Re: unresponsive reed

["G." <gigs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

<quote>
Date: Sat, 22 May 2004 09:08:32 -0400
From: "Oliver Schoenborn" <oliver.schoenborn@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: unresponsive reed

Thanks Nicolas and Pierre for your replies.  I checked the gap of #3 blow,
and it looks no different than its neighbors. Mind you, the second hole gap
is smaller than its neighbors... If this means I should decrease the gap of
#3 blow, then I should also decrease the gap of both #1 and #4 blow, but
they seem to respond fine, so it's a bit confusing.

Did I understand Nicolas correctly, that I should decrease the gap by
pressing down on the vibrating end of the reed rather than closer to the
base (riveted) end of the reed?

Oliver
</quote>

Hi Oliver,
  With diatonic harmonicas both reeds in each hole have affect the response
of how both blow and draw notes play.   So when you are checking the gapping
of a note against its neighbours, always compare both reeds.   The general
rule of thumb is gap the lowest pitch reed tighter than the highest pitch
reed.  In that the note that can be bent down is less likely to choke than
the note that can't be bent down.

Generally reed adjustment (the arc of the reed, and the gap along the
profile and at the tip) gets easier with experience, the more you try out
and observe, the better you get.   To begin with while you're just trying to
get started - yes, do all your gapping by pushing nearer the tip of the
reed, maybe getting near the center if thats simply not working after 50
prods or so.  :-)

Although with the long heavy reeds you will be better off removing the
reedplates so that you have room to push the reeds around without them
hitting the comb.  As you get more hours of practice under your belt, you'll
start to get more of an idea of how much you can bully them around, and what
gets the results you're after - indeed you'll get a clearer idea  of the
what results you're after.

- -- G.