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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > Thanks Isaac! (half-valving+vid)
Thanks Isaac! (half-valving+vid)
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AlexArkansas
23 posts
Mar 13, 2013
12:25 PM
Just wanted to thank isaacullah for his vids on half-valving. It has absolutely revolutionized the diatonic for me. Had no idea how easy it is to add valves and to start incorporating valved bends into one's playing. Here's a little vid- I don't intend this as a plug: it's harmonically very simple and quite sloppy in general. Rather, I hope to spread the gospel about half-valving. This video was made after 5 days of playing half-valved. Here, "Georgia on My Mind" is played in 1st position, which is impossible without OBs or valves. Also, since it relies primarily on blow notes when played in 1st, valving is required to get the expressive shading this song calls for. It doesn't hold candle to Christelle or Charlie McCoy's version of course, but I hope it inspires someone to watch Isaac's vids and give valving a try:

Last Edited by AlexArkansas on Mar 13, 2013 1:09 PM
Martin
275 posts
Mar 13, 2013
12:52 PM
No objection to your interpretation -- but playing "Georgia" in 1st pos. is not at all "impossible without OBs or valves". In fact it´s quite easy.
AlexArkansas
24 posts
Mar 13, 2013
12:58 PM
Had to play a 6 blow bend during the bridge. I don't think that note is available with standard bends. More than willing to allow that I'm wrong though!
isaacullah
2373 posts
Mar 13, 2013
1:04 PM
@AlexArkansas: Wow, man! You just really made my day! I'm so glad that my little videos helped you so much... You never know what effect they have after you upload them, so I'm really happy to know that they inspired you to give valving a try. All I was hoping for was that they might inspire at least one person to give it a shot, and now I know that I've achieved that! Thanks!

Great playing, by the way!!!!

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lumpy wafflesquirt
699 posts
Mar 14, 2013
11:59 AM
@Martin
I am intrigued as to how you play georgia.
How do you play the accidental in the middle 8?

Ignoring the verse as there are loads of accidentals there and not many people know the chorus
If you play in C there is an F# It's in the last bar of the first page in the following link

http://www.wikifonia.org/node/799#/C/-5/1

That's the note that can be played by valve bending the 6 blow


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"Come on Brackett let's get changed"
AlexArkansas
25 posts
Mar 14, 2013
3:37 PM
Glad you liked it- I just hope my sloppy demonstration persuades people to try it rather than run the other way!
Martin
277 posts
Mar 14, 2013
4:53 PM
@Lumpy: Use a low keyed harp (preferably). Start on 8B, and there you go.
Or play it in 12th (which I tend to do) and start on 6D ... but then we´re on to another topic.
felip
22 posts
Mar 15, 2013
7:36 AM
What harmonica are you using? Did you valve it yourself?
lumpy wafflesquirt
700 posts
Mar 15, 2013
1:04 PM
@Martin You are obviously a much better player than I am.
Starting on 8B means that you need the 9 Blow bend to get the F# [assuming a C harp 1st position].
And the 10 Blow bend for the top Bs

I guess that means that you are technically correct that the piece can be played without OBs or valves, but I think the spirit of the OP is that it can't be played in 1st position without the more advanced techniques. ie more advanced than draw bends
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"Come on Brackett let's get changed"
AlexArkansas
26 posts
Mar 15, 2013
3:28 PM
The harp is a lee oskar, my backup c, which i valved myself. I like the sound i get from my valved gm much better, but this Might be installer error.


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