The Tremolo Fan Club Thread

[Gene Oh]

Hi Rex,
Sounds beautiful! If I were you, I would stack the two harps and it would be much easier. It would leave a very minimal scratch on the harp covers, though. All Asian tremolo harpists I have heard stacked them for such modulation.
Gene

[Grizzly]

Stacking two trems that are tuned a half step apart gives all the notes you need, like on a chrom slider.

Tom

[beads]

Hello Gene. Thanks for listening and commenting. This is a fun tune to play. I think I will keep it in my rotation of tunes.
When harps are a half step apart, I like to stack them sometimes (with a piece of tape on one so they don't scratch). When the harps are a fifth apart, like these, I find it is easier (for me) to just hold them in different hands. It's an old habit. Sometimes I do stack them a fifth apart if the switch needs to be done quickly. Then I usually have my forefinger of each hand between the harps. Here is an example of holding them stacked with my fingers between the harps:

And another with octave harps:

[beads]

Stacking two trems that are tuned a half step apart gives all the notes you need, like on a chrom slider.

Tom

Hi Tom. I have tried that, but don't do it much. Not enough to get good at it. Here is an example with an A and an A#:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e3WMHpSSmE

Most of the time, if I'm playing two harps, they are a fifth apart.

[SlideMeister]

That's actually the first Gospel song I ever heard back in the fifties, on my sister's Tennessee Ernie Ford album. I've since heard more than a few jazz renditions that were actually pretty cool.

[beads]

This is an English folk tune that was first published in a collection of sheet music in 1651. Played on a Seydel Sailor in G. First time melody only, second time with chords.


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=63ZEdmM0ut8

[Grizzly]

Brings back memories. i used to play that on fretted dulcimer. IIRC, it's called "All In a Garden Green." From my album, "An Inhabited Garden," 1989.

Tom

[Gene Oh]

Very nice, Rex! Is the second time playing called "chords" or "vamping"?

Gene

[SlideMeister]

Brings back memories. i used to play that on fretted dulcimer. IIRC, it's called "All In a Garden Green." From my album, "An Inhabited Garden," 1989.

Tom

Kewl, but every time I hear one of those I think" "Maid Marian"

[beads]

Tom, that was very nice. Thanks for sharing. Do you still play the dulcimer? And yes, it is All in a Garden Green.
Gene, I consider a vamp as a rhythm pattern and a chord as several notes played at the same time. So the terms can help describe this sort of self accompaniment. But don't quote me, I'm not an expert in music terminology.

[Grizzly]

Tom, that was very nice. Thanks for sharing. Do you still play the dulcimer?
Gene, I consider a vamp as a rhythm pattern and a chord as several notes played at the same time. So the terms can help describe this sort of self accompaniment. But don't quote me, I'm not an expert in music terminology.

I ran a dulcimer gathering in Binghamton, N.Y. for 23 years, ending in 2006. I haven't played much since then. Long story.

Tom

[T.C.]

My son gave me a Hohner Cromatica #263.

Its in need of a disassembly and cleaning.

Who does that kind of work?

Thanks

TC

[John Broecker]

Hello, TC.

In the USA, contact George Miklas. He's a
SlideMeister member and Hohner certified
repair technician, salesman, and harp
virtuoso:

www.harmonicagallery.com

Best Regards, Stay Healthy

JB

[T.C.]

Thanks!

[BeauKim]

My son gave me a Hohner Cromatica #263.

Its in need of a disassembly and cleaning.

Who does that kind of work?

Thanks

TC

I also do this work and have worked on several chromatica/polyphonia harmonicas.  Please send me a message in case George is too busy! 

[BeauKim]

Does anyone have experience with a Low C or C# tremolo harmonica that is not the Suzuki Baritone?  How about Low D? 

I'm curious if you have any problems with the lowest few reeds hitting the cover plates or the comb since they'll have a wider swing.  I'm going to try and order two Dabell tremolos. 

Thanks!

