Great stuff there, Ted. I recently got a "C" in the Easttop model and I love it ! At first it was very alien to me but it came to me shortly. They ought to make this model in more keys for those who care to play more jazz and other types of music. With the two [x3] obs, this layout is really quite good. I found my Easttop "C" to be fairly ready ootb for those obs but they still needed a tad of adjustment. Really nice and loud harp, too, and the blue covers are very easy for glide, no sticking at all. I highly recommend trying out this Easttop harp !
Last Edited by ROBERT TEMPLE II on Dec 01, 2018 1:50 AM
Had to look up what an Ed harmonica was. Not really getting the gist of it but the playing sounds nice. Would a person have both ED harps and over blow harps or can they be one and the same ?
@Spderyak, They may one and the same. Yes, they do overblow with some minor adjustments. One needs a pretty good handle on the ob technique as the obs in 2&3 and 8&9 are pretty elusive though are attainable, one just needs to have a strong technique and good setup. The EDharp lends itself to some mighty fine runs that aren't available seamlessly on Richter-tuned harps, at least not for me. Having more keys available in this Easttop model would be nice and when they do make them available I'm in. The repeating pattern of this harp makes good sense and does indeed lend itself to intuitive MELODIC playing for those already familiar with the Richter tuning. The chords are of course something to contend with at first but are navigable with some practice. If one can use other alt tunings like natural minor, melody maker or others, this may seem like a piece of cake, perhaps the tuning you've been waiting for for ages. If one already has a handle on all the draw bends on the Richter harps AND can ob, this is a really cool setup. I'm thinking there are also a ton of possibilities with valving, maybe the whole drawplate or maybe valve only the 3,4,6,7,9&10. I'm interested to know what others think of these possibilities and if any of you have already experimented with valving or palving this model. Do others of you find this model ob-friendly? I also wonder how high a range can one make these. The 9&10 draw bends on my "C" are pretty close to the limit, I would think, but maybe not.
Last Edited by ROBERT TEMPLE II on Dec 01, 2018 1:43 AM
. I do not hear "swing" in Ted's examples. Offering up an opinion is not "trolling", as far as I understand the format here. However, if Ted has a problem with opinions, perhaps it would be better not to post examples rather than chide opinions he does not like? ---------- The Iceman
Your critique of my playing would have been welcome, and perhaps educational, but you posted the "where's the 'swing'" taunt instead. I posted Adam's video to deflect what I believe is your intent, to start an argument. But you went ahead anyway. You're trolling. Given the history of our personality clashes here, I refuse at this time to go down the snarky rabbit hole with you. I enjoy good, critical feedback, not a dilettante's rant. You had an opportunity to contribute to a discussion with a direct and constructive comment; that moment is past. Now you've shanghaied the thread. Shame on you. ---------- www.ted-burke.com
Last Edited by ted burke on Dec 02, 2018 1:01 AM
Larry, maybe take this as a learning lesson. I've tried to make this point to you before. It's not always what you say but how you say it. It's kind of funny for a musician to be good at understanding what people hear when they play something but not pay that sort of attention to what they say.
In conversation after conversation you project this attitude no one is as good as you... but you take it farther and imply that no one BUT you is any good. You've done that to me by patronizingly trying to use me as a strawman in your explanation of how to bend. (I've been bending for 10 years now and since that's about how long I've been playing...) For lack of a better term I'm gonna call it harmonisplaining.
You also don't give credit where credit is due which might be part of why it comes across that way.
Ted, I liked the note choices. I do hear what Larry is saying a little bit though. When I heard it, and then when I listened to Adam's Adam had a bit more swing to it. You've got it in some spots but lose it in a couple. Overall I like it a lot though. On a couple of your longer runs it felt like maybe the middle of the run fell out of swing.
OK, Nate. Not a hi-jack, but I feel I am entitled to respond to your opinion, so please indulge me that much here...then back to the regularly scheduled "Swing" debate, which is the title of this thread.
Sometimes I'm glossing over stuff quickly and give short comments. As a matter of fact, at one time in the past, I focused a lot on using the least amount of words to convey the most information possible. It became a bit of a habit, but since it upsets a few folk here, I'll try to post longer sentences so there will be no misunderstanding.
