Octaves

[Gnarly He Man]

It’s not easy to play octaves on every musical instrument. Chromatic harmonica achieves this fairly easily, with the right embouchure.
Of course, it’s a great way to check the tuning of a harmonica, if the octaves aren't right, one or the other of the reeds is out of tune.
How many people here use octaves in their playing?

[SlideMeister]

(Great suggestion, Gnarley!)

                                             "OCTAVES"
Do you like them?
Do you play them?
Or do you like hearing others play them?
Advantages?
Disadvantages?
Do regular folks really want to hear them?
Lot to talk about here

[SlideMeister]

Do you like them?

Yeah, sorta, sometimes

Do you play them?

Not much. Too painful. My canines bite the inside of my upper lip

Or do you like hearing others play them?

Yeah, but they can be overdone

Advantages?

"thickening" up and adding another aspect to your performance, and used for a quick check of your tuning

Disadvantages?

Only sound good when your axe in in perfect tune

Do regular folks really want to hear them?

Don't know, but Chromatic and suck-harp players can't seem to be able to do without them

[Age]

I noticed that some Chromatics are better for "octaving." Thinner Chromatics for example: Hering 12 holers and the CBH were (for me) the easiest and least painful Chromes to use for the trick.
CX-12's OTOH were impossible (for me) In this area, I can see where the "JAZZ" would probably be better. (again - just me)
I'd rather just push a button on the floor for as often as I ever use the technique

[Grizzly]

I like to play octaves, love to hear others. If in tune.

Tom

[John Broecker]

Do You Like octaves (played or heard on harmonicas)?
Yes.

Do you play them?
Yes, on octave-tuned instruments.

Do you like to hear others play them?
Yes when the 8vas are in tune. And, in some
cases, when the 8vas are intentionally
de-tuned for a tremolo effect.

Advantages?
Sound re-enforcement; amplification for emphasis.

Disadvantages?
For me, playing 8vas on single reed harmonicas
is difficult; so is 8va splitting.

Do regular folks (audiences, non-players) want to hear them?
Regular folks probably don't know what they are. Ask regular folks.

Best Octaves to You, Stay Healthy

JB

[brorat]

I'm very much of no opinion about octaves!  I don't yearn for them when I hear others play, yet if they are played I recognize them.  Do they add or detract from the music for me?  Yes and no!  (Is that non-committal enough?)
I have learned how to play octaves, but not well yet.  I don't usually try to add them to my playing.  Seems to me that playing octaves is pretty much something that a lot of players think is a "requirement".  I guess I'm not in that camp.
I can take or leave octaves.  Whatever floats your boat!

[Gnarly He Man]

Guitar is my main instrument.
There is one player famous for his use of octaves, Wes Montgomery.
Phil Caltabellotta makes great use of octaves on the chrom.

[Gary Richardson]

I enjoy listening to Danny G use octaves.  Danny incorporates them into some of the music he plays on the weekly SM zoom.
 

[Age]

Octaving doesn't just show up automatically just cuz you can tongue-block. It takes a whole lotta practice to develop the precision it takes to get it "clean" (which, if it's not; can sound really bad)

[Lockjaw Larry]

I am guilty of over using octaves and splits perhaps too much.  I like them.  I think with no backing playing single notes sounds kinda dry.  I often play single notes on the melody and octaves on the chorus. 

[Ed McCullough]

Playing octaves and splits adds variety to your playing. Learning to play octaves is easier than learning to ride a bicycle when we were five years old.

[beads]

An expert at octaves and splits:

[Age]

Wow! That's as good as it gets

[wolfman]

 Great post Rex.Thanks

 Roman

[streetlegal]

Octaves aren't so much my thing, but I do very much like pedal tones - that is for example when the low tonic note is sustained and a succession of melody notes played over it.

Of course this presents some problems on harmonica with breath direction changes - but if you think of the key of F on a solo tuned chromatic, where the tonic note can be sounded both as a draw and a blow note, that key seems to offer the best opportunities for this pedal tone effect - even though there would still be some breaks in the F note sound - a sustained drone is not possible. But certainly skilled tongue blockers (which I am not) could have some fun with pedal tones .

[Gnarly He Man]

Bill Barrett does this sort of thing, playing lines out of both sides of a split.
Way harder than an octave split.

Octaves aren't so much my thing, but I do very much like pedal tones - that is for example when the low tonic note is sustained and a succession of melody notes played over it.

Of course this presents some problems on harmonica with breath direction changes - but if you think of the key of F on a solo tuned chromatic, where the tonic note can be sounded both as a draw and a blow note, that key seems to offer the best opportunities for this pedal tone effect - even though there would still be some breaks in the F note sound - a sustained drone is not possible. But certainly skilled tongue blockers (which I am not) could have some fun with pedal tones .

[Gnarly He Man]

Perhaps a brave harmonica player could play Yankee Doodle and Dixie at the same time!

https://youtu.be/36qeq9i0P24

Note that Chet employs Jon Kip’s favorite excuse for a bad note, blame the other guy.
He also plays it twice, a popular jazz ploy.