Re: Thicker reedplates = louder?

[Pat Missin <pat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Derrick wrote:
>
>Here we go again Vern, I should know better than this. I have been doubling
>the reeds plates on diatonics since the mid 80's and if you are trying to
>tell me that there is no perceivable difference in volume between a one
>millimeter and a two millimeter reed plate you are sadly mistaken.

As someone else who has been building diatonics with double-thick
reedplates for a while (apparently not as long as you have, though), I
would also be very surprised if most people couldn't tell the
difference between a regular and a double thick reedplate, all other
things being equal.

However, if we are talking about the differences between the regular
diatonic reedplate thickness (usually around .9 mm) and the thicker
ones found on the Cross Harp, Meisterklasse, etc. (about 1.1 mm), I
would not bet on everyone being able to tell them apart in a blind
test. In fact, I suspect that Vern is right in this case and a lot
people (perhaps most of them) wouldn't be able to hear the difference.

In Vern's defence (and I'm not sure that he really needs me to defend
him), his experience is (correct me if I am wrong, Vern) mostly with
standard C chromatics. The difference in sound between thinner and
thicker plates is more noticeable with unvalved reeds than with valved
reeds, as well as being more noticeable in lower keys. 

The difference is also not just a simple volume difference - doubling
the thickness of the reedplate also changes the tone and the response
of the harp.

 -- Pat.