[beads]

The Suzuki Humming D is a low D. The Suzuki high D is what Easttop calls just a D (have one of those also). My Suzuki D never rattles. A friend of mine has a Hohner Sextet. That is the paddle wheel with 6 tremolo harps. He told me the C and D in that wheel are low.
Tremolo reeds are situated opposite the way 10 hole diatonics are. The free ends of the blow reeds are closer to the player. The free ends of the draw reeds are away from the player, where the covers allow a bit more clearance. Draw reeds, being on the outside, are closer to the covers.  On my lower key tremolo harps there are holes in the comb to provide more clearance for some of the low blow reeds. This makes it impossible to isolate a single reed on those notes.

[beads]

Here are all the notes on a Suzuki Humming in D. The lowest reeds on this harp do not respond fast enough for Irish reels.

https://youtu.be/fsC2sWAqymU

[BeauKim]

Thanks for that info and the full range demo!  I'm excited to try these out when I get them.  I think Rockin' Ron told me it'll take a few weeks for the Low C# to get here. 

[beads]

Thanks for that info and the full range demo!  I'm excited to try these out when I get them.  I think Rockin' Ron told me it'll take a few weeks for the Low C# to get here.

Please do a review after you play them a bit. I have been curious about Da Bell. Suzuki tremolo prices are too high. Most of my Suzuki Humming were purchased for $80 to $90. Now they are double that.

[SlideMeister]

Wow!  I'm no big tremolo fan, but I gotta admit; they sound pretty sweet.

[beads]

This is one of my favorite hymns. Played on a Hohner Echo harp in F. Lots of split notes (blocking out the middle note). Tabs are in the video description.

https://youtu.be/vJwkYGn_OAg

[wolfman]

 Very nice Rex.I have a Echo in C/G,that i bought in 1983.

   Roman

[SlideMeister]

As I recall, I only owned one tremolo in my entire life. I guess I decided I liked hearing them more than playing them cuz they're so "musical." Willie Nelson's harmonica player uses one on occasion. They're useless for playing Blues and there's no button on them, so that's why I'd rather listen to them than play'em.

[John Broecker]

Tremolo harps have such a beautiful sound,
that it's hard to put one down. 

It's your harmonica, face up to it. 

[SlideMeister]

They're pretty popular out here in the Amish community. "Auto-Valves" too.

[Edward Brock]

Willie Nelson's harmonica player

Mickey Raphael has played with a number of country music players but Willie made
a career for him following Willie around. Hes done a bunch of stuff on his own too.
I really like his playing. He's only 3 months younger than me. I wish that meant something.

[beads]

Mickey is the only professional I am aware of who currently uses the tremolo on stage. I have some Willie Nelson CDs that have Mickey playing tremolo on a few songs. (My favorite CD with Willie and Mickey is "Stardust", but I don't think there was tremolo on that.)
 The only other professional I am aware of who played the tremolo was Pie Plant Pete, real name Claude Moye, who recorded and played live on radio back in the 30s and 40s. I have a CD that was made from some masters of some of his recordings. He played with a chromatic player named Bashful Harmonica Joe, real name Joe Troyan. Pete played tremolo harp in a rack and strummed a guitar and sang. Joe played chromatic. Two harmonicas and a guitar. They were popular. It would be hard to get that act on the radio today.

[OhioMusicalSawMan]

A fella named Donald Black, a Scotsman, is quite an amazing Tremolo player. He plays traditional Celtic tunes on the Tremolo.  He has a youtube channel entitled Donald Black. Very beautiful Tremolo playing!!

[beads]

A fella named Donald Black, a Scotsman, is quite an amazing Tremolo player. He plays traditional Celtic tunes on the Tremolo.  He has a youtube channel entitled Donald Black. Very beautiful Tremolo playing!!

He is a fine player. He retunes some tremolo harps to fit the music he plays. For awhile Hohner even mass produced this tuning.
https://www.patmissin.com/reviews/highlander.html