[Harp-L] Re: [HarpTalk] Valved Diatonic Bends

["PT Gazell" <ptgazell@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Tim and List,

   Saw your post to myself and the list. I just spent the last 30 mins. 
trying to figure out what I do when I bend a valved note spot on. I honestly 
don't think that I do anything different on valved bends (blow or draw) than 
I do when I just bend a regular draw note (double reed bend). Two years ago 
at SPAH in ST. Louis I was about 6 months into valved playing and Joe 
Filisko, having heard me play September Song, asked me if I know how 
difficult it was to do single reed bends. I stopped him before he could 
explain...and said that Ignorance is Bliss. I had no idea that there was 
double and single reed bends. All I knew was that I could now blow bend 
notes to fill in the holes. I went about assuming that the technique was the 
same as draw bending or blow bending holes 9 and 10. As I have said publicly 
Charlie McCoy was my biggest influence and having tried to ape him in my 
earlier days, you had to be able to hit draw bends spot on. Now, people much 
more knowledgeable about the acoustic workings and principles of the 
harmonica may disagree and tell me that I am indeed doing something 
different to achieve this. However, I can not say that I feel any difference 
in technique other than it's blowing rather than drawing. I will in 
conclusion say  that I feel that the gapping on valved harps should be at 
least as big as store bought harps or slightly bigger. But that may be just 
a function of how I play.
   For those of you who want a good example of what Tim is asking about, I 
have just posted a small clip of the second half of my solo in "How High The 
Moon" from my new CD "Swingin' Easy...Hittin' Hard"  about 17 seconds in I 
do a series of three octave jumps...the last one is blow bend on the 5 blow 
to blow bend on the 2 hole. Tim I have heard you play and have heard you hit 
draw bends spot on...quit thinking about it and just play!!!!
   Incidentally the harmonica played on that clip has reed plates 
customized by Tim himself. He took a set of marine band plates and equal 
tuned, embossed and shaped the reeds. Then he drilled holes in the plates to 
accommodate my aluminum meisterklass comb. He really does fine work. Here's 
the link to the clip.

http://www.ptgazell.com/
Look for this     How High The Moon Octave Jumps With Blow Bends


Thanks
PT Gazell
pt@xxxxxxxxxxxx
www.ptgazell.com
http://www.sonicbids.com/PTGazell
www.cdbaby.com/all/gazell


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tim Moyer" <wmharps@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <harptalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2005 1:09 PM
Subject: [HarpTalk] Valved Diatonic Bends


> This question is for PT, but if anyone else wants to chime in, feel
> free, that's why I'm sending it on-list.
>
> I experimented for a time with half-valving diatonics to use pretty
> much the way PT does: adding valved bends where "normal" dual-reed
> bends weren't possible on a diatonic, filling in the "missing" notes.
> I am certainly not as accomplished as PT, but I could never hit a "pre-
> bent" note on a valved bend.  In other words, starting the note with
> the pitch already lowered from it's natural pitch.  I've had other
> valved players tell me it's possible, and it sure sounds from PT's work
> like it is.  So, PT, any advice on how to get there from here -- 
> besides "practice, practice, practice"?
>
> -tim
>
> Tim Moyer
> Working Man's Harps
> http://www.workingmansharps.com/
>
>
>
>
>
>
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