S-T-R-E-T-C-H HARPS : Mashing up Two Harmonicas to Make One! - TECH TUESDAY #6 - Brendan Power

I was hacking harmonicas from my first playing years in the late 1970's. I started making 11-hole harps by cutting up and combining two of the recently-released Hohner Special 20 model; I called them 'Stretch Harps'. Later I moved on to making 12-hole, 13-hole, 14-hole - and even 16-hole Stretch Harps! This video explains the method behind the madness....
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THEME MUSIC IS FROM THIS ALBUM:
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MORE STRETCH HARP INFO HERE:
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TECH TUESDAY PAGE:
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DISCUSSION OF THIS IDEA ON MY FORUM:
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[@JeromeGodboo1]

I love that you’ve shared your past history and the development of your ideas. Fascinating to get to know more about your life and ways of thinking.

[@BrendanPowerMusic]

Thanks Jerome! Likewise, I really dig your unique take on harp playing and performance, and appreciate your open-minded attitude to alternative tunings etc. I still use those mic-stand trays from our time together in Canada! Hope we meet up again before too long ☺️

[@RAkers-tu1ey]

It is astonishing how little of this I knew before. So much of your invention was completely uncredited by people I followed in the early to mid 2000's. I own several harps in your special tunings, and one of your lucky 13's, and they are a joy to play - even poorly. Thanks for all your effort, and thanks for this series.

[@BrendanPowerMusic]

Much appreciated, glad you're enjoying the videos 🙂

[@FilipJersMusic]

Wow, already in 1980 you sounded just like yourself. Lovely to hear this.

[@BrendanPowerMusic]

Haha... Thanks Filip - although it could indicate a sad lack of development! One thing I noticed was that I was using hand tremolo in those days (that cowboy fireside sound), not proper vibrato. So at least that changed.

[@FilipJersMusic]

@@BrendanPowerMusic it sounded a bit like McCoy but I could hear that it was Mr Power when I recognized your articulation and very personal tone. 🎶👌🎶

[@Muzikman127]

@@BrendanPowerMusic nothing wrong with that sound when it's called for! :) Happen to think it's quite appropriate for some the melodies in that there first ever recording session, I'd say you earned your money! 😁

[@James-hs3tu]

Love watching these videos And the little snipts. When B.P. plays.

[@nacoran]

Magnus had an end by end double harp. I've seen a couple other ones like it... someone posted pics of one on Reddit the other day. I never permanently assembled it, and it's a bit awkward to play, but I've built temporary stacked harps. For a double you take three combs, and take the top cover off the bottom one, and the bottom cover off the top one. You put the third comb in between the two harps backwards, and, viola, you have a stack harp. I couldn't find thin enough screws that were long enough to really get crazy with it, but I contemplated making a 12 key stack that way. It starts to look a bit like a washboard. Custom combs for in between would help a bit, since you are limited a bit in how deep you can get the harmonica in your mouth. Just beveling the in back of the in between ones in a bit would help a lot. I can't think of any practical purpose the harp would serve, but I've got one reel I wrote where I use three keys, going up after each take through the song and speeding up. A taller one would be mostly a novelty, but sometimes that's all you need to entertain the audience. :0

[@BrendanPowerMusic]

Asian players are very good at playing 2-3 tremolo harps at once, with seamless transitions between them. They use a clever oblique sliding system. I filmed it when I was in Taiwan and put a video up: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oIOuaqKPZsufe9E

[@JokerJim23]

Hey Brendan, hope your good. Well I think your a "Genius Harmonica Player/Inventor"👍. I have a "Lucky 13" which I love. Really satisfying to sit in that bottom end and just Chug. So just wanted to say , thanks 🙏👍. Greetings from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿👋👏

[@hgordon999]

I discovered Chrlie McCoy,,when He played on Steve Miller's #5 album,and loved (and copied)his licks,,,,thank you for all the great harps and tech info

[@BrendanPowerMusic]

Charlie McCoy was a real innovator, and hugely talented in many areas of music besides harmonica.

[@SandyWeltman]

Great stories Brendan. I had no idea you had started out playing with a country band/recording. Who holds the Guinness record for the longest stretch harp...lol... Great to hear you talking about this stuff.

