Strap-on... harp holder!

Here's a semi-interesting factoid: before I started playing in Second Life around the end of 2006, I'd never spent significant time playing the harmonica. I knew the basics of how it worked, but I never owned a blues harp of my own, and God knows you don't want to be putting someone else's harp in your mouth unless you're already intimately acquainted with the person... trust me on this.

However, two things led me toward playing the harp. First and foremost, I'd been a long-time fan of both Bob Dylan and Neil Young, two guys known for accentuating their performances with harmonica. Second, I found that performing as a solo artist after years of playing in bands left me wanting for more accompaniment than I could do with my guitar and voice alone. You can't play a guitar solo while also doing the rhythm guitar part, or at least not very well. But with a harmonica (note that I use the words "harmonica" and "harp" interchangeably... they mean the same thing), I could do a verse or two, and then play a solo with an entirely different instrument, for variety and fun.

All that is why in Spring 2007, I ordered a set of Hohner Special 20 Marine Band harps. I found them easy to learn. They came in each diatonic key (A, B, C, D, E, F and G), and it didn't take long to figure out the appropriate times to blow and suck (no comments, you perverts). What allowed me to play harp and guitar at the same time was an ingenious little device called a harmonica neck holder. It allows you to keep a harmonica near your mouth while both hands are free to continue playing guitar. It's made out of metal, and has a plastic coating on the portion that touches your neck. They're pretty cheap; Guitar Center sells them for 17.99. Having the neck holder allow me to perform my own songs that have harp on them (like "Falling Down"), as well as covers including "Heart of Gold" and "Tangled Up in Blue".

My song "Falling Down", the first Zak Claxton tune with a harp solo (starts at about 1:15).

Since the act of putting this device on requires you to strap it around your neck, I started referring to it as my "strap on", enjoying the sexual connotations it implied in my typical immature way. So, for the past four years or so, my fans know what to expect when I mention that I'm "grabbing the strap-on". However, what they might not know is what this object actually looks like, and how it works. Allow me to tell you now... or better yet, show you!

Step 1: Get out the harp you need, and the holder.

Step 2: The holder uses a spring to keep the harp in place between two metal bars. Pry them apart and insert the harp. Be careful that it's fully seated in place; you don't want to be shooting your harp at your audience like a projectile.

Step 3: Position the harp so that it's centered in the holder. Try and avoid the mistake that rookies make, which is inserting the harp upside down. If you do that, you will find that higher notes go lower and vice versa. Chances are you won't make this mistake twice. Correctly done, the key of the harp (imprinted in a corner) will end up on the top right side.

Step 4: The holder has a little wingnut that you use to loosen or tighten the hinge. Loosen it to put it over your head easily; tighten it when you get it there to keep it in place. Word to the wise: it takes awhile before you start to automatically find that perfect spot where the harp is close enough to your mouth to use it when you need it, yet far enough away to sing without it impeding your vocals. Play around with it and see what's right for you.

Step 5: That's it. Now both of your hands can be used for guitar playing, nose picking, self pleasuring, cake baking, or whatever else you plan on doing while playing harmonica.