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Author Topic: Hi from Pune, India  (Read 838 times)

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Offline elexhobby

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Hi from Pune, India
« on: July 08, 2012, 03:39:07 AM »
Hi,

I'm Sumeet, from Pune, a city about 200kms from Mumbai. I'm 26, an electrical engineer by profession.

I recently got interested in learning an instrument, and decided to take up the harmonica - its portability attracts me. I have no prior music training, so I contacted a local teacher/hobbyist, who was glad to teach me. I've been practicing for about a month now. Since Indian movie songs are mostly melody-based, he suggested I start with the Chromatic. I purchased the Swan 1248 harmonica, and at this stage I am fairly comfortable playing basic notes as well as permutation sequences (CDEF-DEFG-EFGA-....) . I also worked on a couple of nursery rhymes (Are you sleeping, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star).

I then moved on to the following tune: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEQ-jwh-JO0 - its a popular tune here, and it feels nice to play before friends a tune they recognize. I must admit I can't generate the vibration effects as cleanly.

Finding this forum was like discovering a treasure house. Its vastness is overwhelming at times. I was overjoyed, and at the same time, deeply humbled. I currently practice a song a week from the SlideMeister Chromatic Tabs list pdf.

I would be glad to hear from you experts regarding what and how to practice, as well as pointers to resources. I'd purchased Yerxa's book long ago, but now I realize its more about the diatonic.

Nice to meet you all,
Sumeet.

PS: I'll be moving to UW-Madison for my Masters in August, hope to meet members if any.
« Last Edit: July 09, 2012, 08:09:40 PM by A.J.Fedor »
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Online iowaplayer

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Re: Hi from Pune, India
« Reply #1 on: July 08, 2012, 06:08:00 AM »
welcome sumeet!

here you'll find a really really neat group of harmonica folks, who are just a lot of fun to talk to.  i'm glad you've joined us on your chromatic harmonica journey!

iowaplayer
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Offline wolfman

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Re: Hi from Pune, India
« Reply #2 on: July 08, 2012, 06:36:26 AM »


     Welcome,nice to have you on SLIDEMEISTERS,sumeet.
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Offline A.J.Fedor

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Re: Hi from Pune, India
« Reply #3 on: July 08, 2012, 01:51:37 PM »
Welcome!
Make yourself at home!
SlideMeister
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Offline Grizzly

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Re: Hi from Pune, India
« Reply #4 on: July 08, 2012, 03:16:28 PM »
My wife was in school at Kodaikanal School in the '60s. Her dad was a teacher at the theological college in Poona. Welcome!

Tom
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Offline darius_engineer

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Re: Hi from Pune, India
« Reply #5 on: July 08, 2012, 10:23:18 PM »
Finally another guy from India signs up but sadly he's moving to USA. Hope to talk to you soon. Send me a message on my personal e-mail and we can catch up as I travel to Pune from  Mumbai every month.

Darius
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Offline elexhobby

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Re: Hi from Pune, India
« Reply #6 on: July 09, 2012, 04:12:01 AM »
Thanks for the pleasant welcome guys!

@wolfman @A.J.Fedor
I realized my spelling mistake (Slidemeister) as soon as I'd posted, but couldn't edit my post. Sorry.
Now I'm curious. Does Slidemeister have a meaning?

@Grizzly
Nice connection. If you plan a trip to Pune, you are always welcome to my place.

@darius_engineer
Great to meet a fellow living close by. I too was slightly disappointed, not many Indians on the forum. I guess the harmonica isn't as popular here as in the west.  Since I'll be moving in August, lets meet when you are in Pune next. I'll drop you an email with my contact details.
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Offline A.J.Fedor

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Re: Hi from Pune, India
« Reply #7 on: July 09, 2012, 08:20:32 PM »
What spelling error? ;)


The "Slide" is the part that sets the Chromatic apart from the rest, and "Meister" is German for "Master"  So, we are a group of  harmonica players who've chosen to strive to "master" the "slide." (At least it made sense to me when I made up the name 12 years ago  ;D )
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Offline Vishnu

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Re: Hi from Pune, India
« Reply #8 on: July 13, 2012, 05:03:41 AM »
welcome Sumeet,

I'm from India too!I'm from Cochin and just started playing the chromatic after fiddling around with a few diatonics.Have fun with your chromatic harmonica and checkout some videos featuring harmonica greats like Larry Adler, Toots Thielmans, Stevie Wonder etc. I draw inspiration from them almost every day!You can also check out some performances by the late harmonica virtuoso from India, Milon Gupta who used to play a lot of hindi film music which i think you would be very much interested in.He used to teach the late R.D Burman who himself used to play harmonica well!
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Offline thebuglleboy

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Re: Hi from Pune, India
« Reply #9 on: July 13, 2012, 07:05:41 PM »
Howdy and welcome Sumeet.  Glad to have you aboard.

TBB
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Offline LJ ATKISON

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Re: Hi from Pune, India
« Reply #10 on: July 13, 2012, 07:13:43 PM »
HI FROM MISSOURI, USA & WELCOME.  THIS IS THE BEST SITE FOR HARMONICA INFO.

LJ
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Offline michael s

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Re: Hi from Pune, India
« Reply #11 on: July 13, 2012, 09:11:56 PM »
Very few chromatic players in Ireland as well! You'll find that this site helps to fill the gap extremely well. Practice every day especially on the days you don't feel like doing it and I guarantee you'll progress rapidly.

Regards,

Michael S
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Offline elexhobby

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Re: Hi from Pune, India
« Reply #12 on: July 19, 2012, 04:06:54 AM »
Thanks Vishnu, TBB, LJ and Michael for making me feel at home already! :)

I'll check out the names you mentioned Vishnu. Thanks.

I have been practicing daily. I can play single notes fairly well, now that I've developed good intuition about the jump needed to move from one hole to any desired hole. I practice songs from Hindi films.

I however have no clue how to play like the guy in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=iAFPFr7ygjU. If I'm not wrong, he's blowing or drawing from multiple holes (and these are called chords?). Is he using any other techniques say bending, tongue blocking, puckering, etc. - these are words I've gleaned off the net, I don't think I precisely understand them. Since I'm not trained, I'm having a hard time figuring out the chords. Is this too advanced for a beginner?
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