Re: RE: [HarpTalk] Digitech JamMan Solo and Stereo loopers review

[Rick Walker <looppool@cruzio.com>]

On 7/22/64 11:59 AM, Clayton Gary Lehmann wrote:
> Interesting—I am using looping *along* with harmonica, it frees up my 
> hands to play chromatic—
>
> Richard came to my gig and sat in, nice guy and very progressive with 
> regard to harmonica processing.
>
> There’s a handful of us here doing both—beatboxing a loop to play 
> harmonica over is very popular.
>
> None of the new Digitech loopers has feedback control!!
I've used harmonic in looping a lot but instead of processing it, 
digitally, I've been
working on trying to emulate electronic sounds with my mouth as well as 
beatboxing simultaneously
whilst playing the harp. Certain growls and gutteral sounds that emulate 
electronic noise sources
sound really interesting as 'drones' against the simultaneous playing of 
the harp.

I'm not really an accomplished harpist like you guys are (though I've 
amassed a cool collection of them, thanks to the innovative tunings
used in the Lee Oskar series (Natural Minor, Harmonic Minor and the new 
truly diatonic series called the Melody Maker)
but I use them for rhythmic ostinatos under tracks, where I'll switch 
instruments for the upper and lower voicings in a piece.

My video studio is down right now but I"m working on resurrecting it. I 
should post some of the
technics I've been working with when I have it up and running.

Another thing I've been experimenting with is taking two harmonics with 
disparate key centers and playing one
upside down so that , held closely together, I can play both harps 
simultaneously.
This is cool because you can get some very hip chordal extensions with 
notes that would normally be really dissonant in a
close voicing but that add 'color' to the chord because the notes are so 
high in contrast to the triad of the lower harmonica.

With the exception of Chromatic Harmonicas, it is normally not easy to 
get sophisticated modern dissonant harmonices on harp which is
why I started experimenting with this technique.

This takes a lot of breath but it yields really interesting results.

With looping of course, if you just drone or play an ostinato over three 
or more notes, you can also go back in and over dub individual
notes from a Chromatic harmonic in the upper regist to achieve the same 
effect.......it just takes longer to the get piece going.

I'd be really curious to hear what other experimental and progressive 
work is being done by harpists.
If Tribe.net were still really active it would be time to create the 
Weird Harmonica Tribe........lol

rick walker