dave moffat

Wagon Wheel this morning.

This morning it's Ashokan Farewell, which is fair enough as I've been working on it quite a lot recently.

Those tunes that enter your head from nowhere and stick around in there until they become annoying I get one every morning while the first coffee gets to work on my brain. Today's is Belle of Belfast City.

FINALLY!! Hohner CX12 in Eb arrived yesterday (ordered September last year so 7 months, roll on Stranger on the Shore and Moon River in their original key😁. TBH I've already got hold of a Eb Chromonica from somewhere else, prefer the sound of the CX though.

OK bit of a step change from the usual on here. Hopefully the link will work. youtube.com/watch?v=MaCazf36D3k I've been listening to dozens of versions, trying to get it thoroughly into my head and to me this is the best version I've come across. I could listen to this on a loop all day, the acoustics of the venue and feeling the musicians play with raises the hairs on the back of my neck at some points.

Ashokan Farewell, was hunting around for various versions to learn the melody to play on harmonica and found a version with a decent bass line. I seem to be going through a phase for this kind of music at the moment.

Had the time to noodle on my Jabba special today, I just love it started off on major and minor pentatonic and blues scales then just let it flow. Happy time.

Am I still good as it was just a Pinegrove strap for my Jabba short scale? Pinegrove Leather stuff is seriously nice.

Never considered keyed, though tenor can be a bit of a stretch to begin with. I suppose it's a bit like fretting a bass and your hands stretch with time and practice.

I find I prefer the Aulos. I used to play a lot and was quite good I have both the descant and tenor though I don't play as much since I lost the tip of my left thumb which make playing the top notes a bit awkward.

Learned Mike Oldfield's arrangement of "In Dulce Jubilo" for Christmas but caught some kind of bug which caused shortness of breath so never got to record/post it, ah well I'll dust it off again next year.

Thankfully I don't seem to have this issue and we accept each other's hobbies. I think my bass collection is complete with the addition of the shorty from Jabba. Harmonicas on the other hand are bloody limitless once you get into them - different types then all the different tunings (especially the diatonics) but she's very understanding and knowledgeable on music stuff. I was trying to work out a tune yesterday "That's in Eb, and you'll need a chromatic. Do you have an Eb chromatic?". I suspect Eb chromatics are like hobbyhorse poo. On the other hand I have no problems with the daily parcels of posh cosmetics and the mind boggling collection of top end colouring pencils in a truly staggering range of (apparently different) shades.

Still waiting for a cab I ordered and paid for in Oct '21, reckon it doesn't count so I should be good for '22.

Now exploring low keys, 3 Hohner Thunderbirds C,A&G and a Dabell (F)so far. Collection up to 28 and counting. Confident enough to open mic and busk now, when covid permits. mostly diatonics but a full set of Chromatic CX12s as well as a couple of Tremolos. Early New Year ambitions are Stone Fox Chase and Orange Blossom Express.

Sitting waiting to celebrate the end of 2021 with a glass of Talisker.