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Author Topic: From quint to half step...  (Read 2736 times)

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Ollie

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From quint to half step...
« on: December 18, 2009, 01:51:22 PM »

I'm looking at getting a half step box at some point (looking at C/C# at the moment), but I'm not sure which is the best system to get, considering I'm moving from a D/G box. I like to play music with a bit of a punch to it, not all buttery smooth; does the system make a difference? Any advice is welcome. Thanks in advance  (:)
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Owen Woods

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Re: From quint to half step...
« Reply #1 on: December 18, 2009, 01:58:02 PM »

Well if I were going to try a half step I would go for C#D. As it is I'm learning (slowly) BCC# and DD# chromatic harmonica.

The main difference between the systems is whether the outside or inside row is the "home row". So with BC and C#D it is the outside row, with CC# and DD# it is the inside row. Then there is the matter of how nice the main keys are to play with each system.

I'll leave people who know what they're talking about to expand on that though :P
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Theo

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Re: From quint to half step...
« Reply #2 on: December 18, 2009, 02:04:28 PM »

The main difference between the systems is whether the outside or inside row is the "home row". So with BC and C#D it is the outside row,

I thought it was the other way round?
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Stiamh

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Re: From quint to half step...
« Reply #3 on: December 18, 2009, 02:29:29 PM »

« Last Edit: December 18, 2009, 02:34:21 PM by Steve Jones »
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HallelujahAl

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Re: From quint to half step...
« Reply #4 on: December 18, 2009, 03:45:16 PM »

Quote

Totally agree - but it does make playing in Ab major a doddle!
 ;D
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Andrel

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Re: From quint to half step...
« Reply #5 on: December 18, 2009, 04:55:34 PM »

 If you come across a D/C#, I'd say go for it. I play one myself, and I find that having the home key on the outside row is extremely beneficial. I went from B/C to C#/D, then D/C#, and I'm very happy with my choice. The triplets are very crisp, and the outside row provides you with a freedom of finger movement that the inside row can't offer...And reaching in from the outside is no trouble at all with a little practice. Stay away from C/C#, I agree. You can dabble with it later on, but you should learn on either B/C or C#/D or (best, D/C#).
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Owen Woods

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Re: From quint to half step...
« Reply #6 on: December 18, 2009, 05:03:41 PM »

The main difference between the systems is whether the outside or inside row is the "home row". So with BC and C#D it is the outside row,

I thought it was the other way round?

*sigh* Yeah, this is why one should proofread all posts. :|bl

I hadn't heard of DC#. Would it be possible to swap reedblocks from a C#D or it would it depend too much on the box in question? I presume that you could always rewax if you couldn't swap.
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TomB-R

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Re: From quint to half step...
« Reply #7 on: December 18, 2009, 05:33:52 PM »

I hadn't heard of DC#. Would it be possible to swap reedblocks from a C#D or it would it depend too much on the box in question? I presume that you could always rewax if you couldn't swap.

Generally no swap without surgery. It's that pesky "different number of buttons in the row" thing!

Move the reeds around, fine - then replace, retune or ignore the left-over/missing ones.
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TomB-R

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Re: From quint to half step...
« Reply #8 on: December 18, 2009, 05:40:35 PM »

Going back to Ollie's original question, and without getting bogged-down in the recent transposing thread,
I'd suggest the thing to do is to get your hands on any half-step box that you can borrow, look up the keyboard layouts, and try it out on tunes you know in your normal keys as if it was a B/C, C#/D (or D/D# of course  ;D) and see how you go! (Doesn't help with D/C# of course.)

Once you know which you like, you'll then need a box in the "right" key so that your notes come out the same as everyone else's!!!

Are you mainly a cross-row or up-and-down-the-row D/G player, Ollie?

[Edit for clarity, I hope!]
« Last Edit: December 18, 2009, 05:43:25 PM by TomB-R »
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Ollie

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Re: From quint to half step...
« Reply #9 on: December 18, 2009, 05:52:58 PM »

Erm, a bit of both really. I don't have any problem with cross-row playing (I also play piano, so I'm used to it) I just prefer the sound of up and down the row playing for English music.

I can see where people are coming from on the D/C# front, but I actually prefer playing on the inside row, so I may try a C#/D. Currently got my eye on an old Hohner C/C# on fleaBay (please, no one else bid on this!!!!) so will need to get it converted.
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Owen Woods

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