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Mind-instrument or Orientation on different harps

Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2017 6:11 pm
by Felix
Dear Brendan,
besides my respect for all the different and intressting types of harmonicas and tunings you have created, i find it even more impressing how easy you seem to switch between the harmonicas and play great stuff with all of the them.

In contrast to that i have even problems with switching between my solo chromatic, richtertuned diatonics and my asiaband and confuse the layout while improvising.

So the question: Have you any special "mind-instrument" you imagine in your mind while you play ? ( like Howard Levy imagening a piano)

regards,

Re: Mind-instrument or Orientation on different harps

Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2017 8:00 am
by Brendan
Good question. I manage by having two types of harmonicas:

1. A couple of tunings that I'm confident improvising with: PowerBender on diatonic and PowerChromatic for slide harps.

2. A larger number of specialist genre tunings where I mostly memorise tunes, and don't improvise beyond a few melodic variations. These include Paddy Solo diatonic and Slide Diatonics for Irish music, the AsiaBend in pentatonic and heptatonic tunings, a Bulgarian chromatic tuning, and some experimental X-Reed harps.

PowerBender and PowerChromatic are related as well, so it's not such a big leap between them. Hope that helps!

Re: Mind-instrument or Orientation on different harps

Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2017 3:13 pm
by Felix
Quite instressting, focusing on a few and practise. Ok thanks.

Anyone else? How do you manage switch harp und tunings? Do you think in skales or positions or at the exact tone names?

Re: Mind-instrument or Orientation on different harps

Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2017 4:45 pm
by triona
Felix wrote:
Mon Aug 28, 2017 3:13 pm
Quite instressting, focusing on a few and practise. Ok thanks.
I use many different types and tunings.
First I try which one seems to be suitable best for a certain piece I want to play. This one I use always for these pieces. Then I practice to play. Afterwards I usually have no difficulties when playing it as I think it sounds best. Sometimes I chose the instrument by mood, if there are more than one suitable for a certain piece.

Felix wrote:
Mon Aug 28, 2017 3:13 pm
Do you think in skales or positions or at the exact tone names?
Usually none of all this. I practice and play by ear.
My "mind-instrument" is singing, if not directly the harmonica itself.


dear greetings
triona

Re: Mind-instrument or Orientation on different harps

Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2017 11:37 am
by Felix
triona wrote:
Mon Aug 28, 2017 4:45 pm

Felix wrote:
Mon Aug 28, 2017 3:13 pm
Do you think in skales or positions or at the exact tone names?
Usually none of all this. I practice and play by ear.
My "mind-instrument" is singing, if not directly the harmonica itself.


dear greetings
triona
So you first sing it, decide which harmonica you use and then search the sung niootes on the instrument, right?