CJames
26 posts
Nov 26, 2009
2:12 AM
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what does everyone think of newer harps being developed that make overblowing/bending easier, like suzuki overdrive or Hohner xb-40 etc. Im not sure what else is out there right now, maybe various valved harps i think...but does anyone think that this is maybe too much? ie. does anyone enjoy the challenge of trying to learn bends the traditional way, or the overblow on just a standard/slightly modified harmonica - retaining its raw design. by no means am I criticizing peoples preference for harps as it's purely personal taste. Just wondering if anyone shares my views. I'm also all for customizing harps for better playability but i think some designs take away the fun of learning the harmonica from the ground up.
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apskarp
62 posts
Nov 26, 2009
2:53 AM
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Well, perhaps in future you can participate bands just by learning to play Guitar Hero.. :)
But seriously, I think that most people will start their careers in harp with regular stock harmonicas from local music store and learns the basics with those. As their musical abilities and ambitions increase they will start to move on the better instruments - and some others take the approach where they will actually start to learn the harmonica also from tho point of view how it works by learning to adjust and customize it for their own needs.
So I can't really see any problems here. Of course if the instruments themselves will develop it usually means that players will concentrate more on the playing than in maintenance & customizing which would mean more "Jimi Hendrix" kind of revolutions in the usage of the instrument.
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CJames
27 posts
Nov 26, 2009
3:21 AM
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Apskarp, turns out I'm in 2 bands anyway haha, I am a guitarist first, a guitar hero even...Like i said I wasn't saying there is a problem here, nor putting down musicians looking to further their abilities in other harp areas. I also stated that I myself modify all my harps to fit my custom needs which is a great skill I think all harp players should eventually learn. However in terms of personal opinion on new harps that make for easier playing, which do the majority of harp players prefer?
It's really saying two different things, players who use already-modifed harps can further their ability on the new instruments, just like a player can still further their abilities on a fairly standard harp. However, in the long term of the traditional harmonica instrument - who's skill level will be better in the end if one knows how to bend/OB on a MB, opposed to a player that has only learnt on a XB-40? its like learning to drive a car, you can go for your automatic or manual license, both can drive a car but only one can drive both transmissions.
This is really beside the point though, again it just comes down to personal choice and i was interested if anyone else shared the same view as me.
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GermanHarpist
703 posts
Nov 26, 2009
4:14 AM
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...or valved harps.
I guess you're right, and I guess that most of the blues harp freaks will agree, that we want to start our journey on the standard ten hole diatonic richter tuning.
The same could be said about playing different tunings - let's not forget that the minor harps were on the market much earlier than ob's and then of course there are soooo many other harmonicas "tuned" for different usages/needs...
But, damn you if you confuse the break with the clutch...
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germanharpist on YT. =;-)
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CJames
30 posts
Nov 26, 2009
4:22 AM
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Yeah exactly, the many various tunings out there are a whoole other ballpark.
Long live automotive analogies!
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apskarp
64 posts
Nov 26, 2009
4:28 AM
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CJames, I understood your point and I agree with you. If you learn to do something with "not so high quality" equipment, it will be very easy to do with the better quality equipment.
I used to be kickboxing coach in the past and we always trained with 14-16 oz gloves, because in the competition 10-12 oz gloves were used which made it feel like you don't have gloves at all! And generally in the sports it is very common to train in harder conditions that those in the competition situations.
It is also common to use student models while learning to play different instruments, those models are more affordable and also don't require so sensitive touch. The same goes f.ex. for downhill skiing equipment where you don't want to start with the professional models which react too fast for the beginner.
So in harmonicas it is propably the same. You should start with the instrument that helps to build your muscles etc, and which doesn't require very much skills to handle. Now, I'm not sure whether XB-40 or instruments like that fall to a category that needs lots of skills to play or to a category that requires less skills? Certainly learning with stock MB's will build up strenght at least, but on the other hand you might not be able to OB at all if you don't understand how to make it possible with gapping.
So I'm not sure which way around it actually is..?
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CJames
31 posts
Nov 26, 2009
4:52 AM
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that's funny you mention that, I did boxing for a while and also trained with the heavier gloves, and sparred with lighter ones...
You do have a point. With instruments such as the XB-40, i was putting that into the easier playability category, actually thats not the right word...the more modified category, As in its made so you can bend every note i believe? but yes, you do need to know how techniques work. However, in the end, isn't it what this website is for! helping all up+coming/expert harp players better their techniques. I think with the right attitude and persitance you can do anything on any harp made...
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MrVerylongusername
657 posts
Nov 26, 2009
5:23 AM
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I still think an out of the box harp is the best place to learn, but that said there is nothing wrong with manufacturers making the out of the box harp a better instrument.
There are differences between different models, but I keep hearing comments like "it's a crappy harp 'cos I cannot get such and such a bend". Wrong. If you can't get the bend it's because your technique needs development. A stock harp, no matter how cheap, should give you pretty much all the bends and blowbends (maybe not 10 blow) out of the box. I'm not in denial, there ARE cheap, crappy, leaky harps - but they are all playable.
a player with the basics under his belt will want to develop greater control. That's where tinkering or more responsive customs and top end models come in.
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mr_so&so
245 posts
Nov 26, 2009
9:44 AM
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If I understand the question, here's my take. I'm happy to stick to the Richter-tuned diatonic. I could spend my whole life learning that, and it's not restricted in what it can do. I would consider using a different tuning, e.g. Paddy-Richter, only if I played a significant amount of Irish music, and it really allowed more expression (for me). I consider valved instruments to be totally separate instruments, cousins of the diatonic. I have not desire to learn another instrument, yet.
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walterharp
134 posts
Nov 26, 2009
12:48 PM
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i have the overdrive and the xb-40. The overdrive is very difficult to learn to play the bends correctly for me because you need to block holes with your fingers and it is rough to do that and hold the harp at the same time.
The xb-40 is very different though, and I really like it. It is as if you have a chromatic, except on the chro you can bend all the notes a bit because they are valved, but on the xb-40 they all drop down because every reed is paired with an extra lower reed. So, you can get the chro sound but even more so. In some ways it is more difficult to play than diatonic because your breath and resonance need to be spot on for every note or they will be off key. It is probably not the best harp to learn on, but it wouldn't hurt I guess. But to say it is somehow cheating would be saying playing with a slide is cheating on bending guitar notes. It is not, it is a different sound and technique.
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nacoran
456 posts
Nov 26, 2009
8:00 PM
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There is also the Bahnson, but I don't think they are commercially available right now.
There are some other solutions to chromaticism. There are some slideless chromatic designs. Tombo makes one with the sharps laid out in a second row, like the black keys on a harmonica.
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