New Seydel Nonslider Chromatic Harmonica

[streetlegal]

With such a rush of buyers at the start, it might be possible to pick one up half-price on ebay before too long. I'm thinking that there will be a lot of slide chromatic players who will pick it up and try it and then quickly decide that it is not for them. Well we shall see .

[Keith]

I think, (having had a quick look inside it), that if they don't like it as it is, that they could just change the mouthpiece, put a slide & spring in it, & be back to a slide pusher again.

[Grizzly]

Its valvelessness may make that impractical.

Tom

[Hein]

Seems like several people here have been asking for some kind of video / sound examples of the new Seydel Nonslider Chromatic. So for everybody interested out there, I've decided to swallow my pride and record the happy unboxing & very first trial-and-especially-error baby steps on my first ever Nonslider Chromatic:
 

[Gnarly He Man]

Thanks for sharing!

[Jimmy Halfnote]

Yeah , you did good Hein that was brave,the lower notes would seem to be a weakness.... or getting used to and compensating with more power, thanks.

                                                                      jh.

[Aluvsupreme]

Yeah that's pretty cool Hein.       

[frankyb]

Thanks for sharing.  It makes me even more anxious for mine to arrive.

[frankyb]

Yeah , you did good Hein that was brave,the lower notes would seem to be a weakness.... or getting used to and compensating with more power, thanks.

                                                                      jh.

I agree, the lower notes sound somewhat weaker.  I think that is common on valveless harmonicas, but it may be that, as you adjust to playing this harmonica, that will not be the case.   I liked the sound on both the lower notes and especially the higher notes.  I almost always play acoustically and that is the sound that really matters to me. Will find out more when mine arrives.  

[Gnarly He Man]

Anybody notice the overblow?
Just before the two minute mark.

[SlideMeister]

Yeah, I noticed that too

[Wendellfiddler]

Very courageous.  I totally appreciate that.  I assume, Hein,  by your overblows and some of your technique that you have a lot of diabolic experience?  (that's both a question and a comment I suppose).  But nevertheless I was impressed with how quickly you could play a chromatic scale.   

That said, it may have a place for some but it doesn't seem like a replacement for a buttoned chromatic, just a really different instrument.  Regardless, your video is really helpful - sincerely, thank you for doing that.  I was wondering!

You may have thought you were swallowing your pride, but in reality you have given to your fellow musicians and should be commended for it!  Yay!

Your video is wonderful.

doug tanner

[Gnarly He Man]

It occurs to me that this instrument would work well with the Power Chromatic tuning.
Ed Coogan actually asked me about that over a week ago.
I told him he would miss the button.
But for hands free play (I?m a guitarist), it might be worth an investment.

[Keith]

Thanks, Hein, that was a good demo of its capabilities, especially the bending, & seeming ease of playing the chromatic scale.

Very recognizable tune too....

I'm adjusting to mine, but no where near as confidently as you seem to have.

[streetlegal]

Thanks for sharing the video Hein. I think this mouthpiece will need a complete rethink on embouchure - as in place of slide movement, the mouth/lips must be always in some kind of up/down motion to address the holes on each of the rows accurately. Of course we are used to some horizontal movement of the lips, but up/down is a totally new skill - for slide chromatic or diatonic players. Also new hand movements for up/down tilting of the harmonica of course.   

[Edvin]

The way you can handle it straight out of the box with trills and overblows and all gives me hope I could learn to play it! Now I'll just have to wait until they release it with custom tunings... 

[frankyb]

I was happily surprised to receive my Nonslider in the mail today (7/17-Connecticut, USA).  It was shipped on the 13th. Thanks Seydel!

Not ready to comment on it yet, except to say it is weird not to have a slide and that the sound on the high notes is very clear and lovely, right up to and including C7.  I would say at least as good as on any chromatic I own.  I also like he sound on the lower notes very much, but was having trouble playing the first hole.  An hour or so later my problem with the first hole was gone.  It takes a very slow blow or draw, but the notes are there and solid. Have to be very gentle.

