[Harp-L] Choking the reeds -- harmful?

[Philharpn@xxxxxxx]

Now that we've got the issue of reed material pretty well in hand, perhaps 
it's time to discuss long lived-reeds. 

Many people remember the old admonition from Hohner on that little paper with 
the harmonica: "Don't choke the reeds. Choking the reeds voids the warranty." 
FYI: Choking is an older term for bending. 

Is there any evidence that "skillful" bending and overblowing damaged reeds 
and shorten the reed life? (Keeping in mind that the opposing reed provides the 
bend, of course.)

 I don't overblow (very much) and have found that bending takes very little 
pressure or wind -- in fact just enough air to fog a mirror usually works for 
me.   

(I tend to think John Popper "blowing out reeds" during a performance extreme 
(not typical); but then I was wrong in '98 too.)

Phil Lloyd


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