David's Tip of the Day: Articulation Missing

An NPR radio program from a couple of years ago came to mind today to share with you (I'm sorry that I can't find that segment online for you, but I'll do my best to recount what I heard).

The sound engineer came on the air and played three tones on three separate instruments and asked the listener to identify the instruments. It was impossible to identify. The engineer then stated that he had taken off the articulation of each of the notes and proceeded to play the original recordings without the opening articulations removed... clarinet... banjo... piano... no problem telling what the instruments were.

Fascinating!

Even though we know that each instrument... and each player of an instrument... have their unique tonal signature, it was immediately obvious that the articulation was the most important element that made each instrument unique, or at least immediately identifiable.

So, for us... dips, cuts, slaps, pulls, octaves, two note combinations, wa wa... any techniques that imbues the signature articulations of the harmonica are important elements for letting the listener know it's "harmonica" they're listening to.

What's important about this knowledge?... I have no idea!... but thought it was pretty fascinating! :-)