Re: [Harp-L] re:intonation and bending/overblow notes , iceman's summertime

["PT Gazell" <ptgazell@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

   First of all, great job Larry...I have never had the pleasure of hearing 
him play, and this was the perfect first impression!!! Lest any of us 
forget, part of what made Sinatra so identifiable as well as fun to listen 
to, was the fact that he "missed pitch" a lot!!! As many of you are aware by 
now, I have moved exclusively to valved diatonic playing on Richter tuned 10 
holes. I know for a fact that I don't always hit pitch, but somehow I think 
that's part of the sound that people who don't know a lot about music find 
so appealing. Using valves for additional bends (both blow and draw) is my 
way of filling in the missing notes. I always strive to hit the pitch dead 
on, but know that sometimes I'm just shy of that mark. However, I always try 
to play with the other musicians. Meaning that if the guitar player or horn 
player slide into their notes I do also. In the final analysis, it's what 
sounds right with the performance. I noted on my latest CD that NO PITCH 
CORRECTION WAS USED. I felt that this was worth noting because so much 
playing and especially singing nowadays is "fixed" to a fault. Anyway, 
that's just my 2 cents. Had Larry not made a comment about his pitch on one 
note at the front of the piece I would not have noticed...I mean come on, we 
play a very difficult instrument when used as a melodic solo feature. I 
would much rather listen to emotional playing from someone like Larry, or 
Rosco, or Chris, or George Brooks, or Madcat, ect. ect. than mechanical in 
pitch playing by anyone else on any instrument. One final comment on Larry's 
clip...I love the fact that it was in second position...on a Richter tuned 
harmonica...Way to go Larry!!!

PT Gazell
pt@xxxxxxxxxxxx
www.ptgazell.com
http://www.sonicbids.com/PTGazell
www.cdbaby.com/all/gazell


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Roscoharp@xxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, January 20, 2006 11:26 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] re:intonation and bending/overblow notes ,iceman's 
summertime


> cletus writes:
>
> "out of tune notes are not "seamless", they stick  out instantly to the
> listener as "off" and sound generally  unpleasant
>
>
> notes played are either in tune or out of  tune....intonation.....if that
> song "summertime" had been played on a  chromatic or a piano all the notes
> would have been in tune.....fact is there  were quite a few if not many 
> notes
> there that were simply out of tune...stick  out like a sore thumb every 
> time
> . just because the notes are played on a  diatonic harmonica does not mean
> we can blithely ignore the
> fact that out  of tune notes sound bad."
>
> Hey list,
>  Whether you dig Larry's clip or not, the  above statement
> & the rest of Cletus' post  is interesting to me, & begs a response. I 
> guess
> Cletus is saying I'm  not sophisticated or discriminating enough to
> understand that Howard, or  whoever, is not really playing good music if 
> they
> occasionally play a note that  doesn't make pitch.  You see, the same 
> stuff Cletus
> can't stand often  thrills me, so I guess I'm not qualified  to enjoy 
> music.
> BTW, there are a LOT of 'great' recordings  of trumpet players that have
> pretty rank notes & outright clams. Check out  one of my all time favorite
> recordings "Live At The Plugged Nickel" & see  how often Miles plays 
> 'wrong' notes &
> has  less than spot on  intonation.
>
>  You know, it's completely ok with me if  Cletus don't dig this stuff.
> As I've written before, just don't tell me  I shouldn't dig it.
>
> Couldn't sleep after the gig last night, so I'm  off for a nap. Have fun 
> with
> the whole 'your taste is worse than mine, I'm right  you are wrong' thread
> that will probably result from Cletus & my  posts.
> I'm out.
>
> Later,
> Rosco
> _may.be  au.gust_ (http://www.maybeaugust.com/)
>
> download or stream live recordings: _may.be au.gust_
> (http://www.maybeaugust.com/Live.aspx)
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