[Harp-L] Legato bridge of "Over the Rainbow"

["Clayton Gary Lehmann" <hqr@xxxxxxx>]

Vern neglects to mention that one must release the button (or release
pressure on his wonderful invention, the Hands Free Chromatic harmonica) to
achieve the legato aspect of this passage when he wrote:


A standard tuned chromatic can be very legato in the key of
C:
"Someday I'll wish upon a star" is E and G,  all blow.
"Wake up where the clouds are far"  is E# and G, all blow.
"Troubles melt like lemon drops" is E and G, all blow.
"Away above the chimney tops" is F# and A, all draw.

A standard tuned chromatic can also be very legato in the key of G:
"Someday I'll wish upon a star" is B and D,  all draw "Wake up where the
clouds are far"  is B# and D, all draw "Troubles melt like lemon drops" is B
and D, all draw "Away above the chimney tops" is C# and E, all blow

Not a breath reversal in there.....in either key!

Try it on your HFC...its smoooooth and easy.  It is arguably more lagato on
the HFC because the B#-to-D, C#-to-E, E#-to-G, and F#-to-A are single,
"diagonal," lip movements. 
Maybe slide players won't understand that but y'all HFC 
players will.    ;o)

Vern

----- Original Message -----
From: "Clayton Gary Lehmann" <hqr@xxxxxxx>
To: "'Joe and Cass Leone'" <leone@xxxxxxxx>
Cc: "'Harp L Harp L'" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 10:38 PM
Subject: RE: [Harp-L] new recording of "Over the Rainbow"


> Diminished tuned chrom is the instrument for this, so that 
> the bridge part
> that is lemon drops and chimney tops comes out smooth--any 
> other tuning is
> not legato enough--
> Unless you got your sMo Joe workin' . . .
> Gary

I agree that unless you can achieve the same relaxed legato feel a singer
might, it doesn't feel the same--don't forget, the bridge is all about
effortlessness.
Gary