Oooeer madame!!!
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Slim
Great explanation. That really lays it out. Thanks. As my former guitar player said last week. āWhen Iām in a funk and not getting out to play, I buy myself something that will encourage me to start playing.ā, So this really might be a Game Changer!
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Andro Coelho customizes the Koch harmonicas to be nice instruments. If you want yours to play top notch, heās the guy. The Koch was discontinued (I think in 2013) and was reportedly very difficult to play. The narrow slot design and high quality manufacturing standards really make the Trochilus a totally different product.
To me the game changing element of the Trochilus is not just to āgetā the missing notes. I mean thatās nice but really it is the fact that it overblows nice and smooth AND that you get twice as many bends AND that you can play almost every note in at least two ways. Thatās not really available on any other commercially made harp.
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I have a K with all the windsavers removed and is set up by a good customizer to be air tight. It bends nicely, I still like the Game changer more. Itās a very precise build and it plays like it. Like a new corvette vrs an old Chevy lol
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After reading your review, Luke, I had to get one. it is amazing and easy to play. Looking forward to getting better with it and exploring more genres of music, and of course, eventually getting them in more keys. Thanks for making us aware this thing actually exists.
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@davidkachalon @chris3 @Hogie.Harmonica @Slim @peg_T @Andy2 @Luke @BnT (hope Iāve not missed anyone interested out).
Iāve been looking into (literally) the JDR Trochilus and thereās a lot of inside information on www.brendan-power.com>forum>viewtopic.php?t=951 or you can google JDR Trochilus: A look inside and its potential as customizing . Some interesting stuff. Jay1
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If you are interested, I wrote a very detailed 60 page book on the Trochilus. I have 3 print copies left.
Concerning customizing, I mention in my book that Kan Osumi in Japan is doing some very interesting modifications, including bagpipe tuning (both major and minor). There are also two guys here in the States that are also making some very interesting mods. Perhaps Iāll invite them to come over here to describe what they are doing. OB boosters, magnets, 3rd printing - these guys are real inventors.
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Thanks Peter, at the moment Iāve only been looking out of curiosity, personally Iām content with my East:Tops and canāt see any reason to go for Trochilus or any additional harmonicas, Iāll stick with what I know especially as | only normally play at one recording studio. Canāt confuse the studio customers or sound engineers with anything different 
Jay1
Iāve just had a look at the advertising for the solo tuned Trochilus/Game Changer. from what Iāve seen the Trochilus is 1/2 inch shorter that the East:Top 10/40. It is said to have 3 full octaves, I canāt see how? there are several keys including the low F available whereas most 10 hole chromatic only come in C and it has a yellow comb (back to do looks mater?). Youāve obviously gone into it far deeper that I have. I suspect that out of the box it is better than the ET10/40 but Iām not sufficiently convinced to spend our kidās inheritance on another set of harmonicas 
Jay1
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Hi @Jay1
Because it does not have 3 full octaves ā only 2.5 ā¦ however, the Trochilus with Pop/Paddy tuning (red comb) does have 3 full octaves without the need to do any bending of any type. Someone in the advertising department there seems to not fully understand what octaves are.
The Trochilus with a blue comb also ācoversā 3 octaves but in the lowest one you need to do a bend to get the 6th note of the major scale. Except for that 6th note in the lowest octave, all major scale notes are playable (also in the upper 2 octaves) without any bending required.
Regards,
ā Slim 
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I have a few Forerunners and two Solo-tuned Trochilus. Outside the obvious form factor difference, and two fewer holes, the main difference is that the Trochilus can overblow in each octave. The comb design of the Forerunner (I hear) makes that either very difficult or impossible.
As for octaves, the top two holes have some variation. Though I mainly know about the blue combed ones.
Personally I use my solo trochilus for one-handed playing while Iām taking a walk. The notch makes it easy to hold yet use the slide.
