Why isn't Chromatic Harmonica more popular?

[Al Kai]

The reason the Chromatic Harmonica is not popular on a large scale is because Chromatic Harmonica players have a high degree of sophistication that the masses lack.

They are just not cool enough to play Chromatic!, there I said it and I feel much better now.  Thank you all for allowing me to share.

[Grizzly]

Jon, my experience pretty much parallels yours, and we're probably not the only two. I played diatonics as a kid. I got a Richter tuned 260 and felt a similar frustration. I got a Chrometta 12 a little later and couldn't get single notes on it. I learned other instruments, still play on some, and after 35 years or so found harmonica again. Although we decry its lack of exposure, this forum goes a long way toward increasing its popularity.

Tom

[Wendellfiddler]

Yeah, well . . .
I'm in the Entertainment Business. The fact that I play music is secondary.
Most people who hear me don't play an instrument. Almost none of them play harmonica.
And harmonica is waaaay easier to play than oboe. It does help if you know the fundamentals of music, though, for sure.
None of my contemporaries play oboe. OK, except for Jon Kip.
I think Chrom is the Dr Pepper of harmonicas--if more people tried it, more people would play it.

I suppose if you stay in C or at least stay within the realm of easy pieces that the chromatic is easier than an oboe.  I've heard that the oboe and the bassoon are quite difficult - so is the flute - to play well.  I play violin in a bunch of different styles and I can play through the realbook on rhythm guitar - I didn't start chromatic until about 10 years ago but I started the violin when I was 30 yrs old as an adult, and I have to say, while yes the chromatic is not as difficult to learn to play as the violin because you don't have as many muscle groups involved in trying to create decent tone or good intonation, it's not easy at all.  After ten years, comparing my progress to where I was on the violin after 10 years, I'd have to say that it's about equal.  I can play some difficult stuff and I can improvise some, but still have many limitations that it took me another ten years on the violin to overcome with some comfort level.  I expected the chromatic to be challenging, but not to this extent.  I have more respect than ever for those who have accomplished  higher levels of mastery than I. 

On another note - at festivals and gigs I find that diatonic players often to want to include me in their harmonica player club.  I find it interesting and a friendly gesture, but since 95% of them play in blues bands and use a different harmonica for every key they play in (which means they only have to learn to play in one key) and few of them read on the harmonica,  I don't  find I have much in common with them - and seldom do they know anything about the chromatic.  My identity is more as a musician than a harmonica player (as I sit here daily practicing on three or four different instruments - the curse of the multi-instrumentalist) - not that there's anything wrong with being a harmonica player. 

Doug

[landztranz]

As I've said before, my son plays oboe professionally so if anyone wants to know anything about the oboe, you can ask me, I mean him -- I don't know anything about it other than the fact that every time I tell people what instrument he plays, they say, "Wow! That's a really hard instrument." OTOH, they usually don't know anything about the chromatic harmonica. They're not even sure WHAT it is, i.e. a harmonica with a button or without a button. Such is our lot...
   

Barry
P.S. On yet another hand, as I've said before, I'm glad my instrument is "unusual."

[Gnarly He Man]

People are less interested in my chrom than the case with 40 brightly colored diatonics.
THAT gets their attention . . .

[A.J.Fedor]

Give us time!

Playing an unusual instrument is great.  What gets more looks driving down the street? A new $65K Corvette, or a Candy apple raspberry, Chopped "32" Ford Roadster, with a full house, chromed out "48" Mercury Flathead?

Just playing a Chromatic, puts us in a "pristine," black, stock 32 Ford Roadster, and playing it well puts us in the one mentioned above. Even the black one will get, will get five times the attention the Vette gets, by all but those with the mental prowess of a Geranium.

FWIW, I'm gunna continue to aim at the attention level of the red one. 

Am I all that good?  Heck no! but I ain't all that bad either! 

@ge

[landztranz]

People are less interested in my chrom than the case with 40 brightly colored diatonics.
THAT gets their attention . . .

40!!! Careful...you could get a hernia!

[Gnarly He Man]

Dude, my guitar weighs more than a case full of diatonics . . .

[Bluesy]

There are many likely reasons for an instrument's popularity or unpopularity, and I think that Gary may have hit on one of the reasons that harmonica is not taken seriously as a legitimate instrument. (for perfectionists, notice I said "one" of the reasons). It is because it is small, light, and pocketable. I mean, how can a musical instrument be serious if it doesn't have a hundred keys, and ligatures, and reeds to fiddle with, strings all over the place that you have to tune, or clumsy to hold, or wires coming out of it like a patient in intensive care?

Bluesy//

[Gnarly He Man]

Tom, good point.
When people see my set of short harps, they can see that I have thought the process through and established a system that enables me to make music using "a toy".
When they hear me play chrom, they understand why I need a case full of diatonics!

[landztranz]

Tom, good point.
When people see my set of short harps, they can see that I have thought the process through and established a system that enables me to make music using "a toy".
When they hear me play chrom, they understand why I need a case full of diatonics!

I'm with you on that, Gary!

Barry (who sure wishes he could play everything on one instrument, i.e. his chromatic!)

[beads]

All acoustic instruments all less popular today. A "band" is now electronic keyboard, electric guitar, electric bass, and drums. Why? With electronic processing you can get many different sounds out of those instruments. You don't need lots of different instruments (and more band members to pay) for a variety of sounds.  Your band can fit on any stage. Travel light.  You can also get lots of volume..... without feedback. Electric instruments are simply more versatile. A keyboard can imitate a harmonica sound, even the bends. Having said all that, I still prefer acoustic instruments.

[Grizzly]

And yet, and yet…I will be participating in a Conducting Institute in a couple of weeks, along with as many as 30 "future and current music educators in the public schools"* conducting band and chorus, at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Music, acoustical music, is alive and well in the US. Music from these two groups is still a Big Thing. (There are jazz ensembles and bands for athletic events too, but that's not the focus here.) A whole band of harmonicas at this time is a thing of the past, at least in the US; incorporating them in a wind ensemble or orchestra in their own section is a long ways off.

Then again, there are other instruments in the same boat: steel drums, hand bells, recorders, who play with their own, but aren't going to make it to Prime Time anytime soon. Popular? Not by the broadest definition. Harmonicas, welcome to the club. Be proud. Promote. Don't expect miracles.

Tom

*For whatever reason, they accepted me as a Participant. When asked for "current position," I wrote, "acting associate conductor of the Blanche Moyse Chorale; substitute music director, All Souls Church." Maybe they figured I could be a future teacher, although my last public school gig was almost 40 years ago. Bottom line: they probably had room for me, and wanted my money.

[McManus]

Grizzly--always follow the money.

[wolfman]

     "....always follow the money"


  Unless the money follows you.

[McManus]

--not in this lifetime, Wolfman.