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Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast

Pat Missin interview

July 13, 2024 Neil Warren Season 1 Episode 115

Chapters

Pat is originally from Hull in England, but has lived in the US for 24 years now

Pat moved to the US to marry his American wife, who was one of his customers for his custom harmonicas

Pat is renowned for his knowledge of the harmonica

Pat lived near the Buckeye Harmonica festival when he first moved to the US, allowing him to make some good contacts

Buckeye Festival doesn’t happen now, although something similar does

Pat started playing various musical instruments to become a pop star, and the harmonica was the one that stuck

Pat was ill for an extended period during his twenties, when it was easier to play harmonica than other instruments

Learnt some blues guitar from listening to Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley, and heard some harmonica from Dr Feelgood

Heard Little Walter’s Quarter To Twelve on the John Peel show, inspiring him to figure out how to play the harmonica

Pat’s website is a tremendous source of harmonica information, including the evolution of free reed instruments into the harmonica

Sheng is the predecessor of the harmonica, and the other free reed instruments that came before the Sheng

History or free reed instruments has focused on Chinese instruments as they are the best documented, but there were instruments from other countries

Standard history of the harmonica is that it derived from Chinese instruments, turned into the harmonica by Christian Buschmann and taken on by Hohner

The first free reed instrument to be made in the Western world was developed by Christian Gottlieb Kratzenstein: a speaking machine to reproduce sound of voice

How the reeds differ between the Eastern free reed instruments and the modern harmonica

Christian Buschmann is usually credited with inventing the modern form of the harmonica, although this is contentious

There is no documentary evidence, or any diagrams or instruments, for the patent Christian Buschmann is supposed to have been granted for ‘inventing’ the harmonica

The evidence for Buschmann inventing the harmonica is from a book written by his family

Early history of the harmonica in Europe is from Austria, rather than Germany

Early history of European harmonica development in Germany is strongly associated with Hohner and Seydel factories from mid-1800s

Hohner did an excellent job of promoting the harmonica in the US, and probably skewing it’s history in the process

Other claims for nation which invented the modern harmonica come from Great Britain, the US and another German

Gallery section of Pat’s website has various interesting harmonicas showing the many number of patents raised for harmonica designs, many of which were never made

Pat also has a section on early harmonica players recordings, including various firsts, such as first blues, second position, third position and chromatic

First blues harmonica recording is credited to Herbert Leonard, playing on My Doggone Lazy Man by Clara Smith in 1924, just over 100 years ago

Henry Whitter is credited with recording the first song in second position: Rain Crow Bill Blues

First third position recording is credited to Little Walter, playing Lonesome Day with Muddy Waters in 1951

Little Walter may have stumbled across third position after taking up playing the chromatic and why third position wasn’t recorded earlier

First chromatic recording was Hayseed Rag by Borrah Minevitch

Another section on the website is about harmonica tunings, with Pat being one of the first people to share this knowledge and how his website first started

Put some audio samples up of the different tuning schemes, including Just Intonation and Equal Temperament

Pat’s website became a definitive early source for material on tuning schemes and the other information he created

Did lots of harmonica reviews on his website

Has written numerous harmonica articles, including for the NHL’s Harmonica World magazine, and The Blues Revue magazine

Never set out with aim of building such a great harmonica resource through his website, was motivated to gain customers for his customisation business

Was an important part of the UK’s NHL organisation when living in the UK, and probably the longest serving committee member

Last part of NHL activity was as US co-ordinator

Video of Pat playing at the 1999 NHL Ely concert

Has written two songbooks for Harmonic Minor tuning

Wrote another songbook: The Ultimate Miniature Harmonica Tunebook, for the one octave harmonica

The songbooks were partly written based on Pat’s ability to understand how music scores can be translated onto the harmonica

Ocarina players also bought this book as the songs fit well on that instrument, as well as other limited scale instruments

Has written two books on how to play Chinese free reed instruments, the Bawu and Hulusi, which he self-published and have been surprisingly successful

Decided to try self-publishing on a topic non-harmonica related first

Similarities between the Bawu and Hulusi and the harmonica

Next wrote a harmonica book with tunes for the harmonic minor tuning

Driving North is a blues recording from Pat

Likes to use drones as part of harmonica playing, inspired by interest in the sitar

