Has anyone thought of ditching ALL of their diatonic harps and ONLY playing Chromatic?
As much as I like the sound of a diatonic, I find this idea really tempting because Chromatic is a ‘complete’ instrument and can easily play in all keys and genres. Bonus points also that I only need to carry ONE harp.
Whaddya think?
(I sound like the guy who runs Slidemiester)
I have thought about it but a good chromatic is expensive and any maintenance hard for me to find. I have a Game Changer and play it, especially if many low draws are involved and no bends lower than a half step. I will wind up playing them both but at his point several tunes I like play well on a diatomic. I do not know enough about a pure chromatic but how do you play all three of the *3? My G C is much easier to play and little breath is needed. The notes are close but do not seem as sharp as a well played crossover. Just my opinion.
To keep this simple, let’s explain this for a C diatonic and a 12-hole C chromatic.
On the diatonic -3 is B, -3’ is Bb, -3” is A and -3’’’ is Ab. So on the chromatic you simply play these 4 notes as follows: B is at -4, Bb is at -3< (the < symbol is used to indicate that the slider is pressed), A is at -3 and Ab is at +3<. Note that the Ab can also played with -3’ (three draw bent down a semitone).
Good question, @Dk360 . I actually tried this about two or three years ago, but I just never could get the sound/tone that I like so much with the diatonic. I admit that my chromatics were mostly cheaper models, but I did invest in a Seydel NONSLIDER Chromatic in the key of C with solo-tuning. It was the best sounding of them all and most resembled the diatonic sound. It also has no valves (I hate valves!!!) and permits nice sounding “diatonic-like” bends for many notes.
Currently I play one of my JDR Trochilus harps with “Pop-Tuning” as my chromatic replacement: 3 complete chromatic scales in the key of the harp without any bends or overblows/overdraws. The sound is also more like a diatonic than what you get with a traditional chromatic. For deeper, more mellow sounding music I use one of the JDR Trochilus harps in a lower key (e.g. A, G or low F) – otherwise only one is needed to play music in any key (or, if you prefer: to play in any of the 12 positions – and that also without any bends or over-notes and in major or minor or whatever).
Sound of diatonic harmonica is more personal because results from structure of upper respiratory tract which slightly differs for each one. Diatonic harmonicas are more resistant for crazy sound experiments. I think that is more probably that somebody achieve some completly new incredible sound in diatonic harmonica than in chromatic.
Its the deletion of bends that I feel is nice. I have two sliders and like them as they require little breath. I have a Trochilus ( C and solo tuned) and a Game Changer A and Bb. Both are good for slower and lighter music. I have not made the decision but strongly suspect both diatonic and sliders will be use depending on the tune.
If you like soft well played jazz Toots Theilsmen has made some of if not the best. You can listen to him play Love Theme Getaway Forever and others, produced by Quincy Jones. U Tube has a couple of his best tunes. I have heard he never used bending by a very reliable source.
I listened to his music in the 1970s and I also watched Sanford & Son every Friday. Toots played the theme song for the show as well. Today is history and tomorrow a mystery and I have no idea what I’ll wind up playing on a primary basis. An expensive chromatic is not in the future as I cannot maintain it and finding a tech that can deal with the valves, etc. would be hard for me. I am addicted to playing the harp but do not care for the maintenance. Sort of like owning a salt water fishing boat.