Re: Re: Re: [Harp-L] bends and reed fatigue

["Bob Maglinte" <bbqbob917@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Garry Hodgson" <garry@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, October 04, 2004 10:35 AM
Subject: Re: Re: Re: [Harp-L] bends and reed fatigue


> "Bob Maglinte" <bbqbob917@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > Rather than use a scientific/mathematical approach as your doing, trying
> > doing it yourself with the cover plates OFF, and my point will be proved 
> > in
> > a quiet room. To hear the difference, you need to listen in much more
> > concentrated way than you normally would (or rather, listening with 
> > "bigger
> > ears," as opposed to the way most people listen to music). One thing to
> > remember, you have to do this acoustically to actually hear it. The
> > difference is slight, but it IS there!!!
>
> i'm sorry, i wasn't clear.  i don't doubt the difference, i'm just
> curious about the mechanism.
>
> ----
> Garry Hodgson, Technical Consultant, AT&T Labs

Hi Gary,
If you play harp as most people do, with the numbers side facing up, that's 
usually where the blow reed plate is. The reeds together in a diatonic work 
together as a pair when bending (unless they're valved, and then those are 
isolated bends, like in a chromatic), so that in order for the bend to 
sound, the other reed has to sound. Pat Missin had a post a while back that 
gave a much more precise explanation of this occurance. If you try the 
method out with a draw bend, let's say the 4 draw, you hit the unbent note 
first. Then hit the bent note, and then place a finger on the 4 blow reed. 
What's the first thing you notice? The bend stops sounding, so when you play 
a 4 draw bend, the reed that actually does the bending is the 4 blow reed. 
In holes 6-10, the exact opposite happens. Even tho it is in split seconds, 
the draw bend is what you will hear sooner.

Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
MP3's: http://music.mp3lizard.com/barbequebob/