Re: Valve stoppers

["ChipComcast" <jandkday@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

  Thanks, scorcher and Bob.  It does not choke up when I ease up, but a lot
of times it is excitment or adrenaline or perhaps to much beer.

    Always appreciate the cold hard truth!

Jimmy
- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Maglinte" <bbqbob917@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "ChipComcast" <jandkday@xxxxxxxxxxx>; <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2003 7:30 PM
Subject: Re: Valve stoppers


> Hi Jimmy,
> The valves are there for a reason. They work somewhat like the way a turbo
> charger works in a car, recirculating air to give more volume, because
> chromatics are aerodynamically inefficent compared to a diatonic, but if
you
> remove them, they'll be considerably more difficult to play at even the
> softest volume. These valves prevent you from bending more than 1/4 step
> flat, and if the reeds seem to choke, the REAL culprit 99 times out of 100
> is that you're trying to play them like a diatonic, and that obviously
means
> you're playing WAY, WAY, WAY, WAY, WAY too hard. You need to ease your way
> into it or you'll never be rid of this problem, no matter what. Bottom
line:
> It ain't the harp or the valves, it's your playing technique! That's the
> cold, hard, brutal truth!!
>
> Sincerely,
> Barbeque Bob Maglinte
> Boston, MA
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: ChipComcast
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2003 3:19 PM
> Subject: Valve stoppers
>
>
>
>  Quick question for the harpmen...
>
>     I am starting to play 270's & 64 Chromatics in the style of George
> Smith,Rod Piazza,Mark Hummel, Dennis Grueling et. al.
>
>    Many times while playing live I am chocked off by the valve stoppers,
> paticularly with big chords and "bends."
>
>   Before I potentially mangle these expensive harps, do people snip or
> remove these valve stoppers and if so will it damage my harps.
>
>    Thanks,
>
>   Jimmy Day
>
>