RE: [Harp-L] "Harp Preparation" Prior to a Gig

["Allen Stratyner" <astratyner@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

   Prior to a gig I always play each note on each harp I'll be using for the
performance. If my last gig was an amplified gig - and I haven't touched my
harps since then -  I often find that I need to adjust the reed action,
and/or unstick a note due to dried saliva. More often than not these
adjustments are my own fault since I sometimes find myself playing a little
harder in order to hear myself in some amplified situations, and this
effects the gapping. Also sometimes I'll pack up my harps without
remembering to tap them out hence the stuck notes.   My best,
                 Allen

-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx]On
Behalf Of Nicolas Fouquet
Sent: Monday, January 24, 2005 6:46 PM
To: JamesDSchultz@xxxxxxx; harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] "Harp Preparation" Prior to a Gig


Actually, prior a gig, I am trying to play less as possible, even not touch
the harmonica at all, because it happen, one day, that I did "empty myself"
playing to much before the gig, and once I went onstage, it was not very
good. Though, the people did appreciate it, and asked me 5 times to come
back to play one more song after I left the stage, well, I had the strange
feeling that me and my harps were empty. I do not really know haw to make ye
understand. That's how I did feel at the moment: empty. It was not like when
you're trying to catch a girl and feel shy or/and silly (I always feel silly
anyway!!), but something similar. I had the feeling that absolutely no note
were resonating, that my harmonicas were out of tune, unresponsive...

So, since, I do not play before a gig, but I am used to clean my harmonicas
instead. I also keep a glass of cold water with me to rinse and cold my
mouth ad my breath as not reed get stuck with condensation: it is always
confusing when you walk on stage, (I am used to perform alone) and take your
harmonica, seem to blow but no sound comes out! Then, I try to turn it into
comical joke, but anyway, even if the audience do not mind, I do!

So, cleaning harmonicas, and Cold Water. That's my harp preparation prior a
gig. When I was busking in the cold Galway's main street, I was used to put
a tiny bit of vaseline on the cover-plates as my liàps do not stick then
bledds (bleeding is not a big deal, but then, the blood sticks your lips to
the harmonicas and that's a problem, and the morning after, as soon as you
yawn, you understand that you're gonna have pain for the 4 coming days)!

Froggy

JamesDSchultz@xxxxxxx wrote:

Hello All

I am curious to find out if any body else performs
"Harp Preparation", prior to a Gig.

I hold my Harp a bit slanted, and after a night of playing, and sometimes
being a bit overenthusiastic with the Trills, I find
that I wear a bit of skin off, below my bottom lip. I'm try to get a
callous, but it's not working too well. Fingers are better at that. Although
Beer
often helps to lubricate, while playing, I find that if I rub a small amount
of
Peanut Oil on a napkin, and softly rub it across my Harps, not drenching, or
pushing the napkin fibers into the holes, while still home, it gives me that
little edge.

They probable sell it already, in a Big Music Store, next to the Gorilla
Snot, for $6.95. And it's just Peanut Oil in a fancy bottle.


I am curious to find out if any body else performs
any type of "Harp Preparation", prior to a Gig.

Thanks, Jim


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