I've seen lot's of talk (and good natured bashing) about fiddles, bodhrans, mandolins, guitars, bazookies, etc...but I've not seen much on harmonica.
We got a guy in our band who plays Irish push button accordian and also plays a very good harmonica. Actually, he's got quite a few harmonicas in different keys, most with some kind of button on 'em. (I don't know a thing about harmonicas) When he's playing he can get 'em to sound just like an accordian and he's fast. It's a great sound.
I've seen them a few times too... really neat sound and refreshing to have them in because they're so uncommon. I can't answer your question, though, so I'll shut up now.
Actually, the oddest instrument I've seen with ITM was a Diguri, dig, dijj,, dijidy,,, one of them there Austrailian tube things. It was being played by an Irishman named Kevin Carroll who is an incredible bodhran player.
Maybe we should start a new thread to do a survey of the strangest instruments seen being used to play ITM eh?
We had a guy come to our session with a didj once. I really liked it. I'd once heard one used on an Australian dance band album with "Hag at the Churn" and it was really eerie and cool sounding. But I was the only one who was ok with it. But then, I was not *too* put off my the Cajun rubboard player who turned up at a different session once. I think my standards are falling, cuz all I could say was "At least he could *keep a beat*!!" And I'd truthfully rather have someone playing a non-trad instrument who can do that than a trad player who can't. I wouldn't admit that to most folks, but this group is very civil and intelligent
Yes Tiny,
Harmonicas have been used in ITM since they've been invented, that one with a button on the side is a Chromatic Harmonica. CCE has them listed on their "Official ITM instruments list", a quick search on Google for Irish Harmonica will yeild a lot of info on the subject. The main problem with the Harmonica in ITM is that it is extremely diatonic - a "D" harmonica is good for the key of "D" & it's modes only. Which is good for about 80% of the time, when the Key changes you have change harmonicas. Also the standard diatonic harmonica is "missing" a couple of notes - well they're not really missing you just need to bend the other notes to get them which doesn't quite sound so nice in ITM. There are other harmonica's with set-up to be fully diatonic. The other big downfall against it is it's quiet compared to the other staples of ITM.
All things considered it's a fun cheap little instrument that has a few limitations but it's well worth the effort. I've heard it used to great effect.
A didgeridoo, fiddler. I play one occasionally. It's a great hit in shows. Not something that works *all* the time, but anything that never leaves the key of D sounds great. To completely digress, I was going to pick one up when I was in OZ, but I found Aboriginal women are strictly forbidden to play there. Had a crisis of cultural appropriation. I decided that's a stupid tradition, but out of respect for it, I didn't pick buy one. I play on a bent plastic pipe and it sounds fine. And that is the story of how the harmonica became a part of the Irish tradition. Thank you.
It's fun to watch Mark play his harmonicas because he does change pretty regularly as we change tunes. He keeps a couple of harmnicas in his shirt pocket, one or two on the floor, and on a stand. On top of all that he's got his accordian around his neck and one on the floor beside him. He's a wonder to watch when we're blazing through set's.
Didgeridoo! Thanks! What a spelling. As I remember Kevin did make one out of a peice of pvc pipe somehow. It sounded pretty cool.
It is a stupid tradition (Women being forbidden to play) and I admire your respect. I'd have probably bought one out of spite. (That gets me in trouble pretty regularly)
Let me start over, stupid tradition was very harsh for me to say. A better wordage would be "I personaly feel it's silly, but hey, that's their tradition"
I didn't know that harmonica has been played so long in the Irish tradition! I thought it was just a case of trying something new when I heard it mentioned, kind of like Didjeradoo. When I saw the links page and saw it included I was suprised.
I heard from a Native American friend that there's a similair "taboo" regarding the big drums they play in drum circles, at least in some tribes, I guess.
The first time I heard a harmonica played in a "traditional Irish set" was on an Andy Irvine recording. Who am I to argue with one of the masters of ITM? Andy Irvine seems constantly pushing the traditional envelope; I believe he was one of the first to use the bouzouki in Irish music.
Jim Malcom of Old Blind Dogs does some very impresive stuff with a harmonica, especially when you see them live and realize that he really is playing both harmonica and guitar at the same time. Usually that comes out with harmonica as sound effect, a la Bob Dylan, but Malcom plays tunes that way. Makes me more than a little bit jealous.
He's on the two most recent OBD records, the post-Benzie era. Good stuff, those.
-jon kiparsky.
I am starting a group that will include a harmonica - the bodhran/bones player is a harmonica player (and has a great tenor voice) and I've convinced him that he should play harmonica on slow songs and airs. I met a fiddler at our session who moved here from Seattle to work at the local University. My son will play the mandolin. The name of my band is "Meadowlark". It will be a mix of ITM, American, and Canadian trad, (with some original music of ours). It will be songs and instrumentals. I'll update you on how well the harmonica fits in.
Harmonica's
Harmonica's
I've seen lot's of talk (and good natured bashing) about fiddles, bodhrans, mandolins, guitars, bazookies, etc...but I've not seen much on harmonica.
We got a guy in our band who plays Irish push button accordian and also plays a very good harmonica. Actually, he's got quite a few harmonicas in different keys, most with some kind of button on 'em. (I don't know a thing about harmonicas) When he's playing he can get 'em to sound just like an accordian and he's fast. It's a great sound.
Have harmonica's been used long in ITM?
# Posted on March 15th 2002 by flyinfiddler
Re: Harmonica's
I've seen them a few times too... really neat sound and refreshing to have them in because they're so uncommon. I can't answer your question, though, so I'll shut up now.
