Ask Harmonica Expert Winslow Yerxa

How do you decide what ' noise'/'sound' to make when playing various notes....i.e. "ka", " Ta" , 'Hoo Doo' ,

' Ha Da '  ect ?

What are the different sounds that one makes when playing (in general) ?

 Thank you for your time

             Steve

Hi Winslow,

I was looking to create the same tuning that Carlos Del junco uses in his B thing instrumentals. I have seen some of the tuning diagrams on overblow.com. However I was wondering what the best way to approach the tuning was, with regards to cents offeset form equal temp, to give a compromised sort of tuning.

Also whats easiest way to attempt to retune, can you tune a standard richter harp to B thing without switching reeds or wound harp with alternate tuning be easier to retune.

Thanks,

G

Hey Winslow,

Do you know who the harp player is playing the fills on this karaoke track? It's produced by Ameritz

"Crazy Blues" in the style of Leon Redbone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79SvUFSS3wU continue reading...

Hello, I just started newly and I don't understand this much. Is there wrong, if I have a C harmonica? Thanks for replies.

In yesterday's Tip of the Day, David Barrett posted a link to an NPR interview with an accordionist who bends a note on accordion.

I'd like to use that as a springboard to a brief discussion of the difference in bending techniques between the two instruments.

You can bend notes on accordion (on a high-quality, airtight instrument) in one of two ways:

1) Pushing a lot of air through the reed to make the pitch sag.

2) Partially obstructing the small air hole that opens when you press a key or button, by only pressing it down partway. continue reading...

Hi Winslow,

I have enjoyed reading posts on different sites regarding your respect for the XB-40. I too share my appreciation and its the main diatonic I play.

I picked up a few extra used ones recently and was able to compare two XB-40's in the same key side by side, and noticed that one of them was less air tight, and the some of the X-Reeds weren't responding as well (and in one case - not responding). continue reading...

Have you ever tried these harmonicas?

Because of the brand are in someway made good ?

how do you rate them?

Thanks in advance

Hi Winslow,

I just joined bluesharmonica.com  and have entered an original composition "Chrome on the Bayou" in the Chromatic King
Original Blues Chromatic Instrumental Songwriting Contest. I am enjoying listening to all the resource interviews. Great site! Recently I discovered your interviews and thought that you may be a resourceful person to ask your advice.

I am living in Nanaimo on Van Island. Good to connect with a fellow Canuk who is from the wet coast :) continue reading...

Hey Winslow,

Before I get to the main topic of the post I just wanted to say that your book Harmonica for dummies is a great read. Not only does it have plenty useful resources and great tunes, but the writing style is very entertaining. I've been playing for eight months and I sure am fortunate to have stumbled upon this book early on in the game. continue reading...

Hey Winslow,

Why does a 3rd position blues scale sound better than a 2nd with a minor blues?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't both contain the same intervals of the blues scale.

Root,  3b,  4,  5b,  5, and  7b

By hole in 2nd,  2  3'  4+  4'  4   5   6+  and by hole in 3rd,  4   5   6+   6'   6   7+  8

So why then should one sound better to the ear?