[Harp-L] Re: Hamacher Touts Harmonica

[MilwHarmonica@xxxxxxx]

Hello, Ian. If the cover of the Hammacher-Schlemmer catalog shows a Hohner  
"Trumpet Call," it has 5 horns.
It's a re-issue of a popular Hohner Trumpet Call made in the  1920s.
 
The Trumpet Call is a Hohner Auto Valve, with horns and a sound box. If you  
can play a standard 10-hole Richter system blues harp, you can play the 
Trumpet  Call ( or Auto Valve Harp). It's the same note placement, doubled  
(octaves).
 
If you don't mind spending a little extra on an experiment, buy the Hohner  
Auto Valve Harp first, practice on it, then buy the Trumpet Call. The Auto 
Valve  Harp is less expensive than the Trumpet Call. The Auto Valve is available 
in  keys D, E, F, G, A, Bb, and C. The Trumpet Call is only in C.
 
It might take a few days to adjust to the extra sound of the octave-tuned  
Trumpet call or Auto-Valve, and the feel of the mouthpiece. 
 
Octave tuned harmonicas have four reeds for each "cell" (two pairs of  holes 
are called a "cell."), each pair is tuned 8 diatonic scale notes (an  octave) 
apart. The octaves reinforce the sound, making the instrument louder  with 
less effort. I don't know why more rock, latin and funk harmonica players  don't 
use the Auto-Valve. Maybe it's the valves, which make bending a little  more 
difficult.
 
I have a re-issue Trumpet Call and 2 Auto-Valve Harps. The Auto-Valve  Harps 
are more useful, with the 7 keys available.
 
I use the Trumpet Call for a novelty, but you could use it for any style of  
music. The Trumpet Call is great for playing music that sounds like a drum &  
bugle corps, marching band or brass ensemble, or a funk horn section. 
 
John Broecker



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