Re: [Harp-L] Ode Challenge Revisited

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

The purpose of the ode Challenge was to determine whether the bent note would stick out as different, not whether it would disrupt the flow. it was not whether it could be played "without disrupting the flow."

For instance, In Azul Para Amparo you can still hear that the bent note sounds different from the unbent notes. But in the context created by the player, you accept it. Despite sounding different it doesn't "disrupt the flow."

However, in a tune such as Ode to Joy, you expect the notes to all have the same tonal qualities and to articulate the same way. 

This takes away the "special" conditions of expectation or acceptance created by a harmonica tune or a harmonica arrangement, where the listener expects bent notes to sound different, and may expect other behaviors associated with the harmonica - bending into notes, wailing, etc.

By taking away instrument-specific expectations, you have a more neutral and objective basis for judging whether a particular player can make the bent note indistinguishable as such.

By the way, the original links were hosted on a long-defunct Chris Michalek server because all the harp players accessing the mp3 files were overloading the servers of the original host (either yahoo or Anglefire, I forget which one). I still have all the sound files if anyone is interesting in hosting them.

Winslow

Winslow Yerxa

Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5

--- On Thu, 3/19/09, John Kerkhoven <solo_danswer@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
From: John Kerkhoven <solo_danswer@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Ode Challenge Revisited (was Augmented)
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Date: Thursday, March 19, 2009, 11:09 AM

> The whole purpose of the Ode to Joy Challenge was to provide a test of
> whether a "difficult" bent note like the draw 3 double bend (B
down to A
on a
> C harp) could be played in an exposed setting without disrupting the flow

Sure it can be done. Listen to Charlie Musselwhite's Azul Para Amparo from
his "The Harmonica According to CM".

Cheers,

John

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