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"I buried Pauls' Hofner" :biglaugh:

Heresy I tell you, shear heresy!

Not because of Paul, because of the Hofner!

Seriously T-Bone, I love playing that "short scale" even though mine is an Epiphone, not a Hofner.

It feels so much better on these old beat-up hands than my P Bass ever did.

Stop in one of those big box stores and try a few familiar runs to compare the two.

SHHH! Don't tell Tonto I encouraged you to look at new toys!

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Polar Bear-------Congratulations! That 64 is one mighty fine piece of equipment. Mighty fine!

As you may know, the chromatic is as much a different instrument from the diatonic as the sax is from the trumpet.

I have a 64 (4 octave) as well as several 3 octave chromatics. I play them mainly in third position because I play blues.

This means that your 64, which is in C Major, would be used to play in D. (That danged circle of fifths again). The advantage of the 3 octave models is that they are available in a variety of keys other than C but they don't have that lower octave that is the signature of the 64.

If you have never played a harmonica before, the first stumbling block you will face is learning to play single notes.

The most common way to approach this on a chromatic is to use what is called tongue blocking. Using this method, you place your mouth over 4 holes and use your tongue to cover the 3 holes to the left of the hole you want. This technique is especially important if you choose to play classical pieces because some passages require a reversal of the blocked side.

It can be quite frustrating to develope this technique. What I personally recommend, is that, at least for starters, you learn what is called the "U" block. To do this, you roll your tongue into a "u" shape and place it under the hole you have chosen. Even if you choose to abandon this method in favor of tongue blocking,you will at least have overcome the frustration of learning how to get a single note. (Don't force it into this position, just let it relax) This will probably seem natural for you because it resembles the embouchure used to play trumpet.

One very good place to get supplies and instructionals is a place called "The Best Li'l Harp House". I don't know how to link you but goggle will take you right there. I like the series that Charlie Musselwhite has because it parallels diatonic lessons beside chromatic lessons but this may not be what you are after because it is focused on blues.

Another good place to check out is called "harp-l". It is a forum where, on any given day, you are likely to find posts from novices to world renown classical players. Some of the best players in the world come here to nurture and encourage.

Good luck! it's the only instrument that is played both on the inhale as well as the exhale(as far as I know)

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Lots of chromatic blues players out there to serve as role models. Check out Rod Piazza. He plays that big octive style that has become so popular. Kim Wilson and Mitch Kashmar, too. Then, of course were the giants, William Clarke and Paul Delay who are no longer with us. But the granddaddy of them all was George"Harmonica" Smith who taught and mentored so many great players throughout his career.

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...Good luck! it's the only instrument that is played both on the inhale as well as the exhale(as far as I know)

So don’t freak out if you hear heavy breathing when you pick up the phone – it may be Waysider practicing his harmonica technique.

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I had a voice message here from Sunday that was close to 3 minutes in length of which I listened to every second of. It was from a Days Inn in Hendersonville NC with someone playing a guitar and never saying a word.

Usually they are men breathing into the phone while they are taking care of other matters.

I know they weren't waysider but I just had to smile when I read your post T-Bone.

:)

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I hope you weren’t offended, Waysider – I was just having a little fun with what you said. I think you’re a fine upstanding musician who simply wants more harmonica in the home.

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I hope you weren’t offended, Waysider – I was just having a little fun with what you said. I think you’re a fine upstanding musician who simply wants more harmonica in the home.

"More harmonica in the home"

Hey! that's what I thought it said on the green card! That's why I took "the class". :biglaugh:

Believe it or not, there is actually a book titled "Harmonicas, Harps, and Heavy Breathers(The Evolution of the People's Instrument)" by Kim Field. Pretty good book if you have any interest in the history of the instrument or bios of key players. Kinda lengthy for the casual reader, though(325 pgs.)

It has some great black and white photos too.

"Have fun while you can, fate's an awful thing."

THE T-BONE SHUFFLE by T-Bone Walker

:)

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Great stuff on the harmonica. I'm so happy to have it. I got it for a steal from a friend.

Sure hope I didn't offend anyone by starting a music thread. I see the guitar thread as being more for those who are musicians, or sort of musicians like me. Sort of shop talk. There has been a lot of great music posted here.

As for the music lovers thread, I thought we could try to attract more folks to some of this good music that has been posted as some folks may not come here that often to talk about guitars and such.

If someone comes across a good tune you could post it here and as well in the music lovers thread.

PB

Edited by polar bear
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I can't do anything high tech here so I haven't been able to look/listen to this.

I do know ,though, that David Seville used to create the "Chipmunk" music by performing in a regular voice while the recording tape ran at a slow speed. He would then play it back/record it at normal speed and thus create that high pitched chipmunk sound and yet maintain & preserve the correct metre so as not to sound like a tape that was being played at high speed. Of course, this digital world we live in makes all that stuff much simpler to do.

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Here is an interesting riddle for you all. See if you can figure out how this was done. (Hint the band is a Christian band called MuteMath and they memorized this song in reverse.)

Hmmmm. The song didn't sound like it was in reverse to me,

(although the video showed a lot of backwards movement).

I don't know (or pay attention) to songs in that genre,

so I'd be unfamiliar if it was another song re-done backwards.

(Did Mathman get it correct?? It did sound like 4 chords only).

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