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Bass Harmonica players: Sound Off!
BeauKim:
Hi everyone,
Just like my chord harmonica post, I thought it would be great to have a dedicated spot to talk all things bass harmonica. The target audience would be those playing a chromatic bass, double decker, single, and double reed. Bass harmonica is a lot of fun!
How long you have been playing the bass?
What is your reason for starting to play it?
What brand/s do you play?
Favorite song/solo to play on it?
Any special techniques you would like to share?
Anything else?
I'll start :)
How long you have been playing the bass?
I've been playing the bass for about 2.5 years.
What is your reason for starting to play it?
My main reason for playing it was for potential recording work (which has happened!), but my love for the instrument has taken over!
What brand/s do you play?
I started with a Hohner extended bass, later I modified it with the Brendan Power Sliderbass attachment, and now I have an Easttop double bass. The Easttop is an upgrade!
Favorite song/solo to play on it?
One of my favorite things to play are walking bass lines to swing tunes.
Any special techniques you would like to share?
A special technique would be to use the tongue or throat for articulation. The lowest few note's response really benefit from the tongue ('toh' articulation) and give a cleaner sound. The throat can add a bass drum-like effect.
Anything else:
I encourage your to learn to play in several keys and feel free to play your bass in other ensembles that aren't just harmonica ensembles! It has cool factor, and you can change the tone of the instrument greatly with EQ and microphone technique. Raw bass harmonica tone to something closer to a baritone saxophone mixed with upright bass tone.
John Broecker:
Hello, Beau Kim.
Here are answers to your bass harp questions:
1. How long have I played octave bass harp (2-deck)? 24 years.
2. The reason? bought a used Hohner extended bass #268, for $10.
3. What brands, models? Hohner #268 extended Chromatica bass (2-deck);
Hohner #265 bass w/Power slider; Victory Octave bass (2-deck).
4. Favorite songs? Pink Panther; Hall of the Mountain King; Stand By Me;
Malaguena.
5. Special techniques? cough to set the reeds' vibrations; learn all major
& minor scales & arpeggios.
6. I also play single reed low-pitched basses and a tenor: Tombo Pocket Bass;
Hohner Polyphonia #7; Suzuki Alto Single (tenor range).
Best Regards
John Broecker
SlideMeister:
Here's my old bass and chord set that Budishka bought me for a birthday gift in about 1966? These instruments are a lotta fun and I still take them places when I do a demonstration or something.
colin:
Hi Group this is my 3rd attempt for my story. I Joined my first ensemble when I was 16 in London we had ONE BASS,when I was 21 I Joined another, ( RYTHMONICS) in Kent UK, we made friends with one of the best in Europe ( THE HOTCHA TRIO ) from Holland who were very generous in giving us all of their music, about 1962 we won all UK Championship with Mundharmonica Gallup? Long time ago which was from HOTCHA, We only had ONE BASS & CHORD which were very expensive for us working class Guy’s. Now I will see if this story goes before Part 2
colin:
Part 2. 50 years Later . About 18 Months ago my Wife & I went to an old friends Birthday party down country NZ we stopped in a little Town for Lunch, coming out of the Cafe my Beady Eyes saw a Music Shop sign, Wow, my Wife’s Happy weekend smile Diminshed Like the Chord ,after being married for 60 years to someone with compulsive Music shop Syndrome, by the time I entered the Aladdins Cave she was 20 metres behind me ,The Lady shop owner started chatting , I said I play Guitar badly & Ukulele even worse,but my Harmonica wasn’t to bad for senile has been. PART 3 needed stay with me it gets better.
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