BS: Harmonica

Subject: Harmonica
From: DonMeixner
Date: 05 Aug 01 - 12:05 PM

I was playing a Harmonica in the yard today and when I finished with it I tapped it hard against the palm of my hand several times. This raised in my mind a question.

Was the Harmonica invented by a musician so vain as to applaud for himself when ever he finished a tune?

Don

Subject: RE: BS: Harmonica
From: catspaw49
Date: 05 Aug 01 - 12:10 PM

Nah Don......I think it was some guy with dry skin who used his drool for a hand lotion.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Harmonica
From: MAV
Date: 05 Aug 01 - 05:06 PM

I understand that if you "suck" on a harmonica, you might be considered good!

I think the tapping action could have come from those who used the harp as a replacement "vice" when quitting smoking.

Yo Spaw!

mav out

Subject: RE: BS: Harmonica
From: pavane
Date: 06 Aug 01 - 03:48 AM

It was so that people with a voice like mine wouldn't be tempted to try singing

Subject: RE: BS: Harmonica
From: IanC
Date: 06 Aug 01 - 04:07 AM

The books say the reason you tap it is to get any excess water(!) out of it after playing it. That's why I do it, anyway

;-)
Ian

Subject: RE: BS: Harmonica
From:
Date: 06 Aug 01 - 05:14 AM

When playing the harmonica after a meal or snack small depsoits of food a left within the instrument. This is obviously a design feature to be applauded as it means that a small snack will be available for later consumption whilst cleaning the reeds of the harmonica. Now, it would simply be unhygenic to allow such tasty morsels to remain damp due to excess spit being all over them. That's why we tap our harmonicas.

It's a food health and safety issue. ;-> Paul

Subject: RE: BS: Harmonica
From: Les from Hull
Date: 06 Aug 01 - 01:55 PM

I only tap mine if there's a reed sticking.

The main drawbacks to harmonica playing are facial hair (ow! that hurts!) and the small bits of detritus that get stuck in the reed and then release quickly on a suck note, hitting the back of your throat with extreme velocity.

While the gob iron players are here, might I extoll the virtues of the 'low F' harmonica. F is a good singing key and the normal F is a bit squeaky. Get a low F, they're wonderful, especailly those clever valved ones. And you don't get your hair stuck in them either.

Keep on sucking
Les

Subject: RE: BS: Harmonica
From: LR Mole
Date: 06 Aug 01 - 03:05 PM

Personally, I don't like any instrument that's spit into. And if harps really need this gesture, what do people wearing harp collars do? The idea of Neil Young, hands tangled in collar, guitar strap, mike chord, and hat, lurching into an orchestra pit, is probably a mural in the NYCFTTS cafeteria. Or should be.

Subject: RE: BS: Harmonica
From: Naemanson
Date: 06 Aug 01 - 03:23 PM

On a slight drift, a friend and I were watching a band concert and I pointed out the horn players draining the spit from their instruments. I told her that I like the guitar because you don't have to shake the spit out of it when you finish playing.

Subject: RE: BS: Harmonica
From: Naemanson
Date: 06 Aug 01 - 03:24 PM

By the way, in high school I played trumpet and then the sousaphone. If any instrument can accumulate spit it's the sousaphone!