The Wind Harp

Wind Harp…what’s a Wind Harp? A wind harp is a harmonica.  There are various versions of the standard harmonica you may be familiar with.  I have one called an Echo Harp that is twice the size of a standard harp with four different reed sets.  It needs tuning but most of the reeds still vibrate and the echo chamber produces a magical sound that makes it a bit of a challenge to play, but mystical when tuned accordingly.  I rarely play it, but when I do it is even more of a challenge to avoid the bent reeds.

However, I have a complete set (A-G with a few spares, flats and sharps) of Hohner harmonicas.  I play quite often and my favorites are Hohner Special 20’s.  I carry a Hohner Pro Harp in the key of C everywhere I go.  The C key is special; it is midrange and is the foundation of the musical stanza structure some of you may be familiar with.  Some of the advantages of the harmonica are that it is small, lightweight, and most importantly you can “bend” the note, key or reed inside the harmonica with your breathing and playing techniques to blend the note to satisfy the harmony you desire.  In other words, I often play to songs I’ve never played to or even heard before.  I use a Korg mini-tuner to show me the basic key the song is in and then I select that harp.  While playing I may hit a wrong note but I am usually really close to it, so by “bending” the note or reed I can adjust the sound to accommodate the melody.  Unlike a piano where if you hit the wrong note or key everyone knows, the wind harp gives you the ability to cover your mistakes, so to speak.  Pianos are big and heavy too; I can put my harp in my pocket and hit the trail.  I can find street performers and chime in, or I can play in a band and enjoy the sounds of music.

I have experimented for years with the harmonica, and I have let them collect dust as well.  I have had the pleasure of performing with a couple bands and I have had special moments where I did things with it that surprised me and encouraged me to keep trying new techniques.  I am self- taught although I did take one lesson a few years ago as I was curious how a “traditional” harmonica player does it.  I play by ear and don’t know any songs by heart except “Amazing Grace” and “Mary Had A Little Lamb” and even those I stray from the normal melody.  I guess I play more from memory and feel.  I have heard the song before so I allow my mind to recall it and my spirit to feel it so I can produce a sound that enhances the original track, at least to me and most of the people I’ve played for, or have heard me play.

As I said they collected dust for many years.  Fortunate to survive a time in my life when I lost almost everything I owned, a good friend spared them and my CD collection until such time that I could reclaim them.  Even after being reunited with them I seldom listened to music and didn’t even open up the canvas case the harps were in.  I was married to my current wife for three years before I surprised her one night with some Stevie Ray Vaughn and Steve Miller rips while enjoying my new Denon stereo with Klipsch speakers.  Yeah, I know a little about quality sound too.  Anyway, we were laying in the bedroom where I have that stereo set up and I just got the edge.  We were listening to some of my CD’s and the urge hit me.  So I dug them out of the closet, got back in bed, propped myself up, turned off the lights and played “Pride and Joy”, “Couldn’t Stand the Weather” by SRV, the “Joker” and one of my favorites “In the Wind” by Steve Miller.  She was floored as she had no idea I could play, and after years of not playing it was nowhere near my best, but the old feel was there.  The joy of partaking in musical harmony and the pride of seeing someone else enjoy your efforts can not be under stated.

But in the end my greatest pleasure is going for a walk to see what the Lord puts before me, as the greatest joy is in being part of the sounds of the natural world around you, and I whistle pretty good too.  Have a wonderful day and enjoy the sounds of man and nature, music is often all we have in a world of distractions and cluttered noise.  Find your peace, even if it is the silence of the wind and rustling of the trees.