# Posted on March 15th 2002 by Kerri Brown
Re: Harmonica's
Actually, the oddest instrument I've seen with ITM was a Diguri, dig, dijj,, dijidy,,, one of them there Austrailian tube things. It was being played by an Irishman named Kevin Carroll who is an incredible bodhran player.
Maybe we should start a new thread to do a survey of the strangest instruments seen being used to play ITM eh?
# Posted on March 15th 2002 by flyinfiddler
Re: Harmonica's
We had a guy come to our session with a didj once. I really liked it. I'd once heard one used on an Australian dance band album with "Hag at the Churn" and it was really eerie and cool sounding. But I was the only one who was ok with it. But then, I was not *too* put off my the Cajun rubboard player who turned up at a different session once. I think my standards are falling, cuz all I could say was "At least he could *keep a beat*!!" And I'd truthfully rather have someone playing a non-trad instrument who can do that than a trad player who can't. I wouldn't admit that to most folks, but this group is very civil and intelligent
# Posted on March 15th 2002 by soft black stars
Re: Harmonica's
Yes Tiny,
Harmonicas have been used in ITM since they've been invented, that one with a button on the side is a Chromatic Harmonica. CCE has them listed on their "Official ITM instruments list", a quick search on Google for Irish Harmonica will yeild a lot of info on the subject. The main problem with the Harmonica in ITM is that it is extremely diatonic - a "D" harmonica is good for the key of "D" & it's modes only. Which is good for about 80% of the time, when the Key changes you have change harmonicas. Also the standard diatonic harmonica is "missing" a couple of notes - well they're not really missing you just need to bend the other notes to get them which doesn't quite sound so nice in ITM. There are other harmonica's with set-up to be fully diatonic. The other big downfall against it is it's quiet compared to the other staples of ITM.
All things considered it's a fun cheap little instrument that has a few limitations but it's well worth the effort. I've heard it used to great effect.
~b
# Posted on March 15th 2002 by Mad Baloney
Re: Harmonica's
A didgeridoo, fiddler. I play one occasionally. It's a great hit in shows. Not something that works *all* the time, but anything that never leaves the key of D sounds great. To completely digress, I was going to pick one up when I was in OZ, but I found Aboriginal women are strictly forbidden to play there. Had a crisis of cultural appropriation. I decided that's a stupid tradition, but out of respect for it, I didn't pick buy one. I play on a bent plastic pipe and it sounds fine. And that is the story of how the harmonica became a part of the Irish tradition. Thank you.
# Posted on March 15th 2002 by Kerri Brown
Re: Harmonica's
It's fun to watch Mark play his harmonicas because he does change pretty regularly as we change tunes. He keeps a couple of harmnicas in his shirt pocket, one or two on the floor, and on a stand. On top of all that he's got his accordian around his neck and one on the floor beside him. He's a wonder to watch when we're blazing through set's.
Didgeridoo! Thanks! What a spelling. As I remember Kevin did make one out of a peice of pvc pipe somehow. It sounded pretty cool.
It is a stupid tradition (Women being forbidden to play) and I admire your respect. I'd have probably bought one out of spite. (That gets me in trouble pretty regularly)
# Posted on March 15th 2002 by flyinfiddler
Re: Harmonica's
Let me start over, stupid tradition was very harsh for me to say. A better wordage would be "I personaly feel it's silly, but hey, that's their tradition"
I apologize for my poor choice of words.
# Posted on March 15th 2002 by flyinfiddler
Re: Harmonica's
I didn't know that harmonica has been played so long in the Irish tradition! I thought it was just a case of trying something new when I heard it mentioned, kind of like Didjeradoo. When I saw the links page and saw it included I was suprised.
I heard from a Native American friend that there's a similair "taboo" regarding the big drums they play in drum circles, at least in some tribes, I guess.
# Posted on March 15th 2002 by soft black stars
Re: Harmonica's
The first time I heard a harmonica played in a "traditional Irish set" was on an Andy Irvine recording. Who am I to argue with one of the masters of ITM? Andy Irvine seems constantly pushing the traditional envelope; I believe he was one of the first to use the bouzouki in Irish music.
# Posted on March 15th 2002 by Charlene
Re: Harmonica's
Jim Malcom of Old Blind Dogs does some very impresive stuff with a harmonica, especially when you see them live and realize that he really is playing both harmonica and guitar at the same time. Usually that comes out with harmonica as sound effect, a la Bob Dylan, but Malcom plays tunes that way. Makes me more than a little bit jealous.
He's on the two most recent OBD records, the post-Benzie era. Good stuff, those.
-jon kiparsky.
# Posted on March 15th 2002 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: Harmonica's
What does OZ mean?
# Posted on March 17th 2002 by linda
Re: Harmonica's
Linda, OZ is slang for Australia.
I am starting a group that will include a harmonica - the bodhran/bones player is a harmonica player (and has a great tenor voice) and I've convinced him that he should play harmonica on slow songs and airs. I met a fiddler at our session who moved here from Seattle to work at the local University. My son will play the mandolin. The name of my band is "Meadowlark". It will be a mix of ITM, American, and Canadian trad, (with some original music of ours). It will be songs and instrumentals. I'll update you on how well the harmonica fits in.
Alice Flynn
# Posted on March 17th 2002 by aliceflynn
Re: Harmonica's
Oh good jaysus!!
Women are NOT forbidden to play Didgeridoo in Australia or anywhere else!!
If any one is interested i can organise some photo's of Women in Arnheim land Playing didgeridoo!!!!
It would seem that the only place didgeridoo playing is forbidden is in ITM sessions!!!
# Posted on July 3rd 2007 by loughnane