You are right. Technically, one does not need chromatic harmonicas in different scales. However, the option of other scales is useful to players who are used to playing a song in C scale with a blow and draw pattern to which they are accustomed. If those players are required to play the same song in let us say a G scale, playing it on a C scale chromatic will be troublesome for them due to changed of blow-draw pattern as well as change in use of slider.So it is much easier for such a player to pick up a harmonica in G scale and play it the same way as they are used to. Also, some songs have blow draw patterns which are smooth and sound good in C scale. So if the same song is played in a different scale on the same C scale harmonica, it will potentially lose the effect. So to maintain the same effect, some player would prefer to use a different scale harmonica rather than using the same harmonica. But having said this, use of the C chromatic to play song in any scale is the recommended standard as you can play the sheet music directly. I will try to post something more on this in due course.
Sir you are doing a wonderful job, helping harmonica lovers. My sincere BEST wishes for this mission.
ReplyDeleteIf all scales are possible on a single Chromatic harmonica, why chromatic harmonicas in different scales needed?
ReplyDeleteYou are right. Technically, one does not need chromatic harmonicas in different scales. However, the option of other scales is useful to players who are used to playing a song in C scale with a blow and draw pattern to which they are accustomed. If those players are required to play the same song in let us say a G scale, playing it on a C scale chromatic will be troublesome for them due to changed of blow-draw pattern as well as change in use of slider.So it is much easier for such a player to pick up a harmonica in G scale and play it the same way as they are used to.
DeleteAlso, some songs have blow draw patterns which are smooth and sound good in C scale. So if the same song is played in a different scale on the same C scale harmonica, it will potentially lose the effect. So to maintain the same effect, some player would prefer to use a different scale harmonica rather than using the same harmonica.
But having said this, use of the C chromatic to play song in any scale is the recommended standard as you can play the sheet music directly. I will try to post something more on this in due course.