Has made some recent recordings with someone he was in a band with forty four years ago, Andy Welsh

Is mainly retired from playing and recording now, but does a little

Ten minute question

Bohm miniature bass harmonica

Walked around in youth playing harmonica

Play along with a song off the radio or YouTube

Harmonicas of choice is Lee Oskar’s, with many different tunings

Been playing some harmonetta recently

Different tunings: has recorded plenty using natural minor and others

Uses overblows, discovering them for himself

Embouchre: started using pucker, now uses tongue block as well

Amps and mics: not so many amps nowadays, with a Pignose and an old Japanese tube amp

Future plans include more updates to his invaluable website

Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast

Pat Missin interview

Jul 13, 2024 Season 1 Episode 115

Neil Warren

Pat Missin joins me on episode 115.

Pat’s knowledge about the harmonica is unsurpassed, with his website at patmissin.com, a definitive source of information for over twenty years. He gives us an insight into some of this knowledge, starting with how free reed instruments were the predecessor of the harmonica and the questionable history of who actually invented the harmonica as we know it today. We also discuss various harmonica recording firsts, such as the first blues harmonica song recorded, the first second and third position and chromatic recording. Pat was also one of the earlier leading exponents on exploring harmonica tuning schemes and has released some song books for harmonica as well as some on other free reed instruments.

Links:
Website:
https://patmissin.com/

Free reed instrument history:
https://patmissin.com/history/history.html

Harmonica collection:
https://patmissin.com/gallery/gallery.html

Tunings:
https://patmissin.com/tunings/tunings.html

Vintage harmonica recordings:
https://www.patmissin.com/78rpm/78rpm.html

Harmonica reviews:
https://patmissin.com/index1.html

Magazine articles:
https://www.patmissin.com/articles/articles.html

Roger Trobridge’s Harmonica Archivist site:
http://www.the-archivist.co.uk/

Videos:
Pat playing at the NHL festival in 1999:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKOBtWLuV7E

Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
--------------------------------
The Harmonica Company. Use promo code: 'happyhour7'.
Email Jonathan at: sales@theharmonicacompany.com
--------------------------------
Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.com

Support the Show.

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Pat Missin joins me on episode 115.

Pat’s knowledge about the harmonica is unsurpassed, with his website at patmissin.com, a definitive source of information for over twenty years. He gives us an insight into some of this knowledge, starting with how free reed instruments were the predecessor of the harmonica and the questionable history of who actually invented the harmonica as we know it today. We also discuss various harmonica recording firsts, such as the first blues harmonica song recorded, the first second and third position and chromatic recording. Pat was also one of the earlier leading exponents on exploring harmonica tuning schemes and has released some song books for harmonica as well as some on other free reed instruments.

Links:
Website:
https://patmissin.com/

Free reed instrument history:
https://patmissin.com/history/history.html

Harmonica collection:
https://patmissin.com/gallery/gallery.html

Tunings:
https://patmissin.com/tunings/tunings.html

Vintage harmonica recordings:
https://www.patmissin.com/78rpm/78rpm.html

Harmonica reviews:
https://patmissin.com/index1.html

Magazine articles:
https://www.patmissin.com/articles/articles.html

Roger Trobridge’s Harmonica Archivist site:
http://www.the-archivist.co.uk/

Videos:
Pat playing at the NHL festival in 1999:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKOBtWLuV7E

Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
--------------------------------
The Harmonica Company. Use promo code: 'happyhour7'.
Email Jonathan at: sales@theharmonicacompany.com
--------------------------------
Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.com

Support the Show.

