John Broecker
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« on: August 12, 2009, 02:04:54 pm » |
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Hello, Dave.
A Polyphonia #7 by Hohner is an antique slideless chromatic harmonica. It's a very useful "glissando" harp, and is blow only, with a range starting at D below the bass clef, and ending at the D above middle C. It measures approx. 10-3/8ths inches from low note to high note.
Production of the Polyphonias (#5, 6 and 7) was stopped sometime in the early-mid 1970s. The Polyphonia #4 (Vineta) is still sold today, but it's a 6-chord harp, not a glissando harp. The Polyphonia #8 was a 3-deck chord harp, blow only, with 12 major, 12 minor and 12 dominant 7th chords, discontinued around 1950 (?) a guess.
It's super easy to play glissandi on a glissando harp. A glissando is a rapid chromatic note progression, up or down on the harmonica or other musical instrument (C-C#-D-D#, etc.).
Playing melodies on the Poly #7 are also possible with practice. So are arpeggios, but it takes a lot of practice.
"Cluster" chords are easy. If you play a slide chromatic, try pressing the slide button half way in, then blow or draw multi-tones together. That is a "cluster"chord," not very practical in most music. That's the same effect if you play multi-tones on the Poly #7.
John Broecker
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