RE: [Harp-L] 9 and 10 blow out

["Bill Hines" <billhines4@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

...and...there's always the chance that some foreign substance has lodged in
there somehow (playing after/while eating, etc). But again, since it's two
holes and more than one harp, unlikely.

-----Original Message-----
From: Russ Bradley [mailto:wbradley@xxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 10:15 AM
To: Bill Hines
Cc: TomEHarp@xxxxxxx; harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] 9 and 10 blow out


Two things:
1 - Marine Bands need breaking in.  The reeds on Marine Bands are 
somewhat stiff when new.  A Marine band doesn't achieve its full 
potential until after it's been broken in.  Start off playing them very 
lightly, just scales or something, and gradually increase the air column 
you are pulling through.  After a little bit of this, the reeds start 
becoming more responsive.

2 - You need to use a MUCH lighter touch at the higher end of a 
diatonic.  You can't attack the 9/10 the same way you attack the 1/2.  
You can work on that while you are breaking in the Marine Band.  As you 
draw harder and harder on the Marine Band, notice that as the air column 
gets stronger, there is a point where the 9/10 become less responsive.

Hope this helps,
Russ


Bill Hines wrote: