Re: XB bending vs Overblowing vs Brendan Power's harps ?

["Fernando Bresslau" <fernando.bresslau@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Laurent Vigouroux" <laurent.vigouroux@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2003 12:42 PM
Subject: RE: XB bending vs Overblowing vs Brendan Power's harps ?


> I feel exactly the same. The size of the harp is definitely an important
> criteria for me. Moreover, I don't like having valves.

After getting used to the size, it isn´t much of a problem, though.
Specially if you usually carry around a brief case or bag. The valves are
almost unperceptible, you hear them sometimes, but they don´t interfere with
the playing whatsoever. It´s not like a half valved or fully valved
chrom/dia. They can need some maintenance, but they don´t botter at all.


> By the way, it seems to me that if you don't mind having an expensive, big
> harp with valves, Brendan Power's 10 holes Chromatic Richter tuned (sorry
> Pat Missin for using the bad terminology ;-) harps are the way to go! They
> give you all the required notes (and probably also lots of enharmonic
notes)
> simply by pushing the button. So no problem of bending accurately one
> semi-tone. And Brendan now customizes the Slide harp which is problably
not
> really bigger than the XB. That's true they are more expensive than the
XB,
> but you really have two harps in one and you could imagine to buy only
half
> of the required keys. And they are custom harps which play wonderfully.

As I wrote sometime ago, the dimensions of the Slide and XB are almost
identical, the Slide having the extra button and the XB being thicker at the
bottom. Allthough I´m sure Brendan´s instruments are wonderfull, I think we
are comparing different things, and that´s never fair. The expressive
quality of the XB is unique, you have more ways to play a specific note than
with Brendan´s Slide, even if it is half valved. And you are also comparing
a custom instrument to an out-of-the-box one. And I don´t think it is the
same to play, say a C slide with the button in (C#) and a Db XB. Have in
mind that, if you want to buy half the instruments by plyaing the slide with
button in, you´ll have to learn to play it 2 ways, instead of one: slide in
and slide out. if you buy twice as many harps, but you play all the keys the
saem way.
Just to state that I agree with you and see a very good characteristic on
the Slide: notes are much more precise if you use the button, instead of
bends.

> I would really be interested in having a feedback from people who own both
> the XB and a CX-10 or Slide harp from Brendan.

I don´t own one of Brendan´s, but, comparing two out-of-the box instruments,
my XB is much more easier to play, much more intuitive than my Slide harp,
which I manage to play only in 2 keys: G and G# (it´s a C). Besides that, it
is much better set up, louder, has, IMHO, a nicer tone and leaks less. And
doesn´t have the inconvenience of the button.

>
> And despite what I've just said, I'll buy an XB-40 as soon as I have
enough
> money (too bad for the Slide harp in G I was fancying to buy)....

Yes, you should do that. You won´t be disappointed. By the way, where you
planning to buy it fully or halved valved?

Best regards,
Fernando Bresslau