Fwd: [Harp-L] Tone and Intonation?



Bends can be very effective in melodic music, if they enhance the
expression of the melody and don't detract from it. Same for any
musical device. Harmonica players are not the only msuicians to bend
notes, and blues isn't the only style that uses it. Listen to closely
to many kinds of music and you will hear it in some form.

The Ode to Joy Challenge a few summers ago, where diatonic players
were invitied to submit recordings of the Ode to Joy played in second
position on a standard diatonic with one bent note, to see if they
could make the bend indistinguishable from an unbent note, with
web-based listening, voting, and a vote tally, showed that bends can't
really be disguised. But they do not need to sound "forced" as you put
it. Bends can be played gently and smoothly and with good tone,
distinct and stable pitch and any desired articulation, vibrato, etc.
It's simly a matter of technique (a well-adjusted, airtight instrument
also helps).

Still, there are times when I use a diatonic with bends, or a diatonic
without bends, or a chromatic (with and without bends as well).

Winslow

--- In harp-l-archives@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, WLeeLewis@... wrote:

 <snip>
I even find bends to be troublesome in essentially melodic music while
they  
are great in many other situations.  Now, does that mean that my 
bends just 
need a great deal more work (believe me they do) or does it  suggest
that I 
should aspire to use harmonicas that are more  appropriate for that
particular 
music.
 
It puzzles me that I have many recordings of religious music, gospel 
music, 
fiddle music, ballads, etc. played on a diatonic, as far as I can
tell,  that 
sound great and where there is no sense that the note is  forced.  Are
bends, 
handled well, really suitable for such  music?  Or, are they simply a
device 
that imparts that "soulful sound"  characteristic of the blues and not
really 
appropriate otherwise?
 
And yes, I recognize that there are many in the harmonica community who  
would answer the questions by saying it's why they play the chromatic.
 
Lee Lewis
Madison, MS
 





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