A440
359 posts
Apr 25, 2015
2:09 PM
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I'm ready to try out one of Brendan's tunings, a Session Steel in A, but not sure which one to get. It would be good to hear from anyone using a Powerdraw or Powerbender. Which did you choose? How do you like it? Which would you recommend?
Last Edited by A440 on Apr 25, 2015 2:10 PM
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Stevelegh
1010 posts
Apr 25, 2015
2:37 PM
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Powerbender is a great tuning. Very intuitive with plenty of draw bends. From what I can gather, players who adopt it tend to forget their Richter skills.
Powerdraw is great from the perspective of having the upper end of the harp repeat the mid range, so you can repeat your mid way licks an octave up.
Either way, Brendan's genius tunings will take you on a hell of a journey.
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GMaj7
673 posts
Apr 25, 2015
3:29 PM
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I have a PowerBender in (A) you can try out.. Session Steel...
Shoot me an email
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Greg Jones
16:23 Custom Harmonicas
greg@1623customharmonicas.com
1623customharmonicas.com
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A440
360 posts
Apr 25, 2015
11:12 PM
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@stevelegh Do you know of anyone who experienced a loss of Richter skills? Or is that meant half-jokingly?
A guitarist can switch instruments with alternate tunings. I saw Elvis Costello in concert last year, he must have used 10 or 12 different guitars throughout the evening. So I wonder if a harp player can adapt to different tunings. I currently only play Richter and Country, so maybe the Powerdraw is a safer bet, being more consistent. Or maybe I would regret not getting the Powerbender, and the full capabilities it offers.
Anyway, the Powerbender looks promising. It would be good to hear some user experiences, either gigging or recording with it...
Last Edited by A440 on Apr 25, 2015 11:17 PM
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nacoran
8460 posts
Apr 26, 2015
3:27 PM
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I've only played a handful of tunings- harmonic minor, minor, solo and richter. Never had any problem switching to anything (except chromatic!)
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Nate
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Thievin' Heathen
521 posts
Apr 26, 2015
8:23 PM
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David Lindley switches instruments and tunings throughout the show with no apparent loss of Richter skills. I wonder how many more years I need to practice to play harmonica half as good as David Lindley plays guitar/oud/bouzouki/banjo/violin without concern of loss of Richter skills?
And then there's that Howard Levy character who appears to re-tune his harmonicas on the spot leaving poor old Richter a relic of history.
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Stevelegh
1013 posts
Apr 27, 2015
11:38 AM
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Sorry A440, I've been out of it the last few days.
I was referring to a comment Brendan actually made after playing Powerbender exclusively for such a long time. He suggested that his Richter playing wasn't as good nowadays.
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A440
361 posts
Apr 28, 2015
11:31 AM
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I just found Lee Sankey's enthusiastic (and independant) review on YouTube. He makes a convincing case for the PowerBender.
Last Edited by A440 on Apr 28, 2015 11:32 AM
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Stevelegh
1014 posts
Apr 29, 2015
5:50 AM
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You can't go far wrong mate. Both of these tunings are great.
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A440
365 posts
May 02, 2015
8:13 AM
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As soon as I have the cash, I'll be ordering one from Seydel. Probably will also pick up Brendan's book/CD.
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ted burke
206 posts
May 02, 2015
8:29 AM
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I have both harmonicas, both in C,and use them quite a bit. The Power Bender especially takes gettng used to, but that is done in short order; one can make beautiful improvisations with their unique tunings. I fund it useful in performing some modal jazz pieces. The Power Draw, which is essentially a regularly tuned harmonica holes 1 through 6 and draw bends on holes 7 through 10, is fun as well, and very useful on making coherent musical phrases on the higher end. Over all, they have gotten me to change up my patterns of play when I switch over to regular harps. It's well worth having a couple around.
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Ted Burke
__________________
ted-burke.com
tburke4@san.rr.com
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A440
367 posts
May 02, 2015
8:45 AM
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Thanks Ted. This is good feedback.
I am looking for something to break my habits and play differently - both by using the PB's layout, and (as you mention) also approaching Richter differently after experiencing the PB.
I figure if I'm gonna take the plunge, I might as well go for the PB (versus PD), to open up those new possibilities on holes 5 and 6, as well as the top end. It also seems intuitive/useful to have the root consistently on 6 draw and 9 draw, as opposed to the hybrid approach of the PD.
I figure that if I would first try the PD, I would end up buying a PB afterwards... so better to go there straight away (especially considering the price).
Last Edited by A440 on May 02, 2015 8:54 AM
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