Miscellaneous Diatonic harmonicas, harps, gob irons...

[Jules]

anyone else care to join me in a general discussion of the finer points of the 10 hole diatonic harmonica?

 

[dooce]

Can't contribute on mouth-organs Jules, but slightly related - having expressed an interest in a button accordion, or melodeon (probably after seeing Bellowhead a couple of times) I found a previously somewhat unloved 19-button/4-bass C/F diatonic little number at the bottom of my Xmas stocking. Makes a gorgeous noise, and am starting to get to grips with the different notes for squeeze and suck (or whatever they are called).

It has a couple of sticking buttons and one reed that only emits a faint squeaking, but how the hell do you fix the things? It's all bits of wood and glue and wires and levers and you can't get at any of them! Makes the sax look a miracle of modern consumer-friendly design by comparison.

 

[saxnik]

I have one, and can successfully bend notes (similar technique to sax I reckon) and sound like a blues man for about fifteen seconds, then run out of talent.
It's Uke for me now...

Nick

 

[Sunray]

Harpin On ...

I have a Lee Oskar 10 hole [in A] - as well as a Suzuki SCX-48 [Chromatic in C] and a Musette 24 Tremolo also in C ...

I only started a few months ago but I am able to achieve single notes regularly now ...

I don't get on very well with the ole tongue block though ...

I often play a harp when the guvnor has gone off to the land of nod ... cos she gets a bit peeved off wiv me if I get the Alto or Tenor out when she is havin a kip ... ))

There are loads of really great players out there ... uTube is teaming wiv stuff ...

How long you bin playing Jules?

 

[Jules]

How long you bin playing Jules?

about 20 years on and off.. for a long while i way primarily a blues harp player with a side order of sax... for about the last 6 yeas I've been mainly sax but I've just started scoring doubling gigs a bit recently so have picked the harp up again.... a bag of Lee Oskars, a Hohner blues blaster and a pignose amp and I'm ready to go...
http://home.freeuk.net/tosborne/swamp/ichap5.html

 

[old git]

Have had three bellows blown ones, that were used to play Cajun and Morris. Although can manage Take the A train on my present box but find it virtually impossible to bend notes. Don't try playing Cajun on your harp as they are just tuned and you'll strangle your tonsils trying to keep up. The other problems is Arcadian French and strangled, nasal cries that are featured. Great dance music and improvisation. Bit like jazz.

 

[thehunt]

After i had posted a few moths back got my harps from Harmonica's direct, great service, bought a Lee Oslkar in Eb and a blues buddy in C ( the latter as i realised afterwards that most books teach in key of C ) Slowly getting to grips them but much harder than i thought they would be. Hoping this coming year to improve on them though as well as the sax.
Phil

anyone else care to join me in a general discussion of the finer points of the 10 hole diatonic harmonica?

 

[Sunray]

Harpin On ... [for 20 years] ...

about 20 years on and off.. for a long while i way primarily a blues harp player with a side order of sax... for about the last 6 yeas I've been mainly sax but I've just started scoring doubling gigs a bit recently so have picked the harp up again.... a bag of Lee Oskars, a Hohner blues blaster and a pignose amp and I'm ready to go...
http://home.freeuk.net/tosborne/swamp/ichap5.html

Nice one mate ...

20 years ... Wow ... I never done anyfing other than breath for that long ... ))

That must be really satisfying to be able to turn your hand to the Harp's or the Sax mate ... I hope that I will get there before Lucifer comes for me ...

I browsed the link above - Swamp Things ... There's loads of music links to buy Harmonica music ... Looks interesting ... :welldone

I was hoping to hear you chugging in wildone.mp3 but maybe it was you singing - lol ;}

Post any tips for us n00bs ...

Cheers Jules ...

PS - Do any of you guys visit any harp forums?

 

[Jules]

Have had three bellows blown ones, that were used to play Cajun and Morris. Although can manage Take the A train on my present box but find it virtually impossible to bend notes. Don't try playing Cajun on your harp as they are just tuned and you'll strangle your tonsils trying to keep up. The other problems is Arcadian French and strangled, nasal cries that are featured. Great dance music and improvisation. Bit like jazz.

Actually I spent quite a bit of time with one of my old bands trying to emulate a cajun (or to be more accurate- Zydeco) accordion style on my harps... tongue block so you get octaves and hum/growl slightly and it's possible to get a vaguely passible Clifton Chenier/Queen Ida kind of feel.

