Re: Tone (was: Harp Experience & Lessons)

["Eliot Williams" <WILLIAMS@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> From:          sawyer@xxxxxxx

> What interests me is to understand the factors that determine the
> *tone*, or timbre, of an individual note.  This is a matter of the
> distribution of overtones that comprise the note.  Sugar Blue is
> quoted in Mississippi Saxophone as saying "tone is all in the hands".
> Others say it's in the embouchure, while the compulsive quest for gear
> is often just an expression of lust for a certain profile of
> overtones.  So, we have hands, mouth, and gear.

Am I correct in assuming that the more of your hands you have
around and in front of your harp, the more you dampen the high
frequency overtones?  And that cupping the harp in your hands thus
helps to create the "FAT" tone that Charlie refers to?

Speaking of hands, I recently saw a great video called "Sweet Home
Chicago" which contained a clip (the only one I've ever seen) of
Sonny Boy II playing the harp.  That man had two of the biggest hands
I've ever seen!  I assume he was playing a Marine Band but in his
hands it looked like a Little Lady!  EW

Eliot C. Williams
University of Wisconsin Medical School
ecwillms@xxxxxxxxxxxxx