Re: [Harp-L] Valve Value

[Rick Dempster <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I don't have much time for mucking about with this stuff, but one thing I have done, and liked - when it didn't go bad on me - was half valving draw blow 5 and draw 7. Meant I could still OB hole 5 and  sharpen the draw reed  (as well as OD 7 theoretically, though that one needs a fair bit of tweaking to begin with ) BUT the great attraction to me was being able to get a deeper 'floor' on draw 5 and blow 7. Nothing to do with chromatics (I OB/OD anyhow) but everything to do with tone. Also, you can get B & Bb (sorry - there I go speaking 'C harp - my native language - again) on blow 7 and, depending on the position of the stars on any particular day, E and Eb on draw 5. Both great alternatives to OB/ODs, and great for tonal effect.
RD
>>> Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx> 19/03/12 6:44 AM >>>
Why not selectively valve some reeds ion a diatonic, specifically 2 Draw and 3 Draw?

As Turbodog point out:

1) Valving those reeds would prevent playing overblows in Holes 2 and 3, but

2) You don't need those overblows, as the duplicate other notes anyway (OB2 duplicates Draw 3 bent down 3 smitones, while OB3 duplicates Blow 4)

3) You would gain the ability to bend 2 Blow and 3 Blow down.

So why doesn't everyone put valves on Draw 2 and Draw 3?

1) Apathy. It takes effort and if players haven't done it for the last 190 years, so why start now?

2) If forces you to change your technique. Now you have to *avoid* bending those notes. I had this experience when I first started playing the BX-40, and others have reported it as well. If those notes don't bend, you don't have to wory about bending them. But when thy become bendable, you may find that you bend them without meaning to, and now you have to alter (improve, actually) your technique to avoid bending them when you don't want to.

3) Valving, even half-valving, changes the tonal sound of harmonica reeds and changes their relative volume. In this scenario, the draw reeds will sound (and bend) the same, but the two blow reeds will bel louder than before (due to air not leaking out the draw reeds when you blow) and will also sound fuller tonally, making them the exceptions among all the blow notes on the harmonica.

If you really value the gains (bendable Draw 2nd 3) and are willing to do the work of first adding the valves and then altering your technique and integrating the changed tone and volume of those reeds into you playing, then you have a net gain. But all those same things are a disincentive if you don't value gaining bends on those two notes.

Winslow
 
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________________________________
 From: "Jim, "Turbodog" Antaki, (PhD)" <turbodog@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx 
Sent: Sunday, March 18, 2012 10:51 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] Valve Value
 
Friends,

I've been pondering the merits of wind saver valves on the diatonic harp,
and need to ask what must be a stuipid question. 

Although valves on some reeds may affect bend-ability or over-bend-ability,
it seems that valves on 2D & 3D reeds 
do not suffer these disadvantage. Yet they provide effective reduction of
leakage, hence increase in loudness. So I'm wondering why *everyone* doesnt
use them?  I.e., what is the downside? I'm stumped.

Thanks in advance for solving this imponderable puzzle.

Turbodog.