo sheng. The Japanese also >have this type of instrument, called a sho. > >Laos has a similar type instrument called a khaen. > >These instruments are slightly diferrent than the harmonica, >in that the length of the tube can effect the pitch. > >I've been experimenting with an instrument that I made which >is a hybrid of a krumhorn with a harmonica reed and chamber. >It can be played like a recorder. So far, I can make it >sound like a wounded bag pipe.:) >Tim Norris wrote: >> >> From: Bobbie Giordano >> >> > >> >Closer to truth than you realize... the Chinese Sheng [a wind instrument >> >made of a gourdlike body - or actual gourd - and reedpipes of varying >> >lengths housing vibrating "free reeds" activated by the breath blown into >> >the mouth piece of gourd base] is well-regarded as the primary ancestor >> >of the aerophone we call the harmonica today. >> >> >> A friend of mine brought me a similar instrument from Thailand. I never knew >> what it was called or if it was a free reed or a fipple/whistle type >> instrument. It has the gourd-like mouth piece with two rows of bamboo >> reedpipes sticking up like two small organ ranks. Each pipe has a hole that >> I assume is to close the chamber to vibrate the reed. On the ocassions I am >> actually able to get a sound out of it my dog responds with strange grunting >> noises...now that I think about it so does the rest of my family :-) >> >> Tim > >- -- > Randy Goodhew > =[oooooooooo]> >------------------------------ > >End of harp-l-digest V6 #12 >*************************** > >
