Harmonica and Fiddle Information - "Orange Blossom Special" ♪♫

Have you ever wondered where the Harmonica came from? How does a Harmonica work and how are they constructed? What types of Harmonicas are there? What is the difference between a Violin and a Fiddle? Where did the term "Oh, Fiddlesticks!" come from? These questions are all answered in this video. As an added bonus there are some interesting photos of Harmonicas and few fiddle pix to go with yer fiddlestix. The show is set to music made by what other than Fiddle and Harmonica.

Mike Stevens is the Harmonica player in the background music and he offers the MP3 for free from his website at:
http://www.mikestevensmusic.com/about/

Mike Stevens

Hailed as an innovative musician and author, this artist transcends the perceived limitations of the instrument in virtually every musical genre. His aggressive soulful approach to the harmonica takes audiences on an incredible journey. Best known for his groundbreaking work in the bluegrass field with legendary Grand Ole Opry members "Jim & Jesse" (with whom he has performed on The Grand Ole Opry over 300 times); the artist was able to create an original, much sought after and often copied, style of playing the harmonica.

Mike hails from Canada, and has won the "Entertainer of the Year" at the Central Canadian bluegrass awards 5 consecutive years. After 5 years, he was retired in this category. To his credit he adds many other accolades, including "Best Selling Album of the Year" in 1992 for his recording on the Pinecastle label - Blowin Up a Storm; "Album of the Year" 1990 for "Harmonica"; and in 1994 he was made a "Kentucky Colonel" for his accomplishments in bluegrass music.

In 1998 the master instrumentalist and composer gained new fans with the release of the recording entitled "Normally Anomaly". This recording is a blend of musical influences that begins with a base of bluegrass; adds a healthy dose of Son House; equal parts of Gamelan music and Middle-Eastern rhythms and is often performed live, solo and with no samples or synthesizers.

This musical versatility enables Mike to perform in many different situations. His performance schedule includes bluegrass dates with, "Jim & Jesse", "The Lewis Family"; "The McLains" as well as selected dates with other bluegrass bands. He performs solo harmonica concerts combining his musical influences, as well as selected dates as a duo with Raymond McLain. In addition he books shows as "The Mike Stevens Project" - a group of musicians that perform original rocking blues based music. Mike can also be booked as a "hired gun" to perform in various musical situations.

To see him do this live check out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOK0126SIsY

For more Harmonica history and trivia:
http://www.ksanti.net/free-reed/essays/mouthful.html

Enjoy :-)
Quinoacat

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Harmonica
• Fiddle
• Violin
• Country
• Bluegrass
• ethnic
• folk
• facts
• music
• trivia
• history
• Orange
• Blosom
• Special
• Mike
• Stevens

[quinoacat]

Since the Majority approve of this video and have rated it 4.5 thus far, I tell all who don't like it to get a life and get over yourself. Damn, perfectionists and whiners make me want to sharpen my sword to go hunting for some anal retentive types to slice and dice.

[quinoacat]

Please remember I made this video back in Feb. 2k8 just for the fun and practice....I have learned a vast amount of stuff about the Harmonica since then as I was only getting started and this was a way for me to study the wiki and it resulted in comments about the information that has proved interesting and expounded a touch on the accuracy of the info presented here. I got a bit annoyed at times and Lee (Fiddlin55) and I exchanged a few heated messages as a result...

[Fidlin55]

Uh, guys, first, very rarely does any player tune a violin differently to make it a "fiddle". All the known fiddle players tune them standard EADG. Generally, fiddle players like to use steel core strings, while classical style players like nylon core strings. Only difference between a fiddle and a violin is who's playin' it.

Second, while it's possible to play in "any key" on a chromatic harmonica, that's not what they are designed for, they still make them in all keys. The...

[Fidlin55]

I know, Hohner doesn't make one in that key.

[quinoacat]

My high G is a Bushman Delta Frost...

[quinoacat]

I would like to thank you for your expert comments and helping me to keep this video in better perspective...it's only a video...I oddly have some sentiment for it because it marks a time I began serious study of the Harmonica....I am not ordinarily so sentimental but I have a deep love for Harmonica. The Harmonica renewed my purpose in life at a critical turning point.

[harpfelt]

hi mark, this one has just blown my mind all over again, i was going to do a video response, but no way im up to that, great upload, peace and love brother.

[saugace1]

trop trop au top jadoreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee­eeeeeeeee

[spartacusvikinga]

Very informative and enjoyable. I always approve comments from You Tubers before posting on my site. Some of the comments they leave are so pathetic, it is clear that most have an empty head. When you click onto their You Tube account it is usually empty too with very little or no content. I don't mind constructive criticsism but I will never reply to the doughnuts, and will quite happily block them. Half the time their goal in life is to wind you up. Keep up the excellent work.

[OldAndNewSongs]

funny and informative at the same time :)

I love harmonica sound... T.L.

[stevesprinceofsteaks]

You obviously know a lot more about the history of the harmonica than the fiddle. Pretty interesting. Played harp until I saved enough to get my 1st axe and never looked back. Still enjoy hearing someone good like you on one. But you know how stuck up us fiddlers are. LOL

[jugmongers]

Howdy! Boy that thar's a great rendition of great fiddle song! Thank you kindly for puttin' this up! All the best - Judd Jugmonger

[Fidlin55]

we can do great things, even in our own little worlds, and our own little communities.

Gotta run.

[Fidlin55]

Thanks for the kind words, but I'm no expert :) . I just happen to have a little experience with a fiddle, and I like to talk to players of all instruments - I've learned things from them, all musicians have something for me to learn, and hopefully I've helped them in some way. Music is a great thing, it covers so many areas in life - gives pleasure to people, breeds friendships between musicians and other artists, gives people hope, puts good vibrations into the universe. If you keep...