Cross-harp harmonica playing

[David M.]

I can play straight harp OK, but watching a Tim Krekel video last night I realized he was drawing instead of blowing and his harp was a C for the key of G.

Anyone have good advice/links/info on learning how to do this style of harp? Bound to be some info on the web and someone may know the best place to look.

I usually don't use harp much when playing mando, but do when gigging w/guitar and singing. It might be fun to do w/the mando or better yet, fiddle. That Krekel dvd is awesome, too, by the way.

Thanks in advance.

[Mike Herlihy]

Harmonica Web Site (http://harmonica.com/)

[Dave Cowles]

Playing "blues" harp is always done cross-keyed. All that means is you use the 4th as your harp for whatever key the song is in. Examples: key of E, A harp, key of A, D harp, etc. And yes, this requires drawing in on the harp for the most part, and also allows for much easier bending of the notes.

Dave

[Richard Russell]

I'm more of a harp player than a mandolin player. Cross harp style is where it's at if you want the expressive style of play that you hear all through country music, rock and yes blues. I use it for bluegrass, in which the harp takes on the same role as the mandolin. You chord on the 2 and 4 beats like the chop chord on mando. Anyhow, your question: learning the expressive cross style takes some effort, check out harmonicamasterclass.com and they have great resources. Get a good video if you can. Do a search on youtube.com for instruction, it's all over youtube by now. For great suppliers, check out harpdepot.com and coast2coastmusic.com . I learned from a variety of sources, mostly books and cds but the videos really helped speed things up. Don't forget to do searches on youtube and for the website of Buddy Greene. You will not likely hear a better bluegrass/gospel player!
Enjoy!

[Jeff Hildreth]

Try a search for David Barrett
Try Mel Bay
There is a yahoo blues harp group
there is a yahoo bluegrassharp group

[allenhopkins]

Play and teach harmonica; second the above comments. #If you look at the 10-hole diatonic harmonica, the lower-pitched five holes produce two chords, one on the "blow," one on the "draw." #Blow into holes 1-5 of a "C" harmonica you get C-E-G-C-E, a "C" chord. #Draw on those holes, you get D-G-B-D-F, a G7 chord. #Playing "cross harp" or "second position," you use the "draw" chord as your base ("tonic") chord -- you play in the key of G.

One reason this works so well in blues is the fact that you can get the flatted seventh -- F in the key of G -- a very important factor in playing blues. #You can't do this in "first position"; there's no Bb on a C harmonica. #Second factor is that it's much easier to "bend" or flatten notes when you're drawing on the harp. #That "bent note" sound, sliding up to and down from the note, is also very useful in blues.

Harmonica is a wonderful instrument, either as a solo or band component, or as something to add while playing an accompaniment instrument like guitar. #One of my favorite traditional country sounds was Mike Seeger playing fiddle and harmonica (with a neck rack) simultaneously; doesn't get more "down home" than that.

[Jim Rowland]

I recently bought an instructional video by Howard Levy in which he use a "C" harp to play in a bunch of keys. I looked it over before sending it to him but it was way out of my league , musically.
Jim

[Richard Russell]

Oh yea, Jim, that Howard Levy is from another planet, musically speaking! It's cool to hear him tear it up in whatever style he chooses!

[Jim Rowland]

I left out the phrase indicating that I bought it for my grandson. Im a big fan of Howard's though!
Jim

[Mike Herlihy]

Gindick Youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgNZWS60InM)

Jon Gindick has a bunch of free videos on Youtube.

[Steve Ostrander]

I believe that Peter "Madcat" Ruth has some blues harp instructional materials.

[Andrew Faltesek]

Agree with above suggestions; cross-harp is best for blues scales or to get the most useful notes from a diatonic harmonica in any particular key where straight harp might limit.

If you feel you are missing notes you would like to play with a diatonic(played straight or crossed); employ a chromatic. A chromatic crossed or 4th will play just like a diatonic...requiring a bit more breath and yielding a bit less snap and bendability...until you hit the slider!

With the chromatic, you can find any "missing" notes you may want to employ, but you will have to learn some new syncs in breathing and positioning; which are somewhat confusing after becoming familiar with the diatonics and the sweet bends and ease of play in blues and folk music.

Besides the instruction resources mentioned above, check out Suzuki harmonicas. I've bought and played countless Hohners, but the Suzuki's are now at the top of design and sound IMHO.

The MR-500 Fire Breath is a diatonic rosewood-combed harp of superior construction and sound.

The Overdrive model has top/bottom plates sealed to each reed with a sculpted hole, on which any note on the unit can be bent by covering the appropriate hole. Bending of notes is accomplished partly by changing the shape of your palate; but mostly by air passing through the opposing reed, oddly enough.

Consider the harmonica as an extension of your voice and let 'er rip! Happy 'jammin!

[Richard Russell]

Also consider the country tuning, which is available in the special 20 harps. #This makes playing fast, melodic fiddle tunes a great possibility! #As I mentioned earlier, the harp plays the mandolins role, quite well, in fact. #They both play in pretty much the same higher register, and they both can play the high speed melodies that fiddles play. #That country tuning really opens up possibilities, giving you the full major scale. #Minor scales are available to, no need to go into that, I guess I'm a bit off topic already! #The harp can get a bad rap in music, you can see people roll there eyes when you pull out your set at a jam. #If done right, however, the listener (or crowd) looks forward to the harp solos as much or more than they do the banjo, guitar and mando solos, believe it or not.

[Andrew Faltesek]

Right on Richard!

It is really cool harmonica players have all these advances in tunings and minors unavailable for so long. When jamming with a longtime friend and harp player, we like to mix types of harps like a 365 with extended scale and a regular 10 hole diatonic, or plastic comb with wood comb; or play similar diatonics in both straight and 4th position together.

Also some diatonic harps are available in low, so you can cup two harmonicas and switch from lead/answer-call to bass lines, or chorus in multiple octaves.

Richard is right about a good harmonica player being able to get some real listener involvement similar to other instrument solos...I think its because harps have a soaring, voicelike sound that can really take off and get people jumpin'. The bad rap sometimes comes from simply having the wrong key harmonica for the song, plain breathy chording without much improvisation, and inexperienced players wanting to get up on stage to "play with the band" when intoxicated!

Try playing in the 4th to a variety of songs, with understated or sparse chording to fill out the song where needed. Add small flourishes in single notes with periodic bending, at the beginning or end of chording sets, or right in the middle if it moves 'ya! Keep your place in the ensemble until its your turn to solo. Power chord up a bit, then rip it out and really lean into it with the single notes and bends, bringing back some chords near the end of riffs or measures. As you near the end of your solo opportunity, meld back into chording. Also try blocking holes with the tip of your tongue to produce a two-note chorus effect that sounds nice and works well playing crossed.

Harmonica is a great fit with guitar and mando. If the transpositions are not too bad the guitars can change key or capo to accomodate your available harmonica key at the 4th...but don't hold your breath...they mostly don't like to! That's why harpslingers endure the rolling eyes as they "pull out your set at a jam"...ya need many keys and types to get a good fit. The perfect excuse for HAS. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif