[Harp-L] diffference in keys

["Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "billannette" <mojoworkin@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2005 2:47 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] diifference in keys


> My question is how the reeds are different in the different keyed harps.
> If the low G harp is the same size and shape as, say,>  the high D harp,
> how are the reeds shaped differently? The D harp has shorter ( or
> narrower?) reeds?

Three things affect the pitch of a harmonica reed:

Length...the longer the reed the lower the pitch and vice versa.

Weight/thickness near the tip...the heavier near the tip, the lower the
pitch and vice versa.

Thickness where the reed bends to vibrate near the base.  The thicker the
reed, the higher the pitch and vice versa.

In tuning, material is removed near the base to lower pitch and is removed
near the tip to raise pitch.

The pitch of a reed is NOT affected by its width.

Because, (unlike a wind instrument) there are no resonant air columns in a
harmonica, the pitches of the notes are unaffected by overall harmonica
size.  Thus the the larger harmonicas contain more reeds.  The smallest size
diatonic blues harps contain 20 reeds.  The largest sized 4-octave
chromatics contain 64 reeds.

All diatonics contain 20 reeds and are the same size.  The different keys of
diatonics merely contain a different 20-reed subset of the 64 reeds found in
a 4-octave chromatic.

Vern
Visit my harmonica website: http://www.Hands-Free-Chromatic.7p.com



Visit my harmonica website: http://www.Hands-Free-Chromatic.7p.com