Hey all!! New membrer here! a bit about me...
I am married, 31, live in San Diego and have a 1 year old baby boy....
I started playing the OTHER kind of harmonica, th D*&^^onic when I was 13 or so, played pretty steady till college then got into hip hop and became an MC in a Reggae/hip hop band (mystic roots) for years...
When baby came recently, forced me to not tour anymore, so after a few months, I started jonesing to play music...Didnt have a lot of money to put towards it, nor the time to learn somethin gbrand new, like guitar or Bass, so...... I picked up a couple more of those OTHER harps, and a small amp and mic... started playing... but it just wasnt hitting the spot like it used to... so I found a Chrometta 8 used on EBAY. I know it is nowhere near the best chrom out there....and I would not buy one brand new for 60-70 bucks, but I got this puppy for 16 dollars, including shipping that is a deal! .. I cleaned it well when I got it, the covers had some very light surface rust, but the reedplates were rust free, as was the slide. After cleaning and reassembling, I then tested it out, and every hole was dead on! I love its small size, fits in a pocket and I bring it with me in my car and wail away all the miles I drive. The tone is sweet to my ears, although obviously my ears are not yet capable of noticing the difference a better harmonica would make.
I also puchased a Huang Cadet soloist for 12 dollars (12 holes solo tuned, but no slide, no semitones, but also bends really well and has no windsavers) and then more recently, found a Golden Butterfly WH12 on Ebay for 35. Never played a CX12 to compare with, but this thing rocks! I love the smooth action and being able to take it apart so easily! My next purchase will be a cx12 tenor, somewhere down the road, after I am good enough to deserve it!
I am mostly practicing scales still, working on 3rd position d minor blues, and learning some melodies, but man am I having fun doing it...
So I feel lucky to have gotten such great deals to get my feet wet with the wonderful chromatic sound....Being a new parent, the wife would not have understood or condoned a 100+ dollar chromatic purchase.
So, I am here to learn as much as I can, and meet some like minded individuals..
Anyone recommend a good chromatic book? or books?
Thanks in advance!
Hi MJ:
Congratulations on your new baby
I have quite a collection now of Harmonica books as well as books with CD's. I'd make a better list but am trying to limit my typing as much as possible for the mo (have an injured shoulder).
.. bought at least 10 Hal Leonard book/cd combo's (all with 10+) songs on them to 'jam' to...mostly jazz but a couple are R&B, Soul and pop standards...only disappointed in a couple (backgrounds sound 'midi' and not like a real band to my ears, which I prefer). The books are basically sheet music with 'some' instruction.
The instruction books I have are good..one I know without checking is Douglas Tate's (our former President of SPAH as well as a SlideMeister prior to his passing): "Make your harmonica work better" which will demonstrate the inner workings of your chromatic even if you don't believe in all of his methods, and Mel Bay's 'Complete Chromatic Harmonica Method' by Phil Duncan with both a CD and DVD.
The only argument I have with Mr. Duncan is that he is a tongue block 'purist' and I don't play tongue block....nor do I hold my other non-chromatics in my left hand as he instructs. Doesn't work for me. So if one isn't a tongue blocker and ignores those orders (lol)..he gives a lot of great musical information, If you ARE a tongue blocker, it might be a great instruction book for you.
I just glanced through the two book/cd's play along series I thought you might be interested in: one's for tenor sax..(I don't focus on harmonica since my theory is that any 'lead' instrument can take the place of another and I'm very partial to sax)...that one is 'Soul hits' and has 10 great songs including Dock of the Bay, Stand by Me, In the Midnight Hour, I got you (I feel good); Feeling Good; Heard it through the Grapevine, etc.
the 2nd is R&B and covers 8 songs: Ain't Too Proud to Beg; Brick House; Get Ready; I Can't Help Myself;I Got you;Heard it Through the Grapevine;My Girl; Shining Star (EW&F's version)...it is tabbed and has the sheet music and lyrics but the tabbing on the one I bought is for guitar (a mistake, I thought I ordered the sax or flute version), so doesn't 'quite' work for me..but then I really got them just to play along with the backing tracks.
I haven't played along with these much, yet....have been mostly focused on my jazz tracks. They're only a small example...I got mine from Musician's Friend (online), but there are many sources...even Borders & Books can order them in for you..but I prefer to search online. Just google 'Hal Leonard playalong' and you'll have tons to choose from.
If you look at this link of harmonica books, halfway down the page is the 'Jazz and chromatic harmonica heading...with a couple of the above books.
http://www.elderly.com/books/full_list?cat=400 hope something of this helps a wee bit.
BTW, my newest 'fun axes' are all CX-12's in different keys. My first one was bought in pristine condition off EBay for only $70 (last year), the other 3 brand new at $139 each. So good bargains can be had if one is lucky
Elizabeth (Scotty)
