isaacullah
2453 posts
Jul 15, 2013
3:31 PM
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'Easy Third' tuning lowers draw 2 and 3 by a whole tone so as to make the first octave the same note pattern as the second. This makes playing in third position down in the first octave exactly the same as in the second (hence the moniker "Easy Third"). It also makes the lower octave draw chord a D minor, which, when played against the C major blow chord, sounds great for reggae.
Here's a little improv'ed piece I recorded yesterday on my phone. I add some reverb, etc, in audacity.
I used blutak to retune a stock harp. For a little bit of fun, can anyone guess the model (it's a Hohner)? Also, other than basic gapping, I did exactly one other modification to this harp. Can you guess what? Finally, do you think I'm tongue-blocking or lip-pursing? :)
~Isaac
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Pistolcat
434 posts
Jul 15, 2013
3:43 PM
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Nice improv Isaac! I'm just guessing that you opened the back of the harp. And I'd say you are LP:ing as your chording doesn't sound slapped.
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S-harp
142 posts
Jul 15, 2013
4:10 PM
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The tuning has a nice sound. Like your vibrato ...
My guess is Lip locking a Big River, with its terribe cover screws changed
(-:
Big River 'cause I figured you'd rather experiment tunings on a BR than a high end harp ... plus I thought the tone had some sweet crispy BR-tone.
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The tone, the tone ... and the Tone
Last Edited by S-harp on Jul 16, 2013 4:05 AM
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isaacullah
2455 posts
Jul 15, 2013
5:11 PM
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Thanks guys! Interesting guesses so far, but I'll not reveal the answers until a few more folks (hopefully) weigh in! C'mon guys! Anyone else want to take a guess? :)
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harp-er
419 posts
Jul 15, 2013
7:10 PM
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Tongue blocking a custom combed special 20..........
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isaacullah
2457 posts
Jul 16, 2013
8:34 AM
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Another good guess, harp-er!
Okay, since it seems no else wants to take the bait, here's the answer:
I'm playing a $5 Hohner Bluesband that I bought at the gas station on a whim because I had forgot to bring any of my "real" harps with me on a recent road trip. The one modification I did besides basic gapping was to half valve it. I am Lip-Pursing all of it.
I'm using a "Lip-Slap" to get the chords, which does indeed sound different than a Tongue-Slap if you listen carefully. This is because of two things: 1) The relationship between the chord and the single note is different between the two techniques. A TS typically plays the two notes to the left of the single note, whereas an LS plays the notes on either side of the single note, and that sounds different. 2) A TS is typically more percussive than an LS. This is because in a TS, the tongue lifts straight up and back, like a piston, making the chording sound more staccato and percussive. In an LS, however, the lips slide in at an angle, making the chording sound a bit more "slurred" around the edges... BUT, I love the sound of both, and like being able to choose between them.
As for the harp, I was as surprised as I imagine y'all might be when I discovered what a difference the half-valving made for this cheap mass-produced $5 harp! Granted, I'm not bending at all in this tune (other than "scooping" into a couple of notes), so you can't hear that the draw bends are airy, but I was amazed at how tight, focused, and LOUD this little Bluesband became after half-valving. Those are NOT terms I would have used to describe this harp before I half-valved it. I, of course, knew that half-valving might improve the harps air-tightness and had hopes it would improve the tone a bit, but I was blown away by how much of a difference it made... Night and day...
Anyway, thanks for indulging me y'all!
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mr_so&so
705 posts
Jul 16, 2013
11:22 AM
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Isaac, I tried to play your song but Ubuntu is not co-operating with Soundcloud.
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isaacullah
2458 posts
Jul 16, 2013
11:35 AM
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Hmmm. That's funny b/c I use Ubuntu too, and have no troubles. What browser are you using? Chromium or Mozilla? I'm using Mozilla with no trouble. Do you have the Ubuntu restricted extras installed? What about Flash?
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ridge
446 posts
Jul 16, 2013
12:23 PM
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I'm running Mozilla on Xubuntu and it works just fine.
BTW, I accidentally played your clip while playing Boris' orchestra youtube clip and they mesh quite well. Kind of like a mini dark side of the moon / wizard of oz deal.
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isaacullah
2465 posts
Jul 16, 2013
3:47 PM
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HOLY CRAP! I just tried that out, ridge, and you are absolutely correct! It's downright uncanny how well they mesh! The timing and everything! I guess Boris and I were functioning on the same wavelength or something! Eerie!
Also, know we know that Boris was playing that piece the key of D minor! ;)
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nacoran
6944 posts
Jul 17, 2013
9:04 AM
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No fair! I can't prove it, but I think you edited off the end of the clip... if we'd heard just 2 seconds more we would have heard you scream in pain as you ripped your lips open on that Bluesband and we would have known what you were playing!
I've actually got a Pocket Pal and a couple Bluesbands I've tinkered with that sound pretty nice for $5. They do tear up the lips though. It seems that Sp20's do something to the covers where the metal folds down to touch on the ends that smooths things out that they skip on the cheaper harps.
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Nate
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isaacullah
2469 posts
Jul 17, 2013
11:25 AM
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Ha! I know exactly what you are talking about! Actually, after I recorded this, I took the coverplates off and bent them down more in the front to close the gaps at the ends. That seems to have made them more comfortable for the time being. The Bluesband covers are so flimsy that it's really easy to bend them into any shape you want. Actually, I kinda like their thinness. It gives them a nice bright tone, especially when valved to make them more airtight... Really, they are not too bad at all for just straight ahead playing without OB's or anything fancy... I don't think I recommend them for a beginner though, as you need to already have good technique to make them play well...
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Reed Triller
151 posts
Jul 17, 2013
5:20 PM
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Last Edited by Reed Triller on Jul 17, 2013 5:21 PM
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nacoran
6946 posts
Jul 17, 2013
7:02 PM
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I have one, unlabeled harp, maybe it was a cover for a something someone was going to stamp for a promotional giveaway or something- that's the only reason I can think it would be so thin. Anyway, my brother found it for me at a garage sale. The cover bends and dents constantly, to the point where I don't carry it anymore, but wow, the way it feels in your hand when you play! You can feel your music through your hands. If it was any thinner it would be tinfoil.
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Nate
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