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Date: Fri, 7 Apr 1995 00:24:26 -0700 (PDT)
From: Mike Curtis
Subject: Re: Fingertips, chromatic concepts

Thanks for your question. I understand your curiosity and philosophy, and that different harps have different "feels" and such. Here's mine. Not disagreeing - just different.

Because I play the C diatonic in all keys, there's little motivation in that regard to change.

I also play in a rack, with a homebrew pickup. Changing harps is cumbersome and a distraction while playing live. I like my live show (I usually do a single - harp, guitar, MIDI bass pedals, vocals, and babysit an SR-16 drum machine at the same time) to move as fluidly as possible. I have to futz with enough stuff between tunes - drum patterns, bass sound module patches, amp and effects settings, lyric sheets and sheet music, and the harp pickup weighs a couple of pounds and tends to make the rack slip, so I'm constantly adjusting and tightening it. I also use a sequencer on maybe 10% of my tunes (I really don't like sequencers - they're terrible at following me :-), and have to load and play, etc. And of course the inevitable malfunctioning equipment, cables, etc. Changing harps, added to all this, is just too much work.

I've been playing the C diatonic so long, other harps feel "strange" to me. With perfect pitch, they also sound strange, because I'm so used to the notes on the C harp. I play over the entire harp; all three octaves, plus a valved bend from the blow 1 of low B and Bb (and I'm working on a low A bend, but it's still weak) so there's not much lack of range.

With your favorite G, you have possibly three more low notes than I do (G, Ab, and A), and if you're playing crossharp using only the #1 draw, you only have one semitone more - the A I'm working on :-) I have a nice low register that gets plenty of use - and without changing harps!

As far as high notes, the high C is about as high as I care for. I joke about "my dog note" (i.e. it calls all the dogs in the neighborhood because it's so high pitched :-) The high F is what I call my "dog harp" for that reason. Of course, if you like to play fast, you can't beat an F harp. I'm certain this is one reason John Popper does so many tunes in C. (And no, this isn't a knock - I happen to like his harp style and speed.)

I'm also a guitarist (at the same time), and play from one end to the other on it. When you play jazz, you don't use a lot of stuff on the first three frets :-) The most scalloped parts of my fretboard are around the 10th fret, ranging several frets in each direction (my main guitar is a '68 Fender Coronado.) I checked this the other day in response to something I saw on the EVH custom guitar with the "pre-worn" fingerboard.

I sometimes use other harps, but usually because of effect,and rarely because of key change specifically. For example, it's hard to get chords in 10th position (Eb). Or maybe a Db is used for the key of C because of that wonderfully mournful minor third/flatted fifth to second/fourth chord-bend of locrian 6th position, and that's really tough to get in first position :-) And of course, when working with jazz groups, it's often more expedient to use a Db harp (my 2nd most used harp - but yet to be replaced - or even retuned or cleaned for that matter :-)

When sitting in, if I'm unsure of what will be played, I carry C and Db valved harps and I'm covered.

For CW sessions, something in first, second, or twelfth position may be desireable.

But these are exceptions. With valved bends, it is easy to get very effective C minor/Eb major, G minor/Bb major, etc. licks, so there's not a lot of motivation to switch harps.

A big advantage of playing all keys on the C harp is it forces one to be creative. Although I'm more proficient in 2nd position (G) than 5th (E), stuff in 5th position is much more unusual. It would be easier to switch to an A harp, and sound good on it (in fact, to my ear, better!), but using 5th position with the valved bends is something no one else has
(well, hardly anyone :-), and that's worth more than raw skill and musicianship. If people want to hear 5th position, the market is far more limited than if they want second :-)

If in a harp showcase (never found a contest in So. Cal.), I rarely play second position, even though it's one of my best. I also stay away from third position. Other harp players use these - why "compete" on the same turf if you can do something just as good that's different? I may consider first (which is one of my strongest positions), but I'll make the
biggest splash playing fourth (definitely my strongest), fifth, or sixth.

I've gotten more requests for business cards playing sixth position (which I don't consider one of my stronger positions) than all others combined for me, it's stronger than 7th thru 11th (especially 7th, 8th, and 9th; Gb, Db, and Ab respectively; which I'm still a bit uncomfortable with and avoid when possible), and the most unusual of the remaining. And with the valved bends, it's a very usable scale, too.

Thanks for your note.

-- mike