Re: 3 Hole Draw

[Mike Curtis <wd6ehr@xxxxxxxxxx>]

> 
> 	Harp-l seems to have its seasons. Discussions of gear always
> seem to be in season.  At one time playing techniques got keen
> attention, but lately, it seems, only beginer's playing techniques are
> discussed.  So, rather than bitch to myself about it, here's my
> contribution -- a discussion of a demon that has spooked my own
> playing for years.

This is a good tip for everyone.  If the discussion(s) don't concern your
interest, there's certainly no reason one cannot start a thread of their own. 
While reasonably new to Harp-L, I've been on many internet newsgroups for
years (i.e. rec.radio.amateur.packet, tcpgroup@xxxxxxxx, and other amateur
radio related groups made available via amateur radio packet digital), and
have seen this suggestion made many times.  Some really good discussions have
happened because of this - and it looks like this one will be a good one, too!

<snip>

> 	o  Bending three draw entails shifting sound production from 
> 	   the higher pitched, closing reed to the lower, opening
> 	   reed, a two whole-tone  step in this case.  The rule says 
> 	   that the opening reed will vibrate at a pitch 1/2 tone 
> 	   above its sound as a closing reed. Here we're talking about
> 	   getting the G reed to sound G# (Ab).  By playing my C harp
> 	   in front of a mirror with the reed plates removed I have
> 	   observed that when the 3-draw is bent all the way to Ab
> 	   the B reed is vibrating only slightly and when I stop it
> 	   completely with my finger the Ab pitch of the note remains
> 	   unchanged. 

A little "aside": Although this is absolutely true with standard diatonics,
with fully valved harps (all reeds, like chromatics), only one reed is active
at a time, yet bends are still possible.  While I understand reed interaction
on the former, what mechanism is active on valved harps?  Also, on valved
harps, I've found that ALL reeds are as hard to bend accurately as the 3 draw,
because the bending range is more than "normal".  On partially valved harps
(e.g. Suzuki Promaster valved, or if you valved your own using the bottom 6
and top 4), only the unvalved reeds (the lower one in the hole) are thusly
affected.

I would guess this is why many players don't like windsavers on diatonics :-(
I didn't like them at first, either, but the potential of playing all possible
notes on a diatonic made it worth any effort.

> 	o  Getting the full bend down to Ab is not difficult, but it's
> 	   useless. How often do you want this note, except, perhaps,
> 	   as a passing tone enroute to an A?
> 	I believe that to get either of these intermediate pitches, Bb
> or A, you must keep the closing B reed moving, and I'm guessing that
> you get the Bb by slowing the frequency of the B without getting the
> other reed (the G) involved. The A must be produced by a combination
> of the two reeds; it's harder than the Ab but not daunting.  The Bb's
> a bitch.  The required mouth position is almost as hard to find as an
> overblow.  And what works in one key harp won't work on another.

What I find works best for 3 draw semitone and whole tone bending is what I
call a "relaxed bend".  I don't try "as hard" to bend it.  the tongue position
is slightly alterd from normal playing, rather than the much more significant
alteration normally used for bending. 

While I've been bending that reed for many years and it's second nature to me,
many of my students are near-hysterical trying to master it.  I'm saving your
article to share with them.

Lee Oskars "Melody Maker" tuning overcomes this by tuning that "offending" G
reed up to an A.  For those who consider the Ab to be "worthless", file a
little off the free end of the 3 blow reed and you've fixed this problem - but
now, your "blow" chord is a C-6th!  (The Melody Maker also tunes all F reeds
to F#, which is another nice touch for benders - you can easily hit the F#
"bent" for true C scales with a little practice.) 

Up until recently, I played almost exclusively harmonica instrumentals. (I
still do harmonica on almost every song I play - LOTS of harmonica!) When you
play 5 or 6 hours a night, you learn to make the most of your energy.  I've
noticed that, for many harmonicists, a lot of energy and effort is put into
bending.  I don't do this - I'm a very "relaxed" player, as far as my mouth
and tongue go.  I try to teach this to students, but many of them have
trouble getting it.  Bending is difficult for many, and they learn by
"forcing" their mouth, etc., into "the position".  It's hard for them to let
it go, but for good pitch and tone, it's necesssary.  I also think "easier"
bends make the harp last longer.  I used to go through a C marine band every
night before I got wise to "relaxed" playing.

(Another way to make harps last longer is to break them in gradually.  Play
the first half hour really gently, with as few bends as possible.  My favorite
way to break them in is to drive on the freeway at 40 or more.  Roll down the
window and let the wind "play" the harp for about 5 or 10 minutes a side. 
Really gets you some attention while driving, too :-)

> 	The dominant characteristic of the mouth position of any bend
> is the length of the air chamber formed in your mouth.  With two whole
> tones separating the two reeds almost any attenuation of the air
> chamber dampens the closing B reed drastically while activating the
> opening G reed.  Pop!  Ab. Damn! Constrast this with 2 draw bend,
> where G is the closing draw reed and the E reed in the same hole is
> the opening reed, a step of 1 1/2 tone, and, 4 draw bend, a one
> whole-tone step from D to C.  A two whole-tone gap is just too wide to
> allow for an easy, smooth continuum from closing reed, through closing
> and opening reed *together*, to opening reed sound production. One
> experienced harp player told me "It took me 20 years of playing before
> I could hit and hold a Bb consistently on C cross harp." 

As much as we beat this horse, it is STILL underrated and underdiscussed. 
Getting good sound from the harmonica depends on you - PHYSICALLY.  YOUR
mouth, windpipe, chest, etc., all become part of the harmonica, acoustically. 
Good bending is greatly helped by proper resonance from the player, just as
good tone is.  In fact, if you listen to a good, heavy throat vibrato, you'll
notice that it is a true "vibrato" (variation in pitch) as well as a tremelo
(variation in volume) with players with good tone.

Some folks want to know "what box does good sound come from?" (e.g. effects
pedal.)  That "box" is the "harmonica enclosure" (the player.)  Just like you
can get different pitches from a beer bottle by altering the amount of liquid
insid and, changing the opening size, you can also change your "resonance" by
altering your throat, tongue, chest, etc.  

And no I don't recommend changing tone using liquids - especially certain
potables that certain irascible harp players have been noted for %*\ 

> 	Now add a further handicap -- you're blocking, not puckering.
> Without your tongue in free play you have even less control over the
> shape and length of the air chamber.  You have fewer muscles and less
> meat to move around.  Yet, I know it can be done because I hear it
> coming from some of the notorious blockers.  As an example I offer
> Jerry Portnoy's playing on "Hootchie Coochie Man" on Clapton's "From
> The Cradle".  This is 1st position.  The fact he is blocking I take
> from Kim Field who describes Portnoy as a 100% tongue blocker.
> 	How about you? Can you do it?  How?  Block or pucker?  Where's
> the meat?  Which harps are easier and which are more difficult?

I bend while tongue blocking.  For me, it's a lot more "clunky" than bending
while puckering", but it can be done.  I use the tip of my tongue, and use the
"side" of the tongue to affect the bend.  I rarely use it, being a 99% plus
puckerer.  Of course, this may be why I feel that tongue block bends are
clunky, too :-) 

 --  mike curtis
wd6ehr@xxxxxxxxxx