 

[old git]

Actually I spent quite a bit of time with one of my old bands trying to emulate a cajun (or to be more accurate- Zydeco) accordion style on my harps... tongue block so you get octaves and hum/growl slightly and it's possible to get a vaguely passible Clifton Chenier/Queen Ida kind of feel.

Gobsmacked!
With all the woodpeckering, octaves on the suck (Can you do that on a harp?), actually most is played on the pull (suck to you) and that need for just tuning meant that my boxes were not too popular when played in Morris Bands. You might have been better off using a Chromatic for Zydeco as most use piano accordions rather than diatonic melodeons. Your other problem is that the 'Cajun' melodeon sounds a high, two vibrato tuned mid and low reeds at the same time, which makes them air hungry. A good reason for short note lengths. The good bits are the small bellows which allow higher pressures and volume but means you again run out of air quickly.

Wish that the MIDI boys did a ten button melodeon, then you could have just and equal temperament, loads of different voices and keys but limited by only two chord buttons. Got any at saxco?

 

[cherrybyte]

I have a Lee Oskar 10 hole [in A] - as well as a Suzuki SCX-48 [Chromatic in C] and a Musette 24 Tremolo also in C ...

I only started a few months ago but I am able to achieve single notes regularly now ...

I don't get on very well with the ole tongue block though ...

I often play a harp when the guvnor has gone off to the land of nod ... cos she gets a bit peeved off wiv me if I get the Alto or Tenor out when she is havin a kip ... ))

There are loads of really great players out there ... uTube is teaming wiv stuff ...

How long you bin playing Jules?

Eh..??..

 

[Sunray]

Suzuki Chromatix 12 SCX-48

Wossup mate ... Does this help?

It's Suzuki SCX-48 [Chromatic Harmonica in the key of C]

Link Here

 

[Jules]

Wossup mate ... Does this help?

It's Suzuki SCX-48 [Chromatic Harmonica in the key of C]

Link Here

brave man... chromatics are very scarey bits of kit.....

 

[Rico Vandoren]

I bought a Hohner Marine Band in C earlier this year. Found it very difficult and haven't touched it since. Any tips for beginners?

 

[Sunray]

Scarey bits ...

brave man... chromatics are very scarey bits of kit.....

Ha Ha ... )) I ain't scared ...

Cos I am *Sunray* ... Not This one ...

"..A bit like Sun Ra playing in a strip joint.." ​

 

[Sunray]

Suck & Blow ...

I bought a Hohner Marine Band in C earlier this year. Found it very difficult and haven't touched it since. Any tips for beginners?

Yeah Mate ...

Pick it up [it won't bite] and practice blowing in the little holes ... ))

Harpy New Year ...

 

[Jules]

Yeah Mate ...

Pick it up [it won't bite] and practice blowing in the little holes ... ))

Harpy New Year ...

On a more serious variant of the above- accurately hitting only one hole is he first 'big' to pick up- by the way, youtube is full of great harp tutorial videos...

 

[cherrybyte]

brave man... chromatics are very scarey bits of kit.....

Am I missing something..??..'Chromatic in the key C'..would that be Major/minor..melodic/harmonic..pentatonic..modal..think about it, unless it refers to the range..eg..'C to C'..F to F etc....

 

[Sunray]

Am I missing something..??..'Chromatic in the key C'..would that be Major/minor..melodic/harmonic..pentatonic..modal..think about it, unless it refers to the range..eg..'C to C'..F to F etc....

*Sunray says - In a friendly voice*

I gave a link in Post #12 of this thread to try to give you a bit more info ...

This info is displayed there ...

Chromatix 12 SCX-48

Suzuki Chromatics[Hint]- See Chromatic Scale <---------- Click Me ...


The Chromatix is designed for the professional player and is hand built. It has an ergonomic mouthpiece, smooth precision slide mechanism, extra thick reed plates …is extremely airtight and comes in a deluxe soft lined case. Available in 12, 14 and 16 hole models. The 14 and 16 hole models are only available in ‘C’. The 12 hole Chromatix model is available in C, G, A, D and F



I hope that helps ... [If not Google is your friend] ;}

 

[Jules]

Am I missing something..??..'Chromatic in the key C'..would that be Major/minor..melodic/harmonic..pentatonic..modal..think about it, unless it refers to the range..eg..'C to C'..F to F etc....

basically a c harp and a c# strapped together with a button to divert air via one or the other... nightmare bits of kit.... unless you're stevie wonder.....