[@BrendanPowerMusic]

Thanks Sandy! Like yourself I've played many different styles over the years, and still enjoy all of them 🙂

[@harmonicamanrandy]

Awesome video. Thanks

[@stevejohnson9717]

Cool! I have several old Hohner Goliath harps that I'd like to "stretch" into something unique! Thanks!

[@BrendanPowerMusic]

Great 👍 I hope the resulting whole is greater than the sum of the parts 😅

[@wheelharp]

Amazing video! You always was amazing musician and inventor

[@BrendanPowerMusic]

Thanks Konstantin! I love what you do too 🙂

[@MrSupersidewinder]

Very cool🎶🎵🤠👍

[@teliph3U]

I always asked myself how you connected the cover pieces. It seems when these parts are readily available, buying them is the best way. But one could probably weld them. Do you know which stock cover plates are the widest? What is the influence on the sound? Would it perhaps sound brighter? I've been playing the Lucky 13 in diminished tuning for over a year now and to be honest I don't want to play any other tuning or format, except a bigger one of course. So, I might as well try out your idea and add some additional reeds. I just have to figure which reed plates are best suited for the least amount of retuning.

[@BrendanPowerMusic]

The Lucky 13 is long enough I think 👍

[@stonestone-cy5gj]

Great stuff. Just want to go back to last week. I believe that you should stick with your power brandind. Power slider sounds excellent to me.

[@RAkers-tu1ey]

I am obsessed with the notion that I can modify a Koch chromatic so I can get Low E tuning and bend all of the notes for that soulful sound. I am having a heck of a time with combs buzzing. Meanwhile, I can just play your stuff!

[@dannymccambridge7746]

Hi Brendan. I have adjusted a few musical instruments. I found your video really interesting. I want to play in Irish music sessions in the keys of g and d also backing myself using guitar Playing slower tunes isn't a problem but for faster jigs and reels I prefer first position. Can I combine 2 blues harps with paddy richter tuning to achieve this. My suzuki d harp seems a little high pitched. Should I be using low d. I have an Easttop g harp paddy richter which I could combine with a d harp. Any ideas which holes to cut off. Thanks Danny

[@BrendanPowerMusic]

Irish tunes don't generally rise above the highest note in 1st position on the fiddle, which is B5. That's in hole 8 of your G harp, so you could lose holes 9 & 10. In the key of D, ideally you want to be able to drop to the A3 note, as it will often be included in the tune. That's the 2 draw in a Low D Paddy Richter harp, so you could lose hole 1 on it. Combine the two in a Stretch Harp and it would be 17 holes... You're probably better off getting the type of rack that can accommodate two harps.

[@dannymccambridge7746]

Thanks Brendan I made an enclosure to hold 2 harps, one below the other.. It is very strong and holds the harps ok. I like to tinker so I will try a mash up sometime. Thanks again for your info. Danny

[@sandiegobill3077]

question? to clarify: The 13 hole has the Bluesmaster G harp (bottom 3 reeds/comb) added at the low end of the Suzuki C harp ? and that is what is in the Lucky 13 Bass harp exactly? also.. thanks for sharing! love that NZ country girl singer!

[@BrendanPowerMusic]

The 13-hole Stretch Harp in the video has a Bluesmaster comb part added, but the reeds are from a Hohner Thunderbird in Low C.

[@fbarretto9934]

thanks brendan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[@MST339]

Harps with easily swappable *discrete* reedplates would be fun.

[@BrendanPowerMusic]

If you meant modular reedplates with single reeds, do a search on Brendan Power Modular-Reed Harmonica 🙂

[@MST339]

Yeah! You know, I always fancy the harp--that with peddles or levers. That one could set up readily whatever strange scales in advance (or on-the-fly? would be too much of asking for harmonicas) before playing.

[@JeromeGodboo1]

I’m really interested in a Lucky 13 extra reed harmonica. I hate to be selfish but I destroyed the one that you made for me and I’m hoping to buy some more of them when they become available from a manufacturer. I’m hoping that you be inspired to get it out there in the future world. I’ll be waiting 😅

[@slipbeat]

Drawing reeds and blowing minds!