Blue Trochilus - A Hummingbird Worth Writing Home About - Pete Hogie
Pete Hogie
The JDR Trochilus has certainly made a splash in 2024. It surpassed quality and performance expectations, and put JDR on the global harmonica map. With prominent professionals, teachers, and students now using these harmonicas as part of their regular playing, it seems that the western harmonica community has adopted the Trochilus. Using a tuning identical to the Koch Richter-tuned chromatic, it effectively has an onboard "second harp". And yet, it retains the fundamental character of a blues harp. It gives you:
· Twice as many bends, overblows and overdraws (yes, even on a harp with a slide!)
· Twice as many stable notes (e.g., not bent or overblown).
· All 12 positions are accessible without overblows.
· At least two different ways to play nearly every note.
· 11 additional stable octave splits
However, the question remains: will we figure out how to take advantage of these capabilities? Skilled players have commented to me, "I like it, but I'm not sure what to do with it yet." Below I've compiled a short list of places to start.
[For simplicity, all parts are written for C Trochilus. Up arrows indicate blow, down arrows indicate draw. White arrows indicate the slide being held in.]
1. Move your usual licks to other parts of the harp. The slide will allow you to do so without overblows/overdraws. You can simply move a lick up or down an octave, or you can transpose it to another key. This is one of the most powerful capabilities of the Trochilus. . In the example below, I've transposed the Juke lick so that you could play it in 2nd, 1st or 3rd position. 
2. Play smoother phrases. A harmonica's blow-draw nature imposes subtle limitations on how we phrase the music. Each time we change air direction it creates a subtle break in the phrase. But with the Trochilus, you have more phrasing options because you can use the slide to avoid changing breath direction. This gives you more control over the phrase for every genre of music, whether it is blues, jazz, or classical.
As an example: In Mozart Symphony Number 40, with a C Trochilus, the slide can be used to ensure slurred notes are played with the same breath direction.
3. Find and use symmetrical bends. In several places, the slide lets you use the same type of bend on two adjacent scale notes. In the example melody below, you can "scoop" the draw 6 (slide-in) by hitting the note bent, then releasing. The exact same type of bend can be played by scooping the draw 6 (slide-out). This can also be done with draw 4 (slide-in) and draw 4 (slide-out). This is both even and expressive. 
4. Choose stability when needed, expression when desired. Most of this harp's notes can be played either stable (e.g., no bend/overblow required) or expressive (e.g., bent/overbent). You get to choose. Stable is perfect for unison lines with other instruments. Expressive is perfect for notes that need some spin.
In the example below from Nirvana's version of "Man Who Stole the World", the electric guitar uses slick hammer-on to slur between a G# and an A. With the trochilus, you can use the slide to access a half-step bend that can expressively emphasize that guitar part:
You can even base your decision on tone: For example, draw 5 on a blues harp can sound odd if you bend it. But if played as a blow 5 (slide-in), you can play the same note, but have the superior tone of a blow 5 note (including its gentle quarter-tone blow bend!)
5. Decorate with Ornaments. Having a slide means you can play slide-based ornaments, like chromatic players. In the example below, a common trill is played by starting with the target note slide-in and then rapidly working the slide. Note: the tab is written as it is played. Absent the trill, E is simply played as a 2 blow.
Another classic example is the type of slide ornaments famously used by Filip Jers and Shane Sager. Play the target note, push in the slide and then immediately let go. This can also be reversed (e.g., let go of the slide and then immediately push in). 
6. Use simple enclosures and approach tones. An enclosure is when you have a target note, but precede it with two adjacent notes on either side. Additionally, you can use the slide to simplify the use of chromatic approach tones (e.g., identify a target note. Right before you play it, play a note that is a half-step higher or lower). 
7. Practice intonation. As mentioned above, nearly every note on this harmonica can be played either stable or bent/overblown. To practice intonation, simply play the stable version, then the bent version, and adjust the bend until it matches the note you previously played. A few examples:
8. Practice scales. Scales are a fundamental aspect of playing an instrument, and part of every beginner's journey. But on the harmonica, the need for overblows makes playing scales an expert-level skill for all but a few scales and modes. Using the slide, players who can accurately bend will be able to play both major and minor scales in all keys, no overblows needed.
While the above list can get you started, the Trochilus has many more capabilities. If you'd like a detailed guide 80-page guide, including history, note maps, all common scales, and detailed guidance for each position, get a copy of my book Double Blues Harps: 10-Hole Richter-Tuned Slide Diatonics & How to Use Them, which is available in the west, Japan, and other countries serviced by Amazon marketplaces. Additional guides for beginning/intermediate players are also in the works!