RE: [Harp-L] Re: Bob Dylan



I think this attitude that "the harp is a lead instrument, not an
accompaniment instrument" is a bit off base. 

Richter set the diatonic harp up in such a way that blow notes play major
chords and the draws play the seventh. Sour notes are not easy played
because of this. His idea was to play melodies but obviously chords can be
easily played.

The early harp musicians figured this out pretty early on. They started
playing melodic lines and chords unaccompanied.  In the hands of the many
musicians that followed these first harmonica players we hear just that.
Many of the classic early harmonica recordings from the 20's have a lot of
rhythm and chording. In the 20s and 30s Fuzzy Feldman the rhythm man of the
Harmonica Rascals used several diatonics wedged between his fingers because
there was no chord harp at the time. Most of the traditional harmonica bands
of the time had lead, base, and rhythm instrumentation.  And many harp band
today certainly uses this structure.

I can tell you that Jerry Portnoy says that the harp "is first of all a
chord instrument."

I'd dump that idea. Any harp player of this mind-set would be hard pressed
to play unaccompanied when force to create their own rhythm lines.

--Rich




> -----Original Message-----
> From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of
> Ken Ficara
> Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2004 10:14 AM
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: Bob Dylan
> 
> << If "strumming" the harmonica is acceptable>>
> 
> Well, first of all, it isn't, in my book, because the harp is a lead
> instrument, not an accompaniment instrument (yes, I know there are
> lots of solo harp performances, but you've got to be WAY past "basic
> strumming" to do that). Basic guitar strumming is never done as a solo
> or as something that is meant to be paid attention to, it's done to
> support the performance of a song. I've learned enough guitar to go to
> jams and play songs, or to play my own songs, but I'd never present
> myself as a "guitar player" or take solo breaks. And if all I could do
> on a harp was blow simple chords, I'd either leave it home or keep in
> the background. I would not expect everyone to listen to a "solo"
> consisting of me breathing in-and-out on holes 1-2-3.
> 
> That said, Dylan sometimes does a lot more than "strumming" the harp
> and some folks have offered some good examples. He often does a lot
> LESS than "strumming," in that even strumming basic chords, you do
> have to get the chords right, and you do have to stay in time. He
> doesn't always manage either of those. Van Morrison is even worse in
> that respect.
> 
> Ken
> 
> --
> 
> Ken Ficara
> Music, quotes, writing and more at
> http://www.kenficara.com
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