Harping Again

I’m still goin’ through my harps and harp stuff. Today I checked out my minor tuned harps. I played the harmonic ones okay, but I had to dig into my harp binder to figure out the natural minor ones. I’m still not sure how I usta play em. I’ll hafta read some more about them.

I really like the sound of minor keyed tunes. I always have a good time playing them.
 
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I played my Hohner Echo tremolo harp today and had a lotta fun with it. It sounds good with folk tunes, gospel and maybe a little Bach. It’s really fun to play. I’d like a bigger one, but they’re too expensive now. I have two in C and the Echo is in G. I guess that’s enough. I usta have another one with two sides - C and G, but I gave it away to someone, maybe my son. I really liked it and played it a lot.
 
Tried my natural minor (Cm) harp tonight, but the session wasn’t entirely successful. It did okay with “Pretty Polly” and “Ghost Riders . . “, but I had problems trying to remember any more pieces that would fit the natural minor. I really prefer “harmonic minor” harps I guess. I have two of each, but I’m much more familiar with the harmonic ones.

Maybe, with a few more sessions, I’ll remember more tunes that will fit or something, but I still enjoyed tonight’s session.
 
Down Up Dick said:
Today I checked my harps and made sure they were all playable. I also rearranged them in their cases according to their type and key. I played some too. It sure feels good.

Does anyone ever use a harp holder when playing a uke or guitar? I have one, but I’ve never used it. I just thought I‘d give it a try.
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I use one on occasion. I really miss being able to use my hands though. It just isn't quite the same. Here's an old Hoagy Carmichael song I did for the Seasons Of The Ukulele. This is just first position, but it really suffers without the use of my hands. I have bent the old Elton harp holder that I bought in the early sixties right after I discovered Jimmy Reed. I have also added lock washers.
 
Wow! Jim, that was great. I’m a big fan of Ol’ Hoagy. One of my favorite pieces is Lazy Bones, but I like many of his others too. I guess I like the old times. I don’t seem to fit in now-a-days.
 
I played my low, low D harp last night. I love those low notes! I retuned it to cross harp, so now it’s really in low G - cross harp. It’s good for low down blues and folk.
I can still play it in low D, but it’s difficult to bend the low notes.
 
Finally got back to playing my harps. Today I mostly played folk tunes on my my Echo tremolo harp. I even played a few Christmas ones.

I’ve had a coupla tremolos for a long time but seldom played them. I just wasn’t interested, but now I like them a lot. They’re supposedly the most popular kind world wide. I have two Cs and a G. I guess I grew into ‘em.
 
Played my Low E harp tonight. I just played it straight because the low ones are difficult to bend. I mostly played folk tunes and anything else I could think of — even a few Christmas tunes. I like the sound of the low harps.

I’m really enjoying my return to my harps. Playing them is sorta like whistling which I also do a lot.
 
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Played my Hohner Golden Melody to night. My bends needed work or maybe it was the harp. Anyway, I had a good time and will work on the bends.
 
How do you find the Golden Melody? I really like the shape but mine is quite unresponsive. I always end up back on my Marine Band or one of the Suzukis when I try the GM because of it. By unresponsive I mean the note takes a moment to sound when blowing or drawing, it's not instant like some of my other harps.
 
My GM usta be my favorite harp, but last night it was a bit difficult to bend cleanly. I blamed myself — but mebbe not. The only real complaint I‘ve always had with ‘em is that one cannot work on them much.

I’m pretty satisfied with the Special 20s. I really liked the old, wooden combed Marine bands, but the combs shrank and wore out. My all time favorite is the Hohner Old Standby from GERMANY! I only have a coupla Chinese harps. I stopped buying ‘em when China took over. I only have one Suzuki harp from Japan, and it seems to play all right.
 
Played my Bm harp tonight and it was great! Every harpist should have a minor keyed one. One can just blow and draw on it and make his own music. I like to play folk tunes or kids’ tunes on mine. They sound happy/sad. Tonight I played some Fiddler on the Roof tunes and some Russian sounding music which I made up. I really love to play my Natural minor harps, but I’ve gotta figger out my Harmonic minor ones better. They’re some different.

I’m gonna find some minor keyed music to learn. I don’t use sheet music to play, all I gotta do is learn/know the tune.
 
I worked with my Cm Harmonic Minor harp last night, but I’ll be darned if I can figger out what to do with it. My book says one can play Russian or Asian music with it, but I don’t know any. I thought mebbe Klesmer, but it doesn’t seem to work with Harmonic Minor harp. — only Natural Minor. Mebbe I’ll just play “pretend” Russian music with it. I’d retune it again, but I don’t know if the reeds would take it. I have another, really nice Hering HM from Brazil in Dm. I’m really sorry I retuned these two. I found reed plates for Suzukis on Amazon, but I’m sure they wouldn’t fit mine — ahhh, well . . .
 
Down Up Dick said:
I worked with my Cm Harmonic Minor harp last night, but I’ll be darned if I can figger out what to do with it. My book says one can play Russian or Asian music with it, but I don’t know any. I thought mebbe Klesmer, but it doesn’t seem to work with Harmonic Minor harp. — only Natural Minor. Mebbe I’ll just play “pretend” Russian music with it. I’d retune it again, but I don’t know if the reeds would take it. I have another, really nice Hering HM from Brazil in Dm. I’m really sorry I retuned these two. I found reed plates for Suzukis on Amazon, but I’m sure they wouldn’t fit mine — ahhh, well . . .
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I am still trying to play some recognizable on my C. Will try other keys someday.
 
plunker said:
I am still trying to play some recognizable on my C. Will try other keys someday.
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Start with easy songs like Mary had a little lamb or twinkle twinkle little star - or - maybe Christmas songs. Then move on to more difficult ones. Start on hole #4. Go get ‘em!
 
I made a joke during rehearsal today that Trish, our harmonica player, should do at least one Christmas song on her mouth harp. She said she didn't think it would lend itself to that very well. I just sent her this.....Oh Holy Night
 
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