It is not at all about any implication as to "I'm the best" or "no one BUT me is any good". Why not challenge me by asking questions if you feel that my observations are off rather than assuming you know what is going on inside my psyche? I'll do my best to use longer sentences/examples/etc in response.
Here we go, Ted, as you requested...
Your thread said "Swing Harmonica".
My understanding of this musical art form is the interplay between rhythm section anchor (in this case, the guitar is strumming right on the 1,2,3,4 beat - almost like a metronome) and the soloing over it. The soloist should fly over the rhythm section in exciting and creative ways - not reinforce that 1,2,3,4.Your playing is mostly right on those beats, just like the guitar.
Why not let that guitar be the metronome and you fly over it, looking down on it but also free from it's constraints. It's OK to touch ground with it every so often. Soloing right on those beats most of the time doesn't feel like "swing" to me - reminds me of a big metronome rather than something I can dance and move to.
So, if I am missing something, please enlighten me as to where your "swing" is. I'm not referring to note choices, which can be another thread if you wish. You can post time stamps if that will help. Perhaps you can educate me as to "swing" in an area that I missed.
For example, when I listen to Sandy Weltman play that gypsy style (IMO the guitar was strumming in gypsy swing style), I hear "swing" like you wouldn't believe. I suggest you give a listen to Sandy's work as well. It is a wonderful example of that style.
Sorry about the personality conflict, Ted. That's life, sometimes. ---------- The Iceman
There was an article recently positing that the hostility of our political culture in the USA has allowed mean-spirited people to become meaner, and dumb people to act dumber. Hopefully this site will remain a safe harbor from those symptoms. Make America Musical Again!
Last Edited by Sundancer on Dec 01, 2018 8:29 PM
NACORAN:Thanks for the feedback; I did lose the rhythm of the thing. The lag and the sour notes make me winche, but I like the flow of this think over all. This was my first chance playing the EDharmonica, a recent acquisition. To be sure, it still feels a bit alien to me, but I agree with Robert Temple above that the arrangement on the Eastop version makes easy to get used to; it is an intuitive friendly instrument. So this is an early stab at the thing, clams and all. Progress is being made. ---------- www.ted-burke.com
LARRY: What I wrote to you was this:"You had an opportunity to contribute to a discussion with a direct and constructive comment; that moment is past."
There was no request in that sentence, nor the entire post, obvious or implied, for a critique of what I played. You had an opportunity to be helpful, and let that moment pass. "I refuse at this time to go down the snarky rabbit hole with you".
I meant that. So here's a direct request to you, Larry: DON'T COMMUNICATE WITH ME ON THIS FORUM FROM THIS MOMENT ON.
I've had it with your passive-aggression and your dilettante manner. Talking to you winds up in a ridiculous quarrel which you've instigated, and I've had enough of it. See a post by me? Keep on walking. Leave me alone. Otherwise, I will take this directly to our moderator.
---------- www.ted-burke.com
Last Edited by ted burke on Dec 01, 2018 9:37 PM
Ted I think your playing style is probably 'the marmite' of the harmonica world.
Personally it is not for me as I like players with a nice tone and a less is more approach.
I would like to see you find a few friends to make music with, as watching someone play over hundreds of backing tracks starts to get boring after a while.
EDIT: The marmite reference might be lost on some, their slogan it 'people either love it or hate it'
I enjoy Teds Posts. As a somewhere between beginner and intermediate I find his playing as something to look up to. Also there is not a lot going on here so I appreciate it when I come look here and there is something new to read or listen to,to keep this place lively.
BELFAST-HARPER:Thanks for listening and the commentary.Funny enough, but I have been playing with other musicians for the past year, rock and roll and country rock mostly, with some blues tossed in, and we've been playing once or twice a month in San Diego at a beach area Alano Club. Great fun, and it sounds good, to my ears in any case, and it's sounding better each we practice and then go live. No videos as of yet. For this video, this was an initial attempt at doing a relatively simple swing-hard shuffle improv using the Eastop ED harmonica. I suspect I'll keep at it and post a vid eventually of a better attempt. And yes, watching a guy alone jamming to backing tracks can get boring. Gets dull doing them as well, the main reason why my production has dropped off in the last couple of years. ---------- www.ted-burke.com
Yeah, I would be interested in hearing that. I haven't done much with the EDHarmonica I made--thanks for sharing your explorations. Oh, and I thought the guitar was too loud in your video.
