Akquarius
Cheerfully Optimistic 
Posts: 2,543
My main instrument is: ... a guitar.
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"020202"}
Mini-Profile Name Color: f9a507
Mini-Profile Text Color: f9a507
|
Post by Akquarius on Oct 12, 2018 13:49:55 GMT
.. (You know, it seems odd, somehow, high end harmonicas originating in Germany. Susaphones and lederhosen I get, but harmonicas seem somehow un-Germanic?) Peter Not at all, Peter. Not at all  I have Seidels, Hohners (various) and Lee Oscars. for my style of playing I favour Lee Oscars, allthough my Seidel is an absolute treat. |
|
|
|
Post by bleatoid on Oct 12, 2018 14:18:41 GMT
Haha - Hi Akquarius - wondered if you might spot that! Well in our house we have a strong German theme to the home-made music - my wife plays a beautiful old Steinway baby grand piano made in Hamburg in 1910 I think, I have a Framus parlour guitar and a Martin, which of course, everyone knows, is really German with a thin US veneer..... I think of harmonicas as somehow more Celtic though and as I say, un-Germanic. In the same way that decent roads and trains that run on time are somehow un-English.  |
|
Akquarius
Cheerfully Optimistic
Posts: 2,543
My main instrument is: ... a guitar.
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"020202"}
Mini-Profile Name Color: f9a507
Mini-Profile Text Color: f9a507
|
Post by Akquarius on Oct 12, 2018 15:15:33 GMT
Celtic? that's an interesting thought, bleatoid I'd agree if we're talking about harmonicas in Paddy Richter tuning like the Seydel Session Steel. However, diatonic harmonicas are so bluesy that I would consider them "american". And chromatic harmonicas are so versatile, even universally usable, that I'd struggle to place them somewhere geographically. after all, you could even play some really sublime jazz with them |
|
|
|
Post by bleatoid on Oct 12, 2018 20:16:40 GMT
Sorted! Cleverly managing to comply with at least a bit of everyone's helpful advice, I've just ordered a couple of Big Rivers in C and A for me bluesey bits (and instruction stuff..ie the C..) and a Seydel Session standard in D for Every grain of Sand (ya just have to). Thanks martinrowe for sensibly nudging me up-budget from my 40p start and also the helful insights and background. Thanks PistolPete for the diversity plan and nudge away from wooden combs and boxed sets. Thanks Wild Violet for the Eagle Music pointer - what a great shop. Thanks Akquarius for identifying those two well known Irish brands (!) I shall follow WV's other excellent advice and spend the days following delivery walking about the house at all times in my harp rack. Possibly nothing else. I'd have to admit though, that my head is spinning with the business of keys / cross keys / first second and other positions and mapping those onto capo'd positions on the neck.....all in good time. BTW - the Big Rivers are available at a great price (£20.99) at Eagle at the minute and they also have some interesting looking harmonicas in their clearance dept too. Peter |
|
|
|
Post by PistolPete on Oct 17, 2018 13:26:28 GMT
"...a vacuum cleaner nozzle attached to a mic stand with a harmonica in one end...." this may be a step too far so early in my harmonica career PistolPete and I must confess I'd worry about the noise of the hoover and the safety of my lips but thanks for the suggestion... You know, I had all the witty comebacks ready for when someone picked up on my use of the word 'promiscuous', but I didn't see that one coming... It was a thing like this:  Some magical coincidence in the manufacturing process meant that, with only minimal use of gaffer tape, an sm57 wedged in the round end and a harmonica wedged in the square end. Hey presto - fat 'cupped' tone without needing to actually have it in your hands. I'd like to think he washed it first. (You know, it seems odd, somehow, high end harmonicas originating in Germany. Susaphones and lederhosen I get, but harmonicas seem somehow un-Germanic?) Fun fact: the Richter tuning, which is what allows you to use the lower holes of the harmonica for pentatonic playing in cross position, was originally designed to allow 'oompah' chord playing for German marching band music (hence 'Marine Band'). Further fun fact: Until WW2 all 'Cajun' and 'Irish' accordions were made in Germany too... Thanks PistolPete for the diversity plan and nudge away from wooden combs and boxed sets. Glad I could help! Let us know how you get on |
|
|
|
Post by bleatoid on Oct 17, 2018 19:35:00 GMT
Haha - brilliant - thanks for that PistolPete - loved the fun facts - I'd wondered where "Marine Band" came from. By a bizarre coincidence, my 3 new harps arrived today - off for a honk shortly and will let you know how I get on. By the way PP there seem to be an awful lot of harmonica lesson sites out there - any you'd particularly recommend? Ben Hewlett's stuff looks fun and the Big Rivers come with a free introductory lesson pack with David Barrett. Bearing in mind that my initial aim is just to be able to accompany myself on guitar (using a rack) I'm tempted just to see how I get on - but I'm often painfully aware that maybe just one guitar lesson many years ago might have avoided some poor technique and bad habits.... Peter |
|
Akquarius
Cheerfully Optimistic
Posts: 2,543
My main instrument is: ... a guitar.
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"020202"}
Mini-Profile Name Color: f9a507
Mini-Profile Text Color: f9a507
|
Post by Akquarius on Oct 17, 2018 19:39:19 GMT
Annie Raines does a couple of fine tutorials on youtube.
|
|
|
|
Post by bleatoid on Oct 17, 2018 21:49:15 GMT
Ah - right - I've not heard of her Akquarius but thank you - I shall have a look-see! Peter |
|
|
|
Post by curmudgeon on Oct 18, 2018 11:05:42 GMT
Hi Club regular, I don't know if this is too late, but I've got a stock of harmonicas that my wife bought me for a birthday ...many years ago, and I've never used them.
Hohner pro harps - 1 x B, 1 x D, 2 x A
Hohner blues harp - G
Hohner Super vamper A
Hohner Marine Band - 1 x A, and 1 x B.
Hohner Big River Harp - 1 x C
Lee Oskar - 1 x A
I can't speak for their sound but they've been siting in a drawer in their cases for many years so should be OK.
I've just looked at the prices on Ebay - Scary! I'm sure we could do a LOT better than that. Say half the cheapest price on ebay? plus postage?
Let me know if you are interested.
ol' Andy
|
|
|
|
Post by bleatoid on Oct 18, 2018 11:25:21 GMT
Hi curmudgeon - yep - just a tad late unfortunately - my 3 new harmonicas arrived yesterday so I have all I need to be getting on with right now - but thanks for the thought! You might want to put them on the classifieds page though - it appears there's a few harp players here that seem to get through them relatively quickly? Peter |
|
|
|
Post by bleatoid on Oct 18, 2018 11:36:06 GMT
Annie Raines does a couple of fine tutorials on youtube. Ah she's great - thanks for the pointer Akquarius! |
|
Jo whoever he is.
