Re: Research on harmonica

[Pat Missin <pat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mikael Backman 
>
>Hi list!
>Is there anyone out there that knows if any serious studies or scientific
>research has been done about the harmonica and or the pedagogy concerning
>the harmonica? 

Considering just how popular the instrument is in terms of units
produced (Hohner made their one BILLIONTH harmonica a few years back
and they are just one company who has been making them over the
years), very little serious scientific research has been done into
this instrument.

Larry mentioned James "Turbodog" Antaki. He is one of the few people
to have done serious work in this area.

There was also a paper published on the physics of bending and
overblowing by Robert Johnston:

http://www.dis.unimelb.edu.au/staff/robertj/acust2.html

If you want to know about the physics of free reeds in general, James
Cottingham's work is worth reading:

http://www.public.coe.edu/~jcotting/acoustics.html

Historical research into the harmonica seems almost as uncommon and
what little there is out there is often full of contradictions and
inaccuracies. There are a couple of works in progress by respected
students of the harmonica, but I have no idea when they will be
published. In the meantime, some of these books might be useful:

http://www.patmissin.com/ffaq/q28.html

Hope this helps.

 -- Pat.