Tone
Hi David,
I watched Joe's video lesson about the different kinds of tone. The one that blew me away and which is most mysterious to me is what he calls "head tone." I imagine, like most techniques, it will take a good amount of time and effort to "get it." My question is, how would you start?
Thanks David! This is great stuff!
Question: Assuming the rig is right, does every two-note chord or octave produce a difference tone? How do you know the pitch of that tone? Thanks.
Bill
Hello Bill. Yes, every two-note chord (I don't think an octave does) creates a difference tone. Sometimes it's consonant (3/4 combo for example) and sometimes it's dissonant (4/5 combo). Here's some of the science https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combination_tone
I'm a bit of a math geek, but when it comes to music strangely, I've avoided the theory until now. So interesting that the experiments suggest the brain somehow creates the perception of the difference tone. Clever experiment.
Related to the tone issue, do you change the way you use your hands when you play the 5-hole split octaves? I find I need to get more of my mouth around the harp and the normal grip gets in the way, especially playing a sequence of high end octaves, as in chorus 5 of Rollin' Rhumba study 2 (that chorus is going to make me an octave player!) I'm experimenting but I thought I'd ask you. In the 3rd position study 2 lesson, it seems like you're not cupping, maybe because tone isn't really the focus.
thanks,
B
Hello Bill.
Yes, I do feel my hands relax a bit, on the harmonica side (not that back), allowing more of my face into the harmonica.
I do cup up when I do my 5-hole octaves, the same as I do on the low end, but the high end does create a powerful sound, so sometimes I'll play with a more open cup if I think I'll blow the audience out with too much volume (I can of course play softer, but if I'm using dynamics and really ramping up for a powerful sound, I'll play loudly, and open my cup slightly).
In the video lessons I'm not in performance mode, so pretty much ignore the way I'm holding the harmonica in the lessons (follow what I teach in the cupping lesson... or watch my performance videos for example).
Hello Will. I cover this in the "Dynamics" lesson found here, in Section 3 https://www.bluesharmonica.com/lessons/dynamics