Re: "upside down" embouchure

[Jp Pagan <jpl_pagan@xxxxxxxxx>]

- --- In harp-l-archives@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,
Marion.Spiers@xxxx wrote:
>I wonder if 
> playing the harp with the numbers down is better?
William Clarke did and 
> his tone was superior. This is a serious
query.....anyone? I haven't had 
> time to relearn things, but I honestly think it
sounds different.

hey Marion,

  when you say it "sounds different" do you mean it
sounds better when you try to do it, or you mean you
can hear a difference between William Clarke and
everyone else? 
  i've picked up a harp accidentally and played it
upside down (and have heard some musicians play their
harps (well) upside down, as a novelty). i've never
noticed a difference in either my tone or theirs
between the "right side up" and "upside down" ways of
playing.
  lots of great harp players played upside down:
William Clarke, Paul Butterfield, Sonny Terry. more of
them, however, did not: Little Walter, Big Walter,
both Sonny Boys, Rod Piazza... i guess you could argue
the latter had worse tone than the former, but you
might find yourself in a heap of trouble if you tried
;)
   i can't speak to the physics of the matter, but it
seems to me there should be no difference, especially
if you take into account the sheer number of factors
more important to tone (or just plain able to shape
tone) than just that one (and most of them are
internal, as in, in your own body). anyway... i
wouldn't worry about it. i doubt you're hampering your
tone in any way (that you couldn't fix) by playing
right side up. if Little Walter could do it, we all
have a fighting chance ;) 

     --Jp 


	
		
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