Pat is originally from Hull in England, but has lived in the US for 24 years now

Pat moved to the US to marry his American wife, who was one of his customers for his custom harmonicas

Pat is renowned for his knowledge of the harmonica

Pat lived near the Buckeye Harmonica festival when he first moved to the US, allowing him to make some good contacts

Buckeye Festival doesn’t happen now, although something similar does

Pat started playing various musical instruments to become a pop star, and the harmonica was the one that stuck

Pat was ill for an extended period during his twenties, when it was easier to play harmonica than other instruments

Learnt some blues guitar from listening to Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley, and heard some harmonica from Dr Feelgood

Heard Little Walter’s Quarter To Twelve on the John Peel show, inspiring him to figure out how to play the harmonica

Pat’s website is a tremendous source of harmonica information, including the evolution of free reed instruments into the harmonica

Sheng is the predecessor of the harmonica, and the other free reed instruments that came before the Sheng

History or free reed instruments has focused on Chinese instruments as they are the best documented, but there were instruments from other countries

Standard history of the harmonica is that it derived from Chinese instruments, turned into the harmonica by Christian Buschmann and taken on by Hohner

The first free reed instrument to be made in the Western world was developed by Christian Gottlieb Kratzenstein: a speaking machine to reproduce sound of voice

How the reeds differ between the Eastern free reed instruments and the modern harmonica

Christian Buschmann is usually credited with inventing the modern form of the harmonica, although this is contentious

There is no documentary evidence, or any diagrams or instruments, for the patent Christian Buschmann is supposed to have been granted for ‘inventing’ the harmonica

The evidence for Buschmann inventing the harmonica is from a book written by his family

Early history of the harmonica in Europe is from Austria, rather than Germany

Early history of European harmonica development in Germany is strongly associated with Hohner and Seydel factories from mid-1800s

Hohner did an excellent job of promoting the harmonica in the US, and probably skewing it’s history in the process

Other claims for nation which invented the modern harmonica come from Great Britain, the US and another German

Gallery section of Pat’s website has various interesting harmonicas showing the many number of patents raised for harmonica designs, many of which were never made

Pat also has a section on early harmonica players recordings, including various firsts, such as first blues, second position, third position and chromatic

First blues harmonica recording is credited to Herbert Leonard, playing on My Doggone Lazy Man by Clara Smith in 1924, just over 100 years ago

Henry Whitter is credited with recording the first song in second position: Rain Crow Bill Blues

First third position recording is credited to Little Walter, playing Lonesome Day with Muddy Waters in 1951

Little Walter may have stumbled across third position after taking up playing the chromatic and why third position wasn’t recorded earlier

First chromatic recording was Hayseed Rag by Borrah Minevitch

Another section on the website is about harmonica tunings, with Pat being one of the first people to share this knowledge and how his website first started

Put some audio samples up of the different tuning schemes, including Just Intonation and Equal Temperament

Pat’s website became a definitive early source for material on tuning schemes and the other information he created

Did lots of harmonica reviews on his website

Has written numerous harmonica articles, including for the NHL’s Harmonica World magazine, and The Blues Revue magazine

Never set out with aim of building such a great harmonica resource through his website, was motivated to gain customers for his customisation business

Was an important part of the UK’s NHL organisation when living in the UK, and probably the longest serving committee member

Last part of NHL activity was as US co-ordinator

Video of Pat playing at the 1999 NHL Ely concert

Has written two songbooks for Harmonic Minor tuning

Wrote another songbook: The Ultimate Miniature Harmonica Tunebook, for the one octave harmonica

The songbooks were partly written based on Pat’s ability to understand how music scores can be translated onto the harmonica

Ocarina players also bought this book as the songs fit well on that instrument, as well as other limited scale instruments

Has written two books on how to play Chinese free reed instruments, the Bawu and Hulusi, which he self-published and have been surprisingly successful

Decided to try self-publishing on a topic non-harmonica related first

Similarities between the Bawu and Hulusi and the harmonica

Next wrote a harmonica book with tunes for the harmonic minor tuning

Driving North is a blues recording from Pat

Likes to use drones as part of harmonica playing, inspired by interest in the sitar

Has made some recent recordings with someone he was in a band with forty four years ago, Andy Welsh

Is mainly retired from playing and recording now, but does a little

Ten minute question

Bohm miniature bass harmonica

Walked around in youth playing harmonica

Play along with a song off the radio or YouTube

Harmonicas of choice is Lee Oskar’s, with many different tunings

Been playing some harmonetta recently

Different tunings: has recorded plenty using natural minor and others

Uses overblows, discovering them for himself

Embouchre: started using pucker, now uses tongue block as well

Amps and mics: not so many amps nowadays, with a Pignose and an old Japanese tube amp

Future plans include more updates to his invaluable website