Harp Surgery

Horn Concerto No.4 in Eb Major (Rondo Allegro Vivace) – W A Mozart [..with tab]

The Good Doctor

I once had a whim and I had to obey it

Welcome to part two of our Baroque Blues Harp trilogy. The headline might look rather daunting, but don’t be put off. This is a piece we have all heard at one time or another and, once you’ve heard it again, I am sure it will bring a reassured smile to your face. Written in 1786, it is the final movement from the last of Mozart’s four horn concertos. The concertos were composed for his close friend Joseph Leutgeb a master horn player of the period. This finale is written in 6/8 time as a chasse or hunting tune. Consequently there is frequent use of triads in the melody to give a hunting horn flavour and triplet phrasing for a galop effect.

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Four Things (Nearly) Every Harp Player Does

Elwood

So, you still want to be a harp player, huh? Well son, every creature has its hobbies, and if you want to pass yourself off as the real thing, you better learn how to blend in. In Part 2 of his ethnoblography, Figuring Out The Harp Player, Elwood sketches out a few key points.

It is an established fact that over 98 percent of harmonica players are white, English-speaking men between the ages of 30 and 65. (The other two percent are women and Ismael Lo.) When they are not sleeping, eating or trying on ugly hats, they typically divide their time between four activities: Read more

Oopsie!

The Good Doctor

I declare it’s a pity, and God knows it’s a crying shame

Credit to a recent contribution on Harp-L for bringing this small, but important detail to our attention. It’s a recording of the wonderful Sonny Boy Williamson II, starting Nine Below Zero with his harp the wrong way round and on camera. As you might expect from such a pro, he casually shrugs the moment off without ceremony and gets straight on with the job. And hats off to the man. That same thing could represent an insurmountable embarrassment to lesser mortals.

It’s nine below zero, and the fool done put me down

But hey, we’ve all done it! Don’t believe anyone who says they haven’t. When I did it – twice in the same gig – one harp was also completely the wrong key when I turned it round. I will never forget the look of disdain from my bass player and the raised eyebrow from my guitarist. No doubt the drummer was wincing behind my back too. But the simple fact is you can’t make the same mistake on a guitar or drum kit – you’d notice very quickly if your axe was upside down or you’d forgotten to pick up your sticks.

Not quite as simple for the poor harp player. Especially when he has a couple of dozen harps to choose from (all of which look the same), he’s on a quick turn around between two numbers, there’s been a key change and he’s in desperate need of a physiological break. Cut the harpoon man some slack for heaven’s sake!

I give her all my money, all of my lovin’ and everything

So how can we introduce some damage limitation here? We all have our own systems, but here are a few pointers. Number one – when it happens (not if), don’t let it get to you. As you can see from Sonny Boy, you ain’t the first and you sure as hell won’t be the last. And trust me when I say that once you have done it, you’re natural propensity to repeat will be very much diminished. That’s science speak for once bitten. Meanwhile:

  1. Assuming you’re a right hander, check the numbers are topside before you blow
  2. Reapply the sticker from the harp case to the top cover plate
  3. Dab some office white-out correction fluid to the top plate for visual reference
  4. Organise your harps neatly in a case and re-stow them after each song

If it happens, it happens. We’ve all done it. There’s nothing you can do to rewind and erase the moment, so don’t try to cover it up like a Bobby Charlton comb-over. And don’t go getting all embarrassed either. Smile, turn the harp round and carry on. Tell the crowd you learned it from the great blues masters! At least you picked up the correct key. Didn’t you?

How to Become a Blues Harp Player

Elwood

So what kind of animal is the blues harp player? In the first chapter of the Apprenticeship Series, guest blogger Elwood takes us through part 1 of his blues ethnography, Figuring Out The Harp Player.

For some, the journey to becoming a master takes them from the depths of frustration to the giddy heights of triumph via a thousand smoky jam sessions and hundreds of hours in the woodshed. Many of us, however, find the journey to becoming a master shorter and much easier: it goes all the way to the local music store and back – more often than not via the ugly hat shop.

There’s an old joke – or historical anecdote? – about a father who sends his son to harmonica lessons. The son comes home after the first lesson and his old man asks what he learned. The boy says, “I learned the two-hole draw, dad.” Mighty impressed is his old dad. Read more

Hohner MS Replacement Reed Plates

The Good Doctor

Playing harmonica with thick specs

Heap O' HarpsOtis, the Harp Surgery postman, stopped in this morning for a nice cup of tea and a sit down. He delivered a lovely letter from Mr Clive Langhorn who was the Harp Surgery’s very first student many years ago. Clive is now a great blues harp specialist who performs around the South of England. He writes..

I have recently fitted the thicker reed plates (normal .9mm / thicker 1.09mm) to a MS Blues Harp, and it sounds good. Can you tell me why anyone wouldn’t use them, and if different keys may be affected differently using the thicker plates. Best regards,
Clive

It’s wonderful to hear from you Clive. I trust you are still entertaining the masses with your masterful command of the blues. Your question is most welcome and I hope you won’t mind me publishing my analysis, both for your benefit and for the benefit of our reader. Read more

The Apprenticeship Series Begins

Elwood

If you’re visiting the Harp Surgery, chances are better than good that you’ve made that crucial transition from being a harmonica owner to a harmonica player.

You might have come to realise – however late in the game – that those reeds are supposed to be bent, and now you have to figure out how. Or maybe you’ve been bending for a while and can hit a Bb on or a C# on a C harp with perfect ease – but you still can’t make that sucker sing like a bluesbird. Or perhaps you’d like to explore new positions, trying to unlock the first-position treasures of Big Walter Horton or build up an arsenal of third-position riffs. Hell, maybe you just want to learn a fox chase.

Well, hello friends. My name’s Murray Elwood, and I’m one of you. Guys like the Good Doctor can say they’ve been there and done that; like you, I’m still there and I’m still trying to get it done. Read more