I think it will be a real learning process for me to switch between the top and bottom while playing. I am a tongue-blocker.  As a tongue-blocker I normally have the top of the mouthpiece and harmonica deep in my mouth and this does not work with the lower holes.  I am adjusting and just played a melody in C# without too much trouble.  My plan is to get use to playing the lower holes and then learn to switch.

[Bernie9]

If anyone here decides against the Nonslider, I will buy it.  The turn around time is too great for a new one.  Heck, at my age, I don't even buy green bananas.

Bernie

[SlideMeister]

 

[frankyb]

My Nonslider has turned up - on first acquaintance the blow notes in the first hole were dead, so I've had to adjust them from the start - might need some more adjusting, but I'll leave it for now, & try to get used to the mouthpiece.

Keith, do you find it is more difficult to adjust the gaps on steel reeds?

[Keith]

I've only had to do it twice, but no, I don't find it any harder than phospher bronze or brass.

[frankyb]

https://youtu.be/R4NBZazWkvg

Thanks again for this video!  Amazing what you can do with it so soon!   Were you puckering or using tongue blocking?

[frankyb]

Is there anyone here who has a Nonslider who is a tongue blocker?  Am I right that Seydel indicates that lip- pursing/puckering is the method to use with this harmonics?  Here is a quote:

"The notes on the lower row of holes are the same like in the "slide-pressed position" on standard chromatic harmonicas. The instrument is tilted down or up, or the player changes the position of his lips (pointed-mouth technique/lip-pursing) to reach the right notes."

I believe "pointed-mouth" is the literal translation from German and is the same as "lip-pursing."


I am a tongue-blocker and believe I will be able to slightly modify my approach and use tongue-blocking, but am 'worried' I might have to learn to pucker. 

Frank

[beads]

https://youtu.be/R4NBZazWkvg

Thanks again for this video!  Amazing what you can do with it so soon!   Were you puckering or using tongue blocking?

Not me playing. I don't even have one. Somebody asked about a video and I merely linked to the one Seydel had put out.

[frankyb]

https://youtu.be/R4NBZazWkvg

Thanks again for this video!  Amazing what you can do with it so soon!   Were you puckering or using tongue blocking?

Not me playing. I don't even have one. Somebody asked about a video and I merely linked to the one Seydel had put out.

Duh...Another senior moment.

[SlideMeister]

Hey, Different strokes! I ain't going anywhere. 

[Keith]

I am a tongue-blocker and believe I will be able to slightly modify my approach and use tongue-blocking, but am 'worried' I might have to learn to pucker. 

I'm having to adjust my pucker to play this Nonslider, so I expect you will have to find a way with tongue block, but as a non tongue blocker, I can play some notes & accidentals by covering holes with my tongue & switching rows, so you should be able to. 

[zvigrunb]

This harp seems easier once you get used to it.
When you don't have to bother with slide movement in mind,
the brains more free to remember where the notes are.

Though I have one reservation:
After so many decades of traditional slide chroms... doesn't this feel like cheating?

[frankyb]

This harp seems easier once you get used to it.
When you don't have to bother with slide movement in mind,
the brains more free to remember where the notes are.

Though I have one reservation:
After so many decades of traditional slide chroms... doesn't this feel like cheating?

I hope I get the feeling of cheating soon!


I AM going to learn to play this chrom!


By the way I love the acrylic comb much more than plastic.  It is great too, to be able to see inside.

[BeauKim]

I was surprised to see they put the C major row on top and the C# row on the bottom.  Is anyone else kind of surprised about that?  It's a bit counter intuitive but maybe it's easy to adjust to.  Other similar types of harmonicas have the C# row on top, including bass harmonicas and stacked tremolo harmonicas.  Maybe Vern's NHC designed also does it like this.