3. Did you ever stop, and if so, why, and what made you start again?

[SlideMeister]

Did you ever stop playing the Chromatic, and if so, why, and what made you start again?
This one's a bit more involved so you can use up to a hundred words for your answer.
Again, same rules; keep answers short and no discussion on this thread. Open another thread (within this board if you like) for discussion

SlideMeister

[Bill Morris]

Yes, 35 years ago.  I restarted 4 years ago after my 40th high school reunion where two others from my original harmonica band showed up.

Bill

[Gene D]

I quit playing when I was in the Army.  I was in an army band over in Germany and played baritone horn in the band.  Playing the baritone in rehearsals and jobs I just got away from the harmonica.  After the service, I didn;t play anything for a good many years.  My wife knew I had played harmonica and for Christman one year she got me one as a gift.  This got me back into playing.

Regards,
Gene Dodson

[SlideMeister]

Went to California in 69 & began playing blues in bars and strip joints. Somehow I got my head turned around and left the scene. On the way back  home to Ohio, I got my heart turned around at 4:p.m. on Christmas day, in my car under a bridge on I-70 in Indianapolis. (haven't been the same since  ) Got home and started a new life with a new direction. (sold my Fender Jaguar and the harmonicas went in the drawer) Started playing again a year and a half later - gospel music in churches (no more blues) 

@ge

[Grizzly]

Hard to say I actually started way back when; I never really learned to play, although I had a 260 Richter and, later, a Chrometta 12 (still have them). This was in Middle School to early adulthood. One didn't have all the notes, and I couldn't get single notes on the other. I went on to other instruments over time.

Slow forward about 35 years to 2004. I found my old harmonicas, and had the idea to learn chromatic in case my arthritis caught up to my flute playing.

Seven years later I have acquired several chromatic harmonicas. I still play the Chrometta 12 occasionally.

Tom

[Gnarly He Man]

I played a chrom briefly as part of a gig in 1979--the line to Please Please Me (it's in E, a descending major scale).
That harmonica was borrowed, and then stolen (but not by me).
I began 8 or 9 years ago and haven't stopped.

[kc_liaw]

yes, i stopped almost completely during my univ. time. .. just don't have too much time for chrome. .. ..

KC

[John Broecker]

Hello, Chromaticons.

I started playing the Hohner #270 super chrome circa 1970-'71, and haven't stopped.

But,  I play less than when in the Milwaukee Harmonica Club.

Best Regards

John Broecker

[Bluesy]

Played chrome for a while in the early nineties, then stopped because it was taking time away from my alto sax and guitar playing and my technique on those instruments was not advancing. Started chrome again over the last couple of years because of its unique possibilities, then sort of got hooked. ("Sort of"? Ye Gads!)
Unfortunately, it's stealing time from my writing as well as my playing. I've got a novel in final editing, but because of chrome playing I neglect it. At this rate it'll never get sent off. Maddening! I worry that my novel is sitting there in the computer, I worry that my clarinet is drying out, I worry that the pads on my alto are drying out, ditto on my tenor sax, I worry that my alto and clarinet chops are deteriorating. All because I pulled that old Hohner 260 out of the drawer! Heaven help me!

Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie,
Which we ascribe to Heaven.

Tom/Blue

[Darius Engineer]

I stopped when The Hohner Harmonica Club in Mumbai, closed after completing 50 years in 1987. Took it up again for the 60th anniversary in 1997 Thereafter the club closed for good as the director retired at the age of 83. Took it up again in 2006 when another musical group offered an opportunity to perform twice a year.

Darius

[EarthDogHarpin]

Nope. 

[Scotty]

Began at age 4, then chrom around 7/8, played alone till age 14. Never met another player - had no instruction so didn't really 'learn'. Gave it up so as not to be the gawky 'foreigner' playing a 'weird' instrument when we emigrated here to New York. Nobody here played either. Grew up, married, moved on. My mother's home had to be emptied in 2002 - found a brand new Echo which she'd bought years before - for me? Tucked it away. Heard Alicia Keys one day and played along. It sounded great - and I was hooked again. Bought a chromatic soon after.

Elizabeth (a/k/a Scotty)

[Bluesy]

I stopped and started dozens of times over the last thirty plus years.  I'd stumble across my harmonica collection again and/or bought yet another chromatic thinking that would be "the one".  Each time I'd eventually give up in disgust.  As I look back on it, it all boiled down to one simple reason: I didn't know to warm up the harp before playing it.  Those frustrating valves did me in each and every time.  When I finally learned that one trick a few years ago, and learned about setting up and maintaining the harp, suddenly the chromatic became a playable instrument and I've been loving it ever since.

That's a very interesting reason to stop! Thinking back, there may be some of that in my own experiences. All it would take to educate potential players is a note packed with every new harp explaining why and how to do it.

T/B

[Gary Richardson]

I had been playing diatonic for a while and was in to blues.  Heard William Clarke on an album and decided to try the chromatic.  Purchased a used Hering Professional 64 mail order from an instructor in Penn or Ohio.  Then ordered a Hohner Chrometta 12.  Neither of these suited me so I put them in a drawer.  Then quite diatonic.  Roughly seventeen years later I retire and opened that drawer again a year ago.

Gary

[McManus]

My Dad and I played around with diatonics when I was growing up.  I fooled around with it through college.

Age 63 I started again and wanted to try the chromatic for the first time.

[Vern]

I started playing diatonic as a child.
Stopped in disgust because of the lacking notes.
Took up guitar.
Resumed harmonica when I discovered chromatic as a teenager.
Always wanted to play them together.
Used foot pedals for many years.
Discovered HFC in 2001.

Vern

[Tallships]

I started as a boy on diotonic till i went into the navy. Went in a music store in Norfork Va. I bought a Hohner 270 Chromatic, learned to play in my gun mount  . Played it till married and bought a house and had kids. Yup kids, got ahold of it and that was the end of it, till about ten years ago. Bought a Hering 5148 and been practicing ever since.
   Denis

[frozenpaw]

got maried had kids no time. Retired  met Jim Grant. He is my mentor. Thanks to him I am playing again and playing a lot

[Gustavo Casado]

I began to play at 41 and stopped some years later. I don´t know really why, but I remember that my dog, when I played my harmonica, barked in a high volume; she barked inconsolably...I could not play in peace. This only a cause.
I restarted two years ago, because I need to play music for my mental health, and always I was in love with my chromatics.

Gustavo, from Argentina. 

[ptgolfer]

I just posted my journey on thread "how old were you when you begain harmonica?"

played when I was with a group, and dropped out when no one else,
business of life,
a new mountain dulcimner 6 years ago

I started when I found some friends and could play again, don't want to stop now, to much fun.

[draak13]

Never realy stopped, just had periods where I slowed down a little. Never will give it up because I find that when you are setting in bumper to bumper trafic, it's easier to play than a guitar, sax, clarinet , piano, etc. etc. etc. 

[SlideMeister]

.