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Thanks to both @Hogie.Harmonica and @Slim. Iāve only taken a passing interest in the Trochilus solo tuning chromatic. I havenāt touched a diatonic for probably a couple of years. My harmonica playing is mainly at one studio where I also play keyboards and drums as and when asked. When traveling itās an East:Top 10/40 in my bag and my initial interest in the Trochilus was its size. Iāve now found itās only about 1/2 inch shorter than the 10/40 that has my preferred cross hole tuning and familiar, comfortable mouthpiece. Not playing diatonic harps Iāve never learned overblow. I can see why the Trochilus has made such an impact among the diatonic players and why as Peter has written there are several people looking at various modifications or even re-designs, no doubt that will be interesting. Iām familiar with the basic improvements to the ET Forerunners and 10/40 and my day job doesnāt give me the time to start learning a different and whole new set-up. As the late, great Colin Chapman said, āstick to what you know and if it aināt broke donāt fix itā 
Jay1
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Hello Hogie. Hope you are well.
Brand new member here. I found your post about the Game changer book and wondered if you still have a copy.
Iām expecting my blues tuned C on Monday and am excited to learn more.
If you have one still, I would love to get a copy.
roberto
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@Hogie.Harmonica I loved hearing your phrasing and your skill on the video. I am so grateful to have read your comments ( and those of @Luke and all the others here) on the Trochilus (blue) and to discover you have written a book. I just bought the harp on Amazon and hope to finally get serious about playing blues. Your hints about learning the scales, arpeggios, and positions on the diatonic are well taken. My music background is spotty. I began in the late fifties (my early teens) as a self-taught drummer, did one year as a university music major but due to lack of formal training feared I could not compete so switched to Fine Arts (Design and Illustration). Played with about five or so bands in Texas through the ā60s, did a little work as a sideman in a couple of studios then took a long break from playing. I came back to music with the Gangsa Rhythm Band in Winnipeg playing traditional western drums - switched to a Latin kit, and now due to age (81) revived my interest in blues with the harmonica. So to get a deeper understanding of music and improve my rudimentary sight reading skills could you recommend your book and any others that may be helpful? Thanks, @Hogie.Harmonica!
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This is a topic Iāve been thinking a lot about - which books to recommend to help harmonica players with sight reading, musical fundamentals, ear training, etc.
Iāll think on it and get back to you.
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Hey there! That thread you linked was my thread on the Brendan Power forum.
The trochilus definitely allows for some cool mods that myself and others have in the works.
I retuned one to Wilde Tuning where slide in gives you a minor scale with cool otherwise impossible bends, and ive also been playing with different designs for the mouthpiece (make it slimmer and chomp on hair and lips) and a couple crazier mods i can reveal when I get some working prototypes.
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@dominico Interesting post on the Brendan Power forum, pity it wasnāt copied onto here as Trochilus seem to be highly thought of and @Hogie.Harmonica Peter has written a book on the subject. I have a busy and demanding day job plus other interests that donāt leave me enough time to have more than a passing interest but Iām sure there are many on this forum will be interested in further developments of the Trochilus range. Jay1
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Iām very much interested in any customizing of any harmonica as itās something Iāve been doing with varying success. Would love to hear more.
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@Roberto - welcome to the forum! Iām hoping that @Hogie.Harmonica has responded to you privately? He definitely still has books. Iām not sure where to order them from. Can you please post a link to them Peter?
@Hogie.Harmonica are there videos of you playing the Game Changer? Also, do you own a ābagpipe tuningā? I have NO idea what that is, but it definitely piques my curiosity!
@Ren_de Nice to see ya back on the forum bro! For learning blues, I invite you to consider that you might best served learning by the ear - no time spent site-reading required. The Blues genre really has always been an aural tradition, each generation listening to, imitating, and embellishing the previous generationās playing.
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Thanks, @Hogie.Harmonica! Much appreciatedā¦
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Thanks, @Luke!ā¦ Really appreciate your encouragement. Since I last was on the forum I have acquired a Lee Oskar (A) and a Seydel (Low F), as well as the Trochilus Game Changer (C). The overload of new things to learn is mind numbing. But I really like the LO, and the Trochilus (more than the Seydel.) Still working on hitting the bends, Like tinkering with 3rd pos. Using the slideā¦. Just noodling and making stuff upā¦. (Still have to actually learn a whole songā¦)
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