Improvising instrument, was Re: Harp on! / call for entries HarpL Archives

Other web Sites
Harmonica Blues Harmonica Amps
Harmonica Links Harmonica Pages

• Archives Home

• Years
· 1992 · 1993 · 1994 · 1995 · 1996 · 1997	· 1998 · 1999 · 2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003

Ebay Searches:

Amps:
Microphones:
Effects:
Harmonicas and Gear:
Harmonica Music and Instruction:

Harp-L Archives

[Previous Message] [Next Message]
[Next in Thread]
[Start of Thread] [End of Thread]

Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 17:37:29 -0800
From: "IronMan Mike Curtis"
Subject: Improvising instrument, was Re: Harp on! / call for entries

On 23 Feb 2002, at 13:50, Jon Gindick wrote:

> I also think the diatonic is uniquely an improvisation
> instrument.

I agree, but would modify that to read "Diatonic is USUALLY LEARNED
as an improvisational instrument". Jon touched on this. I'd like to
explore it a little deeper.

In my opinion and experience, it's not the instrument but the player
that makes the decision to play it improvisationally.

While I certainly do improvise on diatonic, I don't do so in the
"usual" manner, which is using an arsenal of licks more as "sound
effects" than "melody". My approach is 95% melodic, with an
occasional "harp lick" thrown in for effect.

I learned to play melodies on harmonica. I got into jazz early on,
and my influences are jazz horn players rather than the more usual
"Walters/SonnyBoys".

This is the big reason why, for myself, I view chromaticity on
diatonic harmonica as essential, and why I personally, for myself and
my style of playing, place minimal value on studying "the (blues)
masters". By and large, blues harmonica players use licks and sound
effects rather than melodies. For me, it's more important to be
skilled melodically than to have a large arsenal of traditional blues
licks.

When I teach, I teach what I know. My students learn a few licks,
but more because we analyze them and look at ALL the melodic nuances
that make them sound so good. For what I teach, tab is wholly
inadequate - but so is standard notation. There are currently no
symbols for the FIVE different 3rds I use. We could tab or write
these out (e.g. for a Little Walter lick), using standard notes (and
even quarter-tones), and a student could play them *exactly* as
written, and still not sound *anything* like Little Walter. I use
8th tones. That's four different notes per "piano" semitone (i.e.
Eb, Eb+ 1/4, Eb + 1/2, Eb + 3/4; with the next note being E).

This sounds hard because, to white American/European ears, it IS
hard. Our musical world is generally made up of sterile "piano key"
equal tuned notes. Music itself is made up of harmonics that do not
coinside with piano keys. That's why the lower notes of a harmonica
(just intonation) make such a smooth chord, but the upper notes
(equal tuned) make strident chords.

But MOST diatonic players use licks and such, and Jons statement
certainly applies to these.

We agree 100% on the results - for most diatonic players, it's an
improvising instrument. I'm simply pointing out that it's the usual
approach that makes it so, and not necessarily the instrument itself.

-- USA Recording Artist IronMan Mike Curtis Southland Blues Magazine
Blues Guide editor, Blues Musician columnist http://www.SouthlandBlues.com
Hear Mikes #1 (for the past YEAR!)Jump Blues PLAY THEM BLUES! See Mikes
live VIDEO http://www.mp3.com/IronmanCurtis