Re: [Harp-L] Removing windsavers from chromatics

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Removing windsavers takes away as much as it gives.

First off, remove only the OUTSIDE windsavers. These are the the ones 
that snap shut and seal off the blow reeds when you inhale. This 
prevents the blow reeds from participating in a draw bend. When you 
remove them, you can play dual-reed draw bends - D will bend down a 
semitone, (same goes for Eb), F will bend down a quarter-tone (same 
goes for F#) and A will bend down a semitone (same for Bb). B will 
not bend at all.

If you don't remove those windsavers, all the reeds mentioned above 
wil bend down three semitones or more, depending on player skill. But 
they wont have that juicy dual-reed sound. Like I say, you get 
something but you also give something up.

Why not remove the inside valves as well? You won't gain any bending 
control and the harp will leak air like a sieve and become unplayable.

Actually, you could remove ONE of the inside valves - the one on the 
B (and the B# - okay, two) in each octave. This would now allow the 
Blow C in the same hole as the B (and the Blow C# with the B#) to 
bend a quarter-tone in that squawky Bob Dylan way instead of bending 
down three or so semitones.

Another way of achiveing this is to leave the valves in place but 
clip about 1/3 of the valve away. This still preserves some windsaver 
efficiency while allowing for dual-reed bends.

Winslow

--- In harp-l-archives@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Jonathan Hill 
<jonathan.f.hill@xxxx> wrote:
I was at a HOOT meeting last night (great group, btw :-) and heard
something about removing some of the windsavers to be able to achieve
some bending effects/techniques. I'm googling for something about this
and the only thing I can find is stuff about
repairing/replacing/cleaning windsavers, but not removing them. Anyone
care to enlighten me on this technique? Thanks

Jon





		
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