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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Chromatic Book?
Chromatic Book?
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HarpNinja
3643 posts
Dec 16, 2013
10:17 AM
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This next year, I really want to learn to get around on the Chromatic as an instrument. Right now, I can only do third position blues stuff.
Is there a good book out there that teaches you how to use the chromatic as a chromatic instrument? The more it explains the relationship of the chromatic to music theory, the better.
I am a horrible site reader and still struggle with chord relationships beyond harmonica-specific theory. I'd like to learn more about music theory through the chromatic, and it is totally fine if it is scale heavy or leaning heavily on jazz.
David Barret had some great books for diatonic like that, but I don't see them for chrom. Thanks!
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SmokeJS
202 posts
Dec 16, 2013
10:26 AM
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David Barrett's book MB99186BCD is titled Basic Blues Chromatic for the Diatonic player. The focus is on how a blues harp player can approach the the chromatic harmonica like it was a diatonic harmonica making for a good introduction for the reasonably experienced player. So probably of limited value to HarpNinja but helpful to some.
Last Edited by SmokeJS on Dec 16, 2013 10:28 AM
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timeistight
1454 posts
Dec 16, 2013
10:34 AM
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I think Barrett's book only covers third position, though.
Italian player Max De Aloe's Method for Chromatic Harmonica is a very thorough guide to playing the C chromatic in all keys.
Winslow Yerxa has been rumoured to have a book on chromatic in development for years. I'm not sure his publisher is interested, though.
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WinslowYerxa
452 posts
Dec 16, 2013
11:37 AM
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One of these days I'll do a chromatic book, I *promise*.
Meanwhile, Max De Aloe has the most thorough book from a jazz perspective. That said, I disagree with some of what he has to say about technique, and also about selecting an instrument.
He's in the use-only-a-12-hole-chromatic camp. That works for him personally (and, it's true, for Toots, Hendrik Meurkens, Mike Turk, Gregoire Maret, nd Hermine Deurloo), but plenty of players make full use of the 16-hole instrument, including Stevie Wonder, William Galison, Filip Jers, most blues guys (unless they want to play third position in a key that requires a non-C chromatic, which automatically means a 12-hole model), and some great but lesser know jazz guys like Peter Pedersen, Tom Stryker, and Mathias Heise.
Instrument choice is highly personal. Make your own investigations, and then make your own choices.
He also give the advice that the high notes have to be played with more intensity of breath and with the lips closer together. This I consider to be bad advice. The high notes need to be played in as relaxed a manner as possible, with absolutely no lip pressure. Lips have one job and one job only: direct air to the holes without leakage. Involving them with tone production is a way to create un-needed problems. For the breathing part, persuasion is always better than force.
Those things aside, it seems to be a good and thorough, introduction to playing jazz in all keys.
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Winslow
Last Edited by WinslowYerxa on Dec 16, 2013 11:38 AM
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Komuso
252 posts
Dec 16, 2013
3:56 PM
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This guy has some interesting methods too Jazz Harmonica .org
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Paul Cohen aka Komuso Tokugawa
HarpNinja - Your harmonica Mojo Dojo
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WinslowYerxa
454 posts
Dec 16, 2013
5:01 PM
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That's Wim Dijgraaf's site. Wim is a highly evolved player and very interested in transmitting good information. (That said, I think some of his ideas about holding the instrument, while well reasoned, may not work for everyone.